Hochwurzen High Trail to Giglachseen | Schladminger Tauern Trail: Stage 01

Accessible by public transport

Public bus (within 15 minutes walking distance from starting point)
Hiking bus (within 15 minutes walking distance from starting point)

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty challenging

Route 14,0 km

Time 6:30 h

Uphill 820 hm

Downhill 710 hm

Highest point 2256 m

Beautiful alpine tour from Hochwurzen to the Giglachseen Lakes. The Dachstein Massif is a constant companion on the horizon.

The high trail from the Hochwurzen to the Giglachseen lakes is one of the most popular alpine tours in the Schladminger Tauern and requires surefootedness, good physical condition and a head for heights. The view of the Dachstein massif is also a constant companion. The Brettersee and the Giglachseen lakes are highlights along the way, as are the peaks of the Roßfeld, Guschen, Hochfeld and Schiedeck. You can get to the Hochwurzen with the Hochwurzen summit lift - note operating times!The tour first takes you through a section with a larch and stone pine forest and then mostly along alpine hiking trails and through rocky sections.

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

More information

Take the B320 Ennstal federal highway to Schladming.
In Schladming, take the "Schladming-Mitte" exit and follow the signs towards "Rohrmoos-Untertal".
At the second roundabout near Lendplatz (bus stop), turn right towards the "Planai-West" ski station.
Multi-day hikers can park for free in the Planai-West parking lots.
The "Lendplatz" bus stop is about a 5-minute walk away, from where you can take the bus to the summit lift.

The 1. stage of the Schladminger Tauern High Trail takes you from Hochwurzen to Giglachseen Lakes. From "Kleine Wurzen" you can already see the first summit of this tour, the Rossfeld. Follow trail n° 60 from Kleine Wurzen and descent through dwarf pines to Hüttecksattel from where you continue on the nature trail Rossfeld to the ridge of Rossfeld. The next summit, Guschen, is already in your view. Passing by bizzare pine trees you descent a little to Latterfußsattel from where you follow trail n° 773 to the summit of Guschen. From there you continue via Schneider and ascend along the West face of the Hochfeld toward the prominent summit of Schiedeck. Passing by underneath the Schiedeck summit you continue East of the Kammspitze and now descend to Brettersee Lake, before you are rewarded with a striking view across the Giglachkar cirque. Above the lakes the trail heads West a little and then brings you down via several switchbacks. For the overnight stay you can choose between Ignaz-Mattis-Hütte and Giglachseehütte.

Descent to the valley:

Via Preuneggsattel you can descend to Ursprungalm in Preuneggtal valley in approximately 1 hour, or alternatively via Landauersee Lake to Hopfriesen in Obertal in 2.5 hours. From either of those 2 points there is a bus back to Rohrmoos and Schladming.

Bus schedules: www.planaibus.at

Carry sufficient water/drinks on this stage. Due to the character of the tour (from summit to summit) fresh water is rare along the tour. Starting from Hochwurzen the first opportunity to fill up your water bottle will be near Brettersee Lake (after approximately 5 hours walking time).

From Schladming you take the Planai-Hochwurzen buses to the valley terminal of Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen, where you take the cable-car to Hochwurzenhütte.

www.planai.at

For multi-day hikers, free parking is available at Planai West. The "Lendplatz" bus stop is approximately a 5-minute walk away, from where you can continue by public bus to the Gipfelbahn.
Parking directly at the Gipfelbahn is not permitted for multi-day hikers!

More information at https://www.planai.at/en/info-service/arrival#hochwurzen-sommer

Info about buses and cable-cars: www.planai.at

360° drone images

Get yourself an overview with our 360° drone images:

Hochwurzen, Rossfeld & Guschen: https://vonoben.schladming-dachstein.at/sommer/index.php?S=305
Hochfeld and Schiedeck: https://vonoben.schladming-dachstein.at/sommer/index.php?S=306
View over Giglachkar cirque: https://vonoben.schladming-dachstein.at/sommer/index.php?S=307
Giglachseen and Kalkspitzen summits: https://vonoben.schladming-dachstein.at/sommer/index.php?S=308
Lower Giglachsee Lake and Vetternkar cirque: https://vonoben.schladming-dachstein.at/sommer/index.php?S=309

Hiking map ‘Hiking WEST’ available at the information offices in the region.
Schladming hiking map, 1:25,000, available at the Schladming information office.
Hiking map Schladming-Dachstein, 1:50,000, available at the information offices in the region.
Hiking guide Schladming-Dachstein by Herbert Raffalt, available at the information offices in the region.