Stage 04 From Glacier to Wine South Route Ignaz Mattis Hütte - Keinprechthütte

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty challenging

Route 6,2 km

Time 4:00 h

Uphill 546 hm

Downhill 664 hm

Highest point 2450 m

On this stage and the following three stages of the hiking route "From glacier to wine" the route becomes distinctly alpine. The trail leadsdeep into the heart of the Schladminger Tauern, renowned for its abundance of lakes, streams, and waterfalls. In between, on this stage from the Giglachseen to the Keinprechthütte, hikers first tackle the ascent to the Rotmandlspitze, wherea truly spectacular panorama of the surrounding mountains awaits us.

With the opening of the railway line through the Enns Valley in 1875, mountain tourism began to develop in the region. As more visitors ventured into the previously remote and largely untouched mountains, the demand for trails and mountain accommodation steadily increased.

The Preintal Alpine Society responded quickly to this development and opened the Preintaler Hut for self-catering hikers near the Waldhornalm in August 1891. It was followed by the Hans-Wödl Hut in the Seewigtal in 1897 and the Golling Hut in 1904.

The Preintal Alpine Society was also active in the Obertal at the foot of the Zinkwand. There, it leased the so-called Herrenhäusl, a former mining building, and converted it into the Keinprechthütte, today's stage destination.

However, only a few years later, the hut was transferred to the Vienna Section of the Alpine Club, as the original association had grown too large. In 1911, the Vienna Section also opened the Ignaz Mattis Hut at the Giglachseen.

In this way, the Schladminger Tauern gradually became accessible to hikers, nature lovers, and mountaineers. Today, the mountain range forms part of the Natura 2000 protected area of the Niedere Tauern, one of Europe's most important conservation networks.

Best season

January

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More information

Detailed information on how to get to the hut can be found here.

At the beginning of the stage, we circle the Lower Giglachsee to the northeast before tackling the ascent to the Rotmandlspitze at 2,453 metres above sea level. Passing the remains of a historic miner's dwelling – reminders of the mining industry that played a vital role in the region's economy until the 19th century – the trail climbs steadily into the Outer Knappenkar, dotted with small mountain lakes.

Beyond this point, the ascent becomes more demanding as the trail winds its way across scree slopes and steep switchbacks. Reaching the summit of the Rotmandlspitze, however, rewards hikers with magnificent panoramic views. Below lie the Giglachkar and the Duisitzkar, while the surrounding peaks of the Schladminger Tauern stretch across the horizon.

The numerous lakes in this area also feed the waterways of the "Wild Waters" in the Rohrmoos Obertal, a hiking experience recognised by National Geographic for its outstanding natural beauty.

The remainder of this stage of the "From Glacier to Wine" hiking trail leads downhill via the Kruckeckscharte and through a series of hairpin bends into the Neualmkar, eventually reaching today's destination: the idyllically situated Keinprechthütte (Tel. +43 664 4330346) at 1,872 metres above sea level.

As an alternative to crossing the Rotmandlspitze, hikers can choose a variant via the Duisitzkarsee and the Neualm. This route requires approximately 5 to 5½ hours of walking time. Tip: As you are now in the heart of the Schladminger Tauern, the hut hosts can provide the latest weather forecast and valuable advice for the following stage to the Gollinghütte.

In the spring of 2018, a jury and the readers of a major Austrian daily newspaper selected Martina Traisch from the Enns Valley and Manfred Polansky from the Mürz Valley as two "super hikers" who hiked the north and south routes in the summer. You can read about their experiences and adventures at www.steiermark.com/superwanderer: From ideal photo spots to hidden wine cellars in mountain huts. Do you want to follow in the footsteps of Martina and Manfred and also become a "super hiker"? It's very easy: Register at www.steiermark.com/superwanderer and then post your experiences, videos and comments along the hiking route "From Glacier to Wine" - regardless of whether you hike the entire route or just one section. Every 5 stages also beckons a small reward!

Accessible by train and bus: detailed information about arriving by ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) can be found at www.oebb.at or on the Verbundlinie Steiermark website www.busbahnbim.at

With Verbundlinie’s BusBahnBim route planner app, planning your journey has never been easier: simply enter towns and/or addresses, stop names or points of interest to check all bus, train and tram connections in Austria. The app is available free of charge for smartphones – on Google Play and in the App Store

The Ignaz Mattis Hütte is not directly accessible by car or public transport, for more information please contact the Ignaz Mattis Hütte directly.

TVB Schladming-Dachstein, Tel. +43 3687 23310, www.schladming-dachstein.at
Steiermark Tourismus, Tel. +43 316 4003, www.steiermark.com

Kompass WK293 Dachsteingruppe, Schladminger Tauern www.kompass.at

Freytag & Berndt WK 201 Schladminger Tauern · Radstadt · Dachstein www.freytagberndt.at