Trekking in Austria's Hohe Tauern

This trekking guidebook describes 4 multi-day treks in the Reichen, Venediger and Gross Glockner mountain groups. It also contains an outline for a 10-day traverse of the whole region. The Hohe Tauern National Park takes in the Tirol, Salzburg and Karnten. It's ideal for trekking, with some of the best mountain huts in the Alps.

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Overview

A guide to four multi-day hut-to-hut trekking routes in Austria's Hohe Tauern region. The Hohe Tauern National Park is the largest in Europe. Within Austria it embraces the provinces of Tirol, Salzburg and Karnten (Carinthia). This guidebook concentrates on three areas - the Reichen, Venediger and Gross Glockner groups.

The Reichen Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route will take five to six days to complete, starting from the resort town of Mayrhofen at the head of the Zillertal valley. The route described is suitable for those with good general mountain walking ability who are surefooted and vertigo free.

The Vendiger Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route traverses the Venediger from south to north over seven days, starting in the Virgental valley at Streden. The route requires no greater skills than those needed to wander safely over the mountain areas of Britain.

The eight day Venediger Glacier Tour is better suited to mountaineers. Participants need to have the ability to cross glaciers safely using ropes, ice axes and crampons.

The eight day Glockner Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route is a circular tour around Austria's highest mountain. The route was created to allow hikers to cross through the mountains without having to make difficult glacier crossings and carry ropes and mountaineering equipment.

En route there is ample opportunity to climb some of the peaks and ascents and excursions are described. This book will appeal to groups of mixed ability and those looking to visit the Alps for the first time without the demands of the higher mountains of the western Alps. With lots of practical advice, including on glacier travel, and a comprehensive hut directory.

Table of Contents

Contents
INTRODUCTION
When to Go
Getting There (and Back)
Places to Stay
Visiting Innsbruck
Tourist Offices
Post Offices
Places to Leave Luggage
Health and Fitness
Emergencies, Mountain Rescue and Insurance
The Austrian Alpine Club
About Huts
Using this Guide
Maps and Guidebooks
Alpine Walking Skills
Kit List
Mountain Guides
THE REICHEN GROUP
The Reichen Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route
Stage 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
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
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

Maps

The following are available from the UK Section of the Austrian Alpine Club.

Maps (Alpenvereinskarte)
Sheet 35/3
Zillertal Alpen Ost (east)
Scale 1:25,000

Sheet 36
Venediger Group Scale
1:25,000

Sheet 39
Granat Spitze Group
Scale 1:25,000

Sheet 40
Gross Glockner Group
Scale 1:25,000

Freytag & Berndt Wanderkarte sheet 152 scale 1:50,000 (Mayrhofen-Zillertaler Alpen-Gerlos-Krimml).

Rudolf Rother Wanderkarte 1:50,000 scale (Glockner, Granatspitz and Venediger groups).

Updates

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October 2016

Updates

Heinrich Schwaiger Haus page 206

Facilities.The seilbahn rucksack service is no longer availableAddress Herr Stefan BorgerHeinrich Schwaiger HausMooserboden 123A 5710 KaprunTelephone, 0043 664 656 5555Email, info@heinrich-schwaiger-haus.at

Hofmanns Hut page 207 The hut remains closed and is likely to be demolished
Kalser Tauern Haus page 210 Telephone, 0043 664 985 7090

October 2014

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

Page 73; Info panel. Despite having new wires fitted in 2013, a large rock fall in
the winter of 2013/14 has destroyed most of what was installed. The route is
still passable but proceed with utmost caution.

Stage 5; Badener Hut to the Neue Prager Hut

Page 97, top of the page, signpost at the junction.
Due to retreat of the glacier the signs on both sides of the route have been
removed, accordingly follow the safer well marked route for the Gletscherweg.

Stage 8; Kursinger Hut to the Warnsdorfer Hut

Page 123; Map, dotted green line for Turkische Zellstadt, despite having been
re-opened in 2012 the route is no longer sign-posted and no longer appears
on the Alpenverein maps. A shorter route has now been established with
the provision of a Klettersteig protected climbing path, sign-posted from the
Kursinger Hut. The ground is very steep but since you will have Alpine kit it is
a very good route and scenically stunning. Alternatively go the long way round
following Route 914

Hut Directory

Erzherzog Johann Hut, page 200 info panel, address is
Herr Peter Tembler,
Grossdorf 20

Glorer Hut, page 205, info panel, height is 2642, address,
Herr Alfred Graf,
Glorer Hut,
Berger Toerl 1
A-9981 Kals am Gross Glockner
Austria
Omit Valley telephone number
Update email to; glorerhuette@grafconsulting.at

Plauener Hut, page 218, info panel,
Open; Mid June to mid September - address,
Edith Haberl and Michael Puntigam,
Pleuener Hut,
A-6290 Brandberg
Austria

Richter Hut, page 222, info panel, change name Herr Armin Bachmaier

Venediger Haus, page 232, info panel, address
Fr Monika Resinger
Venediger Haus
Innergschloess
A-9971 Matrei in Ost Tyrol
Austria

April 2011

The following huts remain closed
Heinrich Schwaiger Haus (Glockner Round Tour)
Alte Prager Hut (Venediger Rucksack Route; Hoehenweg

Glockner Runde Tour - Stage 6

Gleiwitzer Hut to Heinrich Schwaiger Haus
Note that the Heinrich Schwaiger Haus is closed for the foreseeable future.
Alternative accommodation can be sought at Fuerthermoaralm located at Mooserboden Stausee reservoir.
Contact; Martina Aberger, Fuerth 3, A-5721 Piesendorf

Tel; (0043)6547 7158 23435 / Email; office@fuerthermoar.at / Website; www.fuerthermoar.at

Reviews

Allan Hartley’s colour photo-studded gospel of Europe’s largest National Park and World Conservation Area concentrates of three mountainous areas. The guide provides descriptions of various hut-to-hut tours in the region, along with excursions and recommended climbs.

This along with the wealth of detail included makes it ideal for first time visitors to the Alps, especially family groups with adventurous kids.

(Trek & Mountain magazine, April 2010)

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