3-day traverse in Ankogel and other peaks of the High Tauern

Day 1: Ankogel (3096 m) / Osnabrücker hut (2020 m).

The Ankogel tram will take you up to 2600 m. From the top of the tram station we will hike along the Tauern high trail to the Radeck notch. From the notch we hike over a pathless terrain to the small Ankogel (3096 m).

The terrain gets steeper and steeper along the exposed ridge (Difficulty I) to the summit, which you will reach short roped by your guide!

After crossing the summit we’ll hike on the Kleinelendkees and then descend on the  Zwischenelend ridge.

The descent will take us past lake Schwarzhorn to the Fallbach waterfall.

After that, we will hike to the Osnabrücker hut (2020m).

Difference in altitude:

• Ascent: 650 m

• Descent: 1200 m

• Approx. hike length: 6 – 7 Std.

Day 2: Hochalmspitze (3360 m) / Gießener hut (2218 m)

Day two brings us to the most spectacular part of the tour. We hike to the peak of the “Tauernkönigin” (Queen of the High Tauern Range), the Hochalmspitze at 3360m.

This mountain is considered one of the most beautiful mountains of the Eastern Alps, matching the majesty of the “Tauernkönig” (king) the Gr.Glockner.

Towering over four valleys and surrounded by four glaciers, the mountain is made up of massive buttresses and granite plates.

At dawn we hike along the side moraine of the Großelendkees to the edge of the glacier.

We climb the glacier to the glacier basin and the through a steep snow filled gap to the Preimls embrasure (2953m). Later we traverse the high alpine pasture to the edge of the back block, over ever steepening terrain to the peak at 3360 m.

We descend along the south ridge of “Rudolfstädter Trail” (Difficulty Grade I-II), past the

“Steinernen Mandl´n”. This part of the descent is secured with fixed steel ropes. From there we reach the Trippkees, which we will traverse to the bottom. The hike ends along the Schwarzenburger trail at the Gießener hut (2218 m).

Difference in altitude:

• Ascent: 1340 m

• Descent: 1140 m

• Approx. hike length: 7-9 Std.

Day 3: Säuleck (3086 m) / Mallnitz

We start the day with a worthwhile hike along the Hessen Trail to the Malnitz Ridge.

From there, we head North along the foot of the Gr. Gößspitze traversing easy rock terrain over the south ridge of the Säuleck (3086m). The way back leads us to the Grazer Schartl along a marked trail to the Arthur v. Schmid house. After a short rest we descend through Dösen valleyl down to Mallnitz, where the three-day tour ends.

Difference in altitude:

• Ascent: 870 m

• Descent: 1900 m

• Approx. hike length: 7-9 Std.