Hiking Route "Mountain lake tour" form the Ursprung Alp to lake Duisitzkarsee - Touren-Impression #1 | © Gerhard Pilz - www.gpic.at

"Mountain lake tour" form the Ursprung Alp to lake Duisitzkarsee

Accessible by public transport
  • Hiking bus (within 15 minutes walking distance from starting point)

Characteristics

Skill
Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium
Route 10,5 km
Time 5:00 h
Uphill 570 hm
Downhill 980 hm
Highest point 2055 m
Attractive scenic highland path - maybe one of the most beautiful tours in the region!
Beautiful alpine hike along creeks and lakes of the Schladminger Tauern range, passing through alps and partially walking along historic trade routes. From Ursprungalm to Giglachseen you follow the historic Roman trade route. From Murspitzsattel mountain saddle you enjoy the marvellous view to Landauersee Lake, from Ferchtlhöhe ridge the breathtaking view to Duisitzkarsee Lake.

Best season

January
February
March
April
November
December

More information

We recommend to take the bus from Schladming or Rohrmoos to Ursprungalm. The end point of the tour is in the Obertal Valley from where you take the bus back to Schaldming and Rohrmoos.

Parking is available near several bus stops where you can hop-on the bus to Ursprungalm and hop-off the bus from Eschachalm:

  • valley terminal of Planai cable-car
  • valley terminal of Hochwurzen cable-car
  • Rohrmoos village center

Ursprungalm is the starting point for this hike. From here you take trail #771 which takes you to the Giglachseen Lakes, lying in a breathtaking mountain scenery. On the way to the Lakes you walk along a historic trade route, that was already used 2,000 years ago, in the time of the Roman empire. The path back then was a trade route and alpine pass.

Once you reach the Giglachkar cirque you pass by Giglachsee Hütte chalet and walk along the Giglachseen Lakes on trail #702. You pass by Ignaz-Mattis-Hütte chalet and soon after you reach the trail junction with trail #776 at the lower end of the bigger of the two Giglachseen Lakes. You walk along trail #776 until you reach the trail crossing with trail #775 a couple of minutes later. Walking along trail #775 now you hike up along the slopes of Murspitzen, finally reaching Murspitzsattel mountain saddle at Ferchtlhöhe ridge. From there you get a first glimpse of Duisitzkarsee Lake.

The steep descent takes you down to the lake. Through a larch forest you reach Duisitzkarseehütte and Fahrlechhütte chalets at the lake. The last part of the tour takes you downhill from the lake to Eschachalm.

Changes in weather patterns, quick falls in temperature, thunderstorms, wind, fog and snow are some of the dangers that can be encountered on a hiking tour. Hosts of alpine huts and mountain refuges have a lot of experience in the mountains and can give good advice about weather and the trails. Poor equipment, overestimation of one's own capabilities, carelessness, poor personal constitution and/or wrong judgement  can lead to critical situations. In case of thunderstorms: avoid summits, ridges and steel ropes.

GPS data and orienteering

Available GPS data - just like hiking maps - is only a guidance for orientation and can never depict a trail exactly with all its details. Especially at dangerous spots it is essential to judge on site how to proceed.

In an emergency please call:

  • 140 - for Alpine emergencies (all over Austria)
  • 112 - European GSM emergency number
A well-packed backpack is helpful and especially when touring Alpine terrain a tuque, gloves, a windproof jacket and pants are standard equipment. Good, waterproof shoes, sun glasses, sun cream and sufficient beverages are essential too. Torch light, a map of the area, knie and a small first-aid kit should also be in the backpack.

With the Planai buses from Schladming (Planai stadion, Lendplatz) or Rohrmoos (Rohrmoos-Zentrum) to Preuneggtal valley - bus stop Ursprungalm. From Eschachalm in Obertal valley you take the bus back to Schladming and Rohrmoos.

From the valley head at Eschachalm further into Obertal the landowners do not allow to bring along dogs.

Tourist information: www.schladming.com

Information about bus schedules: www.planaibus.at

360° drone images

Get yourself an overview with our 360° drone images:

  • 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.

Map & downloads

Gallery

cattle on the Brandriedl with view to the Dachstein (Ramsau am Dachstein)

What the weather will be like Schladming (740m)

Today, 23.09.2026

Some clouds in the morning, lateron much sunshine and hardly any clouds
Morning
slightly cloudy
4°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 0%
sr.Windstärke 5 km/h
Noon
very sunny
16°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 0%
sr.Windstärke 5 km/h
Night
very sunny
10°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 0%
sr.Windstärke 5 km/h

Tomorrow, 24.09.2026

Mostly sunny in the morning, later clouds will gather, and finally rain will start towards evening.
Morning
very sunny
4°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 0%
sr.Windstärke 5 km/h
Noon
slightly cloudy
14°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 40%
sr.Windstärke 10 km/h
Night
weather.icon.66
10°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 70%
sr.Windstärke 5 km/h

Forecast

25.09.2026
very sunny
5°C 17°C
26.09.2026
very sunny
3°C 18°C
27.09.2026
very sunny
4°C 20°C
Spiegelsee Reiteralm | © photo-austria / Christine Höflehner

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