Neualmscharte - Steirischer Bodensee | Schladminger Tauern Trail: Stage 05

You start your tour at Preintalerhütte and Waldhornalm, where you cross over the creek and follow Höfertsteig #782 towards Neualmscharte/Planai. At the trail junction "Höfertsteig" you keep right (staying on trail #782), now hiking uphill towards Neualmscharte gap. Approximately after 2 hours you reach the gap, providing a great view throughout the Seewigtal valley with its 3 lakes. From there, the narrow trail at first descends through a steep chute. Eventually the trail gets a little less steep and the scenery becomes greener shortly before you reach the Obersee lake - the first of 3 lakes in the Seewigtal valley. You walk out of the valley along the shore and further down via another terrace and through clear forest to the Hüttensee lake.

Passing by along the slope above the lake you reach Hans-Wödl-Hütte where you can enjoy some refreshments. After taking a break at the hut you continue your way down into the valley along the well-maintained hiking trail. Shortly before reaching the Steirischer Bodensee lake you can make a small side-tour to the waterfall. Along the shore of the Bodensee you walk to Forellenhof inn (directly at the lake) and further out to the trail head and car parking at Seewigtalstüberl inn, from where the bus takes you back to Schladming.

Surefootedness and head for heights are required.

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.

The route towards Neualmscharte gap passes by about 200 m below the Wildlochsee lake which is worth a short detour.

The closest public transport is accessible at Seeleiten trail head in Untertal valley (approximately 2.5 hours hike from Preintalerhütte) or at the end of the tour described, at Seewigtalstüberl - both bus routes connecting to Schladming.

www.planaibus.at

General tourism information: www.schladming.com

Info about buses: www.planaibus.at

360° drone images

For part of the tour, get yourself an overview with our 360° drone images:

• First part of Höfersteig from Preintalerhütte: https://vonoben.schladming-dachstein.at/sommer/index.php?S=317

• 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.

Here you will find all hiking maps and important brochures to download.