Mountain Hike Der Hohe Sarstein - Touren-Impression #1 | © Mediasoft Mountain Hike Der Hohe Sarstein - Touren-Impression #1 | © Mediasoft

Der Hohe Sarstein

The Hohe Sarstein is a wonderful panoramic mountain in the Salzkammergut region on the border between Upper Austria and Styria. 
The perfect Sarstein experience is only given with the tour along the Sarstein Grade with the descent to Obertraun on Lake Hallstatt (trail no. 692). This one, however, demands a higher level of fitness.The difference in altitude to Obertraun is after all 1,460 meters and the last stretch, in steep switchbacks to the village, goes quite to the knees! But the tour along the approximately three-kilometer-long ridge, always heading south, with the Dachstein glacier in front of you, offers fascinating, almost frightening views into the depths of the Koppental, to Lake Hallstatt or into the surrounding mountains.

 

Characteristics

Skill
Fitness

Best season

January
February
March
April
May
November
December

The tour in numbers

challenging
Level of difficulty
11,7 km
Route
7:15 h
Time
942 hm
Uphill
1432 hm
Downhill
1975 m
Highest point

Map & downloads

More information

It is best to plan your journey to Bad Aussee using google.at/maps.

From Bad Goisern it is possible to take the bus back to the starting point. There is an exit directly on the Pötschenhöhe.Likewise, you can get back to Bad Aussee by train.

The mountain tour starts at the height of the Pötschen pass, on trail no. 693 (other starting points are the Sommersberger See or the parking lot on the Pötschenstraße on the Upper Austrian side above the Pötschenkehre).

Still down in the high forest, the trail meets trail no. 691 leading up from the Sommersberger See. This leads well marked increasingly steeply through the high forest and later through rocky terrain through a ditch steeply up. Rope safety devices and steps carved into the rock help to overcome the worst difficulties. After this steep ascent, it's a rather leisurely walk between large boulders over a saddle to the front Sarsteinalm, where trail no. 691 joins trail no. 690 leading up from the Pötschenkehre.

After overcoming the last 200 meters of altitude, you finally reach the summit cross. The northern side of the Dachstein with the Hallstatt glacier is within reach, Lake Hallstatt lies deep below in the shade and to the east the wide appearing valley of the Ausseerland opens up with Lake Altaussee, Lake Grundlsee, Bad Aussee in the foreground and in the background the chalky white mountains of the Tote Gebirge.

The way back leads via the Sarsteinalm (trail no. 690). After refreshment in the hut, the descent continues via the "Simony-Aussicht" to the Pötschenstraße. The way back to the top of the pass, along the old Pötschen road, about 2.5 km, is to be considered. But this is only the short variant if you want to return to the starting point.

Otherwise, one continues the tour towards Obertraun over the grade of the Sarstein, as already described above.The goal in Obertraun is for the time being after the exertions of the descent a sufficient refreshment. But then the train station, because the return trip to Bad Aussee is by train.

Salzkammergut Shuttle Ausseerland - individual call taxi.
On five routes between Sandling and Grimming daily from 07:00 to 22:00.
Call at least 1 hour in advance at +43 50 422 422

In front of the road maintenance depot on the Pötschenhöhe there are some parking spaces. From there the hike can be started directly. 
Tourist office Ausseerland Salzkammergut
Information office Altaussee
Fischerndorf 61
8992 Altaussee
+43 3622 716 43
Send e-mail
Website

Hiking maps are available in the information offices in Ausseerland or in the Ausseerland Artikel Shop.

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