A guidebook to four treks in Austria’s Hohe Tauern: the 61km Reichen Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route, the 68km Venediger Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route, the 78km Venediger Glacier Tour and the 99km Glockner Rucksack Route. Whereas the three rucksack routes require only good fitness and mountain walking experience, the glacier tour involves glacier crossings.

The Reichen Rucksack Route is presented in 7 stages, the Venediger Rucksack Route in 7, the Venediger Glacier Tour in 8 and the Glockner Rucksack Route in 9. Also included are optional ascents of neighbouring peaks, including Austria’s highest, the Gross Glockner, some of which may require specialist equipment and mountaineering skills.

• Clear route description illustrated with 1:50,000 mapping
• Elevation profiles for each trek
• Comprehensive hut directory
• Detailed summary of each day’s challenges and any potential hazards
• Ideas for linking stages of the routes to complete a traverse of the Hohe Tauern National Park and an ascent of the Gross Glockner

CONTENTS

Overview map

Map key

Route summary tables

Introduction

The Hohe Tauern National Park

When to go

Getting there and back

Places to stay

Local services

Professional mountain guides (Bergführer)

Children

The Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAV)

Huts

Hut meals and menus

Kit list

Route finding

Maps and guidebooks

Alpine walking skills

Glaciers and glacier travel

Health and safety

Electronic devices

Using this guide

Reichen Group

Trek 1: Reichen Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route

Stage 1 Zillergründl Stausee reservoir to Plauener Hut

Excursion Ascent of Reichenspitze (3303m)

Stage 2 Plauener Hut to Birnlücken Hut

Stage 3 Birnlücken Hut to Warnsdorfer Hut

Stage 4 Warnsdorfer Hut to Krimmler Tauernhaus

Stage 5 Krimmler Tauernhaus to Zittauer Hut

Stage 6 Zittauer Hut to Richter Hut

Stage 7 Richter Hut to Plauener Hut via the Zillerplattenscharte

Stage 7A Richter Hut to Plauener Hut via the Gamsscharte

Venediger Group

Trek 2: Venediger Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route

Stage 1 Streden to Essener-Rostocker Hut

Excursion Ascent of Rostocker Egge (2749m)

Excursion To visit Simonysee

Stage 2 Essener-Rostocker Hut to Johannis Hut

Stage 3 Johannis Hut to Bonn-Matreier Hut

Stage 4 Bonn-Matreier Hut to Badener Hut

Stage 5 Badener Hut to Neue Prager Hut

Stage 6 Neue Prager Hut to St Pöltner Hut

Stage 7 St Pöltner Hut to Matreier Tauernhaus

Trek 3: Venediger Glacier Tour

Stage 1 Krimml to Warnsdorfer Hut

Stage 2 Warnsdorfer Hut to Essener-Rostocker Hut

Excursion Ascent of the Östlicher Simonyspitze south-east ridge (3488m)

Stages 3–6 See Venediger Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route

Stage 7 Neue Prager Hut to Kürsinger Hut via the Grossvenediger

Excursion Ascent of the Keeskogel (3291m)

Stage 8 Kürsinger Hut to Warnsdorfer Hut

Grossglockner Group

Trek 4: Glockner Rucksack Route

Stage 1 Kals, Lucknerhaus to Stüdl Hut

Stage 1A Kals, Lucknerhaus to Salm Hut

Excursion Ascent of the Grossglockner (3798m)

Variant Alternative descent from the Grossglockner to Glocknerhaus

Variant Alternative descent from the Grossglockner to Salm Hut

Excursion Ascent of Romariswandkopf (3511m)

Stage 2 Stüdl Hut to Salm Hut

Stage 3 Salm Hut to Glocknerhaus

Stage 4 Glocknerhaus to the village of Fusch

Stage 5 Fusch to Gleiwitzer Hut

Stage 6 Gleiwitzer Hut to Heinrich Schwaiger Haus

Excursion Ascent of Grosses Wiesbachhorn (3564m)

Stage 6A Gleiwitzer Hut to Kaprun

Stage 7 Heinrich Schwaiger Haus to Rudolf’s Hut

Excursion Ascent of the Stubacher Sonnblick (3088m) and Granatspitze (3086m)

Excursion Gletscher Panoramaweg: Round of the Weisssee

Stage 8 Rudolf’s Hut to Sudetendeutsche Hut

Excursion Ascent of Grosser Muntanitz (3232m)

Stage 8A Rudolf’s Hut to Kalser Tauernhaus

Stage 9 Sudetendeutsche Hut to Matrei in Osttirol

Across the Hohe Tauern National Park

Glockner Loop

Hut directory

Badener Hut (2608m)

Birnlücken Hut (2441m)

Bonn-Matreier Hut (2750m)

Defreggerhaus (2962m)

Eissee Hut (2521m)

Erzherzog Johann Hut (3451m)

Essener-Rostocker Hut (2208m)

The village of Fusch

Fürthermoaralm Gasthof (1803m)

Gleiwitzer Hut (2176m)

Glocknerhaus (2132m)

Glorer Hut (2642m)

Heinrich Schwaiger Haus (2802m)

Hofmann Hut (2444m)

Johannis Hut (2121m)

Kalser Tauernhaus (1755m)

Krimmler Tauernhaus (1631m)

Kürsinger Hut (2558m)

Lucknerhaus (1984m)

Luckner Hut (2241m)

Oberwalder Hut (2973m)

Plauener Hut (2363m)

Prager Hut (Alte) (2489m)

Prager Hut (Neue) (2796m)

Richter Hut (2374m)

Rudolf’s Hut Berg Hotel (2315m)

Neue Sajat Hut (2600m)

Salm Hut (2644m)

St Pöltner Hut (2481m)

Stüdl Hut (2801m)

Sudetendeutsche Hut (2650m)

Venedigerhaus (1691m)

Warnsdorfer Hut (2324m)

Zittauer Hut (2328m)

Appendix A Useful contacts

Appendix B German–English glossary

Appendix C Further reading

Seasons

The summer Alpine season starts when the huts open in mid-June and continues through to the end of September. Early season, snow can linger well into July. July through to August the weather is more settled and warmer, whereas September is cooler.

Centres

The Hohe Tauern is easily accessed from Munich, Innsbruck and Salzburg, with regular local transport links to various trek starting points such as Matrei in Ost Tirol and Kals am Glockner.

Difficulty

All tracks and trails are waymarked and frequently signposted. No special equipment is needed, nor additional climbing skills required unless you plan to cross glaciers or undertake the optional ascents of neighbouring peaks.

Must See

Gross Glockner, Austria's highest peak; Gross Venediger; Rosskar Scharte; the Loebbentorl pass; the Obersulzbachkees glacier; Stocker Scharte; the walk around the head of the Virgental valley; Spitzbrett ridge; Kalser Tauern pass; the welcoming huts of the Austrian Alpine Club

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