Ski tour on the Pletzen

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 17,7 km

Time 6:00 h

Uphill 1164 hm

Downhill 1163 hm

Highest point 2336 m

“The Tranquil One”: The tour leads up to the 1,914 m high Pletzen. Through quiet forests and across wide alpine pastures, the tour climbs steadily. At the summit, it rewards you with a panoramic view and an enjoyable descent – a classic away from the hustle and bustle.

Although the ski tour on the Pletzen is one of the first tours that can be reached after the winter barrier in the Gaaler Hintertal, the tour is not very popular. This is perhaps due to the fact that the more frequently described ascent starts from Ingeringtal or the somewhat long forest road ascent. However, this is quickly forgotten as soon as you reach the Ochsenkar. A very scenic, lovely high valley with a wonderful view over the Rosenkogel in a south-westerly direction opens up. The crowning glory of this valley is the 250-metre-high south-facing summit slope. The descent through the Ochsenkar offers several variants depending on the snow conditions. However, the ascent route is the most common.

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

More information

From Vienna (approx. 2.5 hours):

Take the A2 towards Graz.
At 161-St. Michael junction, switch to the S36 towards Judenburg/Knittelfeld.
Exit at Knittelfeld-West.
Follow the signs towards Gaal/Bischoffeld.
Continue into the Gaal Valley (Gaalgraben).
Drive along the road into the rear valley until the Lamer farm or the winter road closure at 1,173 m.

From Graz (approx. 1.5 hours):

Take the A9 towards Linz/Salzburg.
At 161-St. Michael junction, change to the S36 towards Judenburg/Knittelfeld.
Exit at Knittelfeld-West.
Continue towards Gaal/Bischoffeld.
Drive into the Gaal Valley (Gaalgraben) and follow the road up to the winter road closure (Lamer farm, 1,173 m).

From Salzburg (approx. 3 hours):

Take the A10 towards Villach.
At exit 63-Altenmarkt, change to the B320 towards Radstadt/Schladming.
Continue via Schladming to Liezen.
Join the A9 towards Graz.
At 161-St. Michael junction, switch to the S36 towards Judenburg/Knittelfeld.
Exit at Knittelfeld-West.
Drive towards Gaal/Bischoffeld.
Continue into the Gaal Valley (Gaalgraben) and follow the road until the winter road closure at 1,173 m (Lamer farm).

Good parking facilities (parking lot) in front of the winter barrier in Hintertal.

Ascent: From the parking lot, follow the path for approx. 2.5 km to the open area of the Glasnerhütte, where you follow the forest path branching off to the right in the direction of the Ochsenalm. After the hunting lodge at 1523m, follow the course of the stream through sparse forest and open areas to the Ochsenalm. A steep step at 1920m can also be easily bypassed to the east. Over flat alpine pastures you reach the summit slope, a southern flank where drift snow is often embedded on the right and mostly blown off on the left. The last few meters over an increasingly flat ridge to the summit with magnificent views.

Descent: As ascent.

Equipment for Ski Touring

Touring skis with skins, bindings, and compatible ski touring boots
Crampons (ski crampons) for icy sections
Adjustable ski poles with winter baskets
Backpack with ski attachment system
Layering system: functional underwear, mid-layer, insulating jacket, wind- & waterproof shell
Touring pants, gaiters if needed
Helmet (recommended for descents and rocky terrain)
Gloves (spare pair recommended), hat, headband, buff
Ski goggles, sunglasses, and sun protection
Water bottle or thermos, high-energy snacks
First aid kit, bivy sack, personal medication
Headlamp, mobile phone with emergency numbers, map or GPS

Essential safety gear in alpine terrain:
For ski touring, an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel are mandatory. Equally important are proper training in their use and up-to-date information on weather and avalanche conditions.

For ski touring, up-to-date weather and avalanche information is vital:

Mountain weather Styria (including Murtal): wetter.ORF – Bergwetter Steiermark
Avalanche bulletin Austria: lawine.at
Emergency numbers: Mountain Rescue 140 | EU Emergency Number 112

the Pletzen is also worth a hike in summer

Unfortunately, this tour cannot be reached by public transport.

Recommendation: Travel by car or organize a carpool.

Gasthaus Wachter (vlg. Lasser) should not be missed. Excellent cuisine and if you want to stay overnight, very nice rooms. Tel.: +43 3513 222; Web: www.gasthofwachter.at ÖK25V Pöls NL33-02-20 Ost Skitourenführer Österreich Band 1 Alpinverlag ISBN 978-3-902656-01-8