Pleschnitzzinken 2.112 m

This peak has a few surprises in store.  An easy drive from Pruggern to the Bottinghaus sets the stage for a very scenic half-day hike.  From the Bottinghaus, we hike along an uphill road to the right, reaching a trail crossing in about 10 minutes, the start of a beautiful forest path.  Things begin very relaxed, as we make our way through ancient high forests, home to gnarled spruce, larch and pine, crossing a number of clearings, and soon coming to the forest’s edge.  Now it gets a little steeper, hiking as we are through a zone where the forest struggles to persist.  Isolated small larch punctuate extended fields of rhododendron, serving as enchanting photo motifs. After barely a half-hour’s walk, we reach the empty Pleschnitzzinken hut, now able to enjoy the fantastic views of the Ennstal, Stoderzinken and Dachstein.  Following a gently ascending, grassy ridgeline, we can look forward to a relaxing hike all the way up to the summit cross.  This summit is like a balcony overlooking Ennstal Valley.   And once here at the top, we are certain to be quite surprised by how close the highest of the Tauern peaks actually is.  In high summer, the grass is trimmed short by the sheep grazing here, while the monkshood thriving in-between is like a beautiful pillow of blue. We will hike back along the same route.

This hike is especially recommendable during the time of the alpine roses bloom.

Bottinghaus

Safety information
Safety on the mountainside: changes in the weather, sudden fall in temperature, thunder storms, wind, fog and snow fields are all objective dangers and require the correct behaviour whilst underway. The landlords of the huts are all very knowledgeable about the mountains and can give you good tips about the weather and the routes. Insufficient equipment, exaggerated opinion of ones capabilities, frivolousness, poor health condition and a false evaluation of the situation can lead to a critical situation. In thunder storms: summits, crest-sites and safety rope aids are to be avoided.

If something should happen call following emergency numbers:
No. 140 - the number for all Alpine Emergencies in all of Austria
No. 112 - European emergency call GSM emergency-call-service