Snowshoe hike Rosenkogel

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 11,5 km

Time 5:00 h

Uphill 671 hm

Downhill 662 hm

Highest point 1917 m

“The Encounter": On snowshoes from Gaalgraben up to Rosenkogel (1,879 m) – a scenic tour with an elevation gain of around 700 meters, which requires stamina but rewards you with sweeping views over the Seckau Alps, the reverent Loreto Chapel, and the summit of Rosenkogel.

A classic in the Seckau Alps is the hike in the adventure region Murtal over the Sommertörl to the Rosenkogel, with the descent over the Lorettokapelle. The Sommertörl pass crossing is a familiar name to many hikers, as you can park here in summer and hike comfortably to the summit or chapel. In winter, the private road is closed and the tour starts at the parking lot on the Lanzalm. Up to the Sommertörl the ascent and descent for this tour is identical, only in the summit area we recommend the direct ascent to the 1918 m high Rosenkogel and the descent via the Lorettokapelle.

Best season

January

February

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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.
Drive through Knittelfeld and continue to Gaal.
Follow the road into the Gaal Valley (Gaalgraben).
At the end of the road, you will reach the Sommertörl winter parking area.

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.
Drive through Knittelfeld and continue to Gaal.
Continue into the Gaal Valley (Gaalgraben) until you reach the Sommertörl winter parking area.

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 through Knittelfeld and continue to Gaal.
Follow the road into the Gaal Valley (Gaalgraben) until you reach the Sommertörl winter parking area.

Large parking lot, which can be quickly occupied, especially on weekends.

From the parking lot Lanzalm/Roßbach (1), 1254 m, we walk slightly uphill on the road in the direction of Roßbachgraben. After a trail length of approx. 3 km and an altitude difference of approx. 250 hm - after a right turn - a forest road branches off from the main trail to the right. There are no markings or signposts, but there are usually numerous tracks. For the time being it goes slightly downhill and subsequently we come directly to the alpine pastures of the Sommeralm. We walk directly past the Sommerhütte (2), 1582 m, and soon arrive at the Sommertörl pass. Here on the open spaces we can already see our goal, the summit cross of the Rosenkogel. Now we keep in a straight line uphill, along the ridge, cross forest roads several times and then come back to the red-white-red markings. The ascent to the summit is also a bit steeper in between, all the more we look forward to the magnificent view from the Rosenkogel (3), 1918 m. After a leisurely break, we choose the descent towards the east and arrive at the Lorettokapelle (4), 1817 m. The way back to Sommertörl is well marked and leads slightly downhill on a forest road. The rest of the descent leads back to the starting point via the ascent route.

Equipment for Snowshoe Hiking

Sturdy, waterproof hiking boots with good grip
Snowshoes & adjustable poles with winter baskets
Backpack with rain cover
Layering system: functional underwear, mid-layer, weatherproof winter jacket
Warm hiking pants, gaiters if needed
Gloves (plus a spare pair), hat/headband, scarf/buff
Sunglasses, ski goggles, and sun protection
Water bottle or thermos, snacks
First aid kit, emergency blanket, personal medication
Headlamp, mobile phone with emergency numbers, hiking map or GPS

Additional safety gear in alpine terrain:
When snowshoeing in unsecured alpine areas, an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel are essential. They are vital for quick companion rescue in case of an emergency.

Snowshoe tours in open terrain require both weather and avalanche updates:

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

If the whole tour is too strenuous for you, the Sommeralm is already a worthwhile snowshoe destination!

Unfortunately, this tour cannot be reached by public transport.

Recommendation: Travel by car or organize a carpool.

Gasthof Wachter, Tel.: +43 3513 222, 8731 Gaal, Gaalgraben 27, www.gasthofwachter.at

You can also find more information about the region on - www.murtal.at

Sarcletti S., Zienitzer E., (2. Auflage 2018): Schneeschuhführer Steiermark – Vom Dachstein bis zum Steirischen Weinland. Bergverlag Rother GmbH, München, S. 176

Schneeweiß C., (2012): Schneeschuhgehen – Praxiswissen vom Profi zu Ausrüstung, Technik und Sicherheit. Bruckmann Verlag GmbH, München, S.192