Trekking in Austria's Hohe Tauern. Allan Hartley

1 Mayrhofen to Plauener Hut

       Excursion 1.1 Ascent of Reichen Spitze (3303m)

       Stage 2 Plauener Hut to Birnlucken Hut

       Stage 3 Birnlucken Hut to Warnsdorfer Hut

       Stage 4 Warnsdorfer Hut to Krimmler Tauern Haus

       Stage 5 Krimmler Tauern Haus to Zittauer Hut

       Stage 6 Zittauer Hut to Richter Hut

       Stage 7A Richter Hut to Plauener Hut via the Zillerplatten Scharte

       Stage 7B Richter Hut to Plauener Hut via the Gams Scharte

       THE VENEDIGER GROUP

       Introduction and Topography

       The Venediger Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route

       Stage 1 Matrei in Ost Tyrol to Essener Rostocker Hut

       Stage 2 Essener Rostocker Hut to Johannis Hut via the Turmljoch.

       Stage 3 Johannis Hut to the Bonn Matreier Hut via the Zopat Scharte and Eissee Hut

       Stage 4 Bonn Matreier Hut to Badener Hut via the Galten Scharte

       Stage 5 Badener Hut to Neue Prager Hut via the Loebbentorl 94

       Excursion from Neuer Prager Hut

       Stage 5A Badener Hut to Venediger Haus (alternative bad weather route)

       Stage 6 Neue Prager Hut to Sankt Poltener Hut

       Stage 7 Sankt Poltener Hut to Matreier Tauern Haus

       The Venediger Glacier Tour

       Stage 1 Mayrhofen to Warnsdorfer Hut

       Stage 2 Warnsdorfer Hut to Essener Rostocker Hut via the Gams Spitzl and Mauertorl

       Excursions from the Essener Rostocker Hut

       Stages 3–6 See Venediger Rucksack Route stages 2–5

       Stage 7 Neue Prager Hut to Kursinger Hut via the Gross Venediger

       Excursion from Kursinger Hut

       Stage 8 Kursinger Hut to Warnsdorfer Hut via the Obersulzbach Kees glacier and Gams Spitzl

       THE GROSS GLOCKNER GROUP

       Introduction and Topography

       The Glockner Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route

       Stage 1 Lucknerhaus to Studl Hut

       Excursions from the Studl Hut

       Stage 2 Studl Hut to Salm Hut via the Pfort Scharte

       Stage 3 Salm Hut to Glockner Haus

       Stage 4 Glockner Haus to Fusch via the Phandl Scharte

       Stage 5 Fusch to Gleiwitzer Hut

       Stage 6 Gleiwitzer Hut to Heinrich Schwaiger Haus

       Excursions from Heinrich Schwaiger Haus

       Stage 6A Gleiwitzer Hut to Kaprun

       Stage 7 Heinrich Schwaiger to Rudolfs Hut/Berg Hotel

       Excursions from Rudolfs Hut

       Stage 8 Rudolfs Hut to Sudetendeutsche Hut via the Kalser Tauern and Gradetz Sattel

       Excursion from the Sudetendeutsche Hut

       Stage 8A Rudolfs Hut to Kalser Tauern Haus

       Stage 9 Sudetendeutsche Hut to Matrei in Ost Tyrol

       HUT DIRECTORY

       APPENDIX A Useful Contacts

       APPENDIX B German–English Glossary

       APPENDIX C Further Reading

       APPENDIX D Across the Hohe Tauern National Park

      Looking back from the Gross Glockner across the Klein Glockner toward Erzherzog Johann Hut (Glockner Rucksack Route, Stage 1 Excursion)

      Negotiating car sized boulders above the Eissee (Reichen Group Stage 7)

INTRODUCTION

      On the Sonnblick Kees glacier (Glockner Rucksack Route, Stage 7 Excursion)

      The Hohe Tauern National Park is the largest national park not only in Austria and the Eastern Alps but the whole of continental Europe, comprising an area of 1800km2. Within Austria it embraces the provinces of Tyrol, Salzburg and Karnten (Carinthia). Not surprisingly the national park’s main point of focus is the Gross Glockner, the highest mountain in Austria, closely followed by the Gross Venediger, the fourth highest mountain and one which also has the distinction of having the highest number of connected glaciers in Austria. To the west, the Hohe Tauern merges with the Reichen Group to encompass the largest concentration of 3000m peaks in the Eastern Alps. The Hohe Tauern National Park is now a World Heritage Area, ranking alongside Yosemite, Serengeti, the Galapagos Islands and Mount Everest.

      To the north of the National Park is the Pinzgau valley where, from the towns of Kitzbuhel, Mittersill and Zell am See, there are easy transport routes to the south to Matrei in Ost Tyrol for the Virgental and Venediger Group and Kals for the Gross Glockner.

      This guidebook concentrates on three areas – the Reichen, Venediger and Gross Glockner Groups. In each section, descriptions are provided for various hut-to-hut tours along with excursions and recommended climbs. Like my other Alpine trekking guides, this guide has been written to offer walkers as much flexibility as possible, describing all the options that occur as you tour from hut to hut. For example there are the familiar Rucksack Routes and Glacier Tours, routes that are linear and routes that are circular. There is also the option to walk from Mayrhofen, through the Reichen Group and across the Venediger to end with a climb on the Gross Glockner, all within the span of a two-week holiday (see Appendix D, Across the Hohe Tauern).

      The Hohe Tauern provides opportunities for all mountain enthusiasts, whatever their aspirations. It is ideal for first-time visitors to the Alps, particularly family groups with adventurous children, but it is even more so for aspiring alpinists, who are wrong to see the Hohe Tauern as tame. These mountains can challenge even the most experienced. You will not be disappointed.

      Gruss Gott und gut Bergtouren!

When to Go

      The summer season usually starts in mid-June and ends in late September. June is not the best time to visit as it is not unusual to come across large quantities of old snow which will be left lying on the north-facing slopes, in places such as the Rainbach Scharte, Zopat Scharte and Loebbentorl.

      July weather will be warmer and will see the winter snow recede further. There will be more people in the mountains and at the huts. August is the peak season, when most Europeans take their holidays and the huts will be at their busiest then. The weather is also at its most settled but it is not unusual to see cloud build up in the late mornings and thunderstorms arrive in the evenings. August is also the month when most of the villages in the Hohe Tauern hold their summer church festivals, known as kirchtags.