The Schladming Tauern mountains are a subrange of the Austrian Central Alps. Crisscrossed by a community of rugged footpaths, the ambulatory spotlight of the world is its namesake excessive path (Höhenweg) which options sweeping glacial valleys, knife-edge ridgelines, lake-dotted plateaus, and eye-popping summit panoramas. The Schlaminger Tauern Höhenweg was the second of 4 excessive trails I did in Austria in the course of the fall of 2019, the others being the Wormser Höhenweg, Stubai Höhenweg (see Journey Report, Information & Gear Listing), and the Berliner Höhenweg (see Journey Report & Information/Gear Listing).
Giglach Lakes (1,922m)
At a Look
Distance: 42.7 km (26.5 mi) (together with 5 levels)
Common Length: 4-5 days
- Notice: A match and skilled hiker carrying a light-weight load can comfortably do the path over two or three days. Most hikers undertake a hut-to-hut itinerary and take 5 days to finish the journey.
Problem Stage: Average to difficult
Excessive Level: Greifenberg – 2,618 m (7,933 ft)
Complete Elevation Achieve: 3,935 m (12,910 ft)
Begin: Hochwurzenhütte
End: Seewigtal Carpark
Closest City/Base: Schladming. Located within the coronary heart of Austria, this touristy mountain hub is conveniently situated on worldwide practice strains.
Sources:
- Route Data: 1. Outdooractive – contains GPX Observe, primary trekking notes, different routes, elevation profile, and logistical particulars; 2. Moonhoneytravel.com features a detailed route description, together with helpful beta on hut costs, meals, and journey prices.
- Normal Data: schladming.com (regional tourism web site), planaibus.at (native bus instances)
Overview map of the Schladminger Tauern Excessive Path.
Path Notes & Pictures
Situated in a stunning basin ringed by a powerful assortment of jagged rocky peaks, Giglach Lakes is the place most Schladminger Tauern hikers spend the primary night time of their journey. The basin boasts two full-service mountain huts; Giglachseen and Ignaz-Mattis, the latter of which might be seen overlooking the lake within the heart of the picture under. Each huts had been closed after I got here by way of in mid-October.
From the northeastern tip of Giglach lakes, the path climbed for two.5 km (1.6 mi) to the cairn-laden summit of Rotmandlspitze (2,453 m/8,048 ft).
From the excessive level, I descended eastwards for a few kilometer by way of recent snow, earlier than arriving on the signposted saddle of Kruckeckscharte (2,274 m/7,461 ft).
From Kruckeckscharte, it was an extra 2 km to succeed in Keinprechhutte (1,875 m/6,152 ft). Situated in a surprising glacial cirque, the principle constructing had been boarded up since late September, nonetheless, the winter room stays open all 12 months spherical (Notice: Within the picture under, the winter room is situated within the annex on the left of the hut).
I used to be privileged to have this peaceable alpine amphitheater all to myself. After performing some exploring, I turned in for the night time, bunking down within the cozy winter room. Going by the variety of blankets readily available, and the truth that it solely sleeps three or 4 max, it could seem that Keinprechhutte can get a little bit nippy in the course of the colder months (Notice: It was a comparatively gentle -4°C/25°F throughout my keep).
For the gearheads, that’s a Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka and a Katabatic Alsek 22 quilt within the photographs.
The subsequent day I used to be as soon as once more handled to clear blue skies. After climbing up and over Trockenbrotscharte Ridge (2,237 m/7,339 ft), I dropped right down to the country Landawirseehütte (1,985 m/6,512 ft), the place I finished for breakfast on the entrance patio.
Quickly after leaving Landawirseehütte, the going grew to become a little bit more durable and so much snowier. The ultimate ascent to Gollingscharte ridge (2,326 m/7,631 ft) was icier than a mother-in-law’s kiss, and I used to be more than pleased to have packed the Salewa spikes (much like Kathoola Microspikes), which I’d bought a few weeks earlier than at an out of doors retailer in Innsbruck.
After Gollingscharte, the path dropped round 700 m (2,297 ft) in elevation, switchbacking down an extended scree slope, passing a small waterfall, earlier than finally bottoming out on the idyllic alpine meadows of Gollingwinkel.
A brief stroll north of the meadows is the enchanting Gollinghütte (1,651 m/5,417 ft), the place most hikers select to in a single day. Nonetheless, feeling good and desirous to benefit from the high quality climate (inclement circumstances had been on the playing cards for the next day), I made a decision to proceed on for just a few extra hours. From Gollinghutte, I started climbing once more in earnest, and after one other 4 km (2.5 mi), reached the summit of Greifenberg (2,618 m/8,589 ft), the very best level on the Schladming Tauern Excessive Path.
From the summit cross of Greifenberg, the path descended steeply alongside a jagged ridgeline, quickly dropping into a surprising lake-dotted plateau often called Klafferkessel. This bewitching relic of the final Ice Age was the scenic spotlight of the path and I felt lucky to expertise it in such stunning climate.
After winding by way of the Klafferkessel’s snow-ringed assortment of tarns and lakes, the path dropped precipitously right into a deep and slender valley earlier than reaching Preintalerhütte (1,656 m/5,433 ft). I spent my second and ultimate night time of the hike within the hut’s tiny winter room, which was situated within the attic of an adjoining storage barn, accessible by way of a brief ladder climb.
The ultimate 11 km (6.8 mi) of the Schladminger Tauern Excessive Path was hiked in dense fog and heavy rain. I wasn’t too bummed, as I knew that inclement circumstances had been on the playing cards, and I’d been blessed with superb climate the day before today and a half. From Preintalerhütte, the path climbed up and over Neualmscharte (2,347m/7,700 ft), earlier than skirting the western shores of pretty Obersee and Hüttensee lakes. After a little bit below 4 hours I reached Seewigtal Automobile park, from the place I used to be lucky to acquire a trip again to my resort within the village of Schladming.
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