Rotmandlspitze Summit Tour: from Ursprungalm to Eschachalm

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 14,3 km

Time 6:30 h

Uphill 905 hm

Downhill 1295 hm

Highest point 2453 m

An alpine trail in the footsteps of the miners amidst the beautiful landscape of the Giglachsee Lakes.

A summit tour to the historic mining district in the Schladminger Tauern range with beautiful views to Giglachsee and Duisitzkarsee Lakes. This alpine tour takes you from Ursprungalm to picturesque Giglachseen lakes in the fjord-like Giglachkar cirque, Giglachseehütte and Ignaz-Mattis-Hütte chalets offering refreshments there. You continue on into Vetternkar cirque where you encounter the remains of miners' housing. From there, the alpine trail takes you up to the summit of Rotmandlspitze summit offering great views to Giglachkar and Vetternkar cirques with several lakes. From the summit you then head donwhill via Krukeckscharte ridge and Keinprechthütte chalet to Eschachalm in Obertal valley.

The points of interest are the historic roman route to Giglachseen Lakes, the remains of miner's housing in Vetternkar cirque and Rotmandlspitze summit as well as the many lakes of course. On the way to the valley from Keinprechthütte you also pass through the picturesque alp scenery of Neualm.

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

More information

We recommend to take the bus from Schladming to Ursprungalm in Preuneggtal valley, because the end point of the tour is in the Obertal Valley from where you can again take the bus back to Schladming. By car, take provincial highway L722 from Schladming to Rohrmoos (for about 6 kms) and then continue right on Hohenbergstraße road to Strickbrücke bridge in Preuneggtal valley. From here continue on the toll road to Ursprungalm.

Parking is available at the valley terminal of Planai cable-car in Schladming - buses to Ursprungalm leave from here. Parking is also available at the end of Ursprungalm toll road.

From the hiking trail head at Ursprungalm chalet you take trail n° 771 to Preuneggsattel mountain saddle (approx. 1 hour) and the Giglachsee Lakes. From Giglachseehütte chalet you now follow trail n° 702 and pass by Ignaz-Mattis-Hütte chalet. You descend a little to the trail junction 702/776 at Tonnerhütte chalet.

From here you follow trail n° 702 slightly uphill into Vetternkar cirque until you reach the meinans of miners' houses. From here the trail starts to ascend steeper and leads up to Rotmandlspitze via several switchbacks. The summit is a quite broad ridge and from here you enjoy views into Giglach and Duisitzkar cirques.

Depending on the season there might be some snow fields or rubble stone fields leading to the Krukeckscharte mountain saddle. From there you descend to Keinprechthütte chalet via a steep trail. After some refreshment and snacks at Keinprechhütte you follow trail n° 774 to Neualm and further downhill to Eschachhütt'n Inn at Eschachalm from where you can take the bus back to Schladming.

The ascent from Vetternkar to Rotmandlspitze runs over very gravelled sections of path. Great caution is required here!

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 orientation

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.

From Neualm you can make a detour via Duisitzkarsee Lake, which takes an additional hour.

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

Buses of Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen: www.planaibus.at

Tourist information: www.schladming.com

Information about bus schedules: www.planaibus.at

360° drone images

Get yourself an overview with our 360° drone images:

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
Via Rotmandlspitze: https://vonoben.schladming-dachstein.at/sommer/index.php?S=310

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.