Regional hiking trail Klafferkessel - a majestic tour - Touren-Impression #1 | © Herbert Raffalt Regional hiking trail Klafferkessel - a majestic tour - Touren-Impression #1 | © Herbert Raffalt

Klafferkessel - a majestic tour

The hiking tour across the lakeland of Klafferkessel on an altitude of 2,300 m with around 30 mountain lakes and tarns is one of the most spectacular, alpine passages in Austria.

This majestic tour of the water trails "Wild Waters" takes you to Klafferkessel - a relic of the Ice Age - into the contryside of the high Alps. It is one of the most beautiful hikes in the Schladminger Tauern mountain range. Around 30 mountain lakes and trans in various sizes scatter across the lakeland at an altitude of 2,300 meters above sea-level. Almgasthaus Riesachfall, Gollinghütte, Preintalerhütte, Waldhornalm, Berallerhütte at Kotalm, Kaltenbachalm and Gfölleralm are the refreshment stops along the route. Between Gollinghütte and Preintalerhütte/Waldhornalm you need to cover 4 to 5.5 hours of walking without the possibility of stopping at a hut or chalet.

Points of Interest:

  • Summit of Greifenberg
  • around 30 mountain lakes and tarns at Klafferkessel
  • Riesachsee Lake

Characteristics

Skill
Fitness

Best season

January
February
March
April
May
June
October
November
December

The tour in numbers

challenging
Level of difficulty
21,0 km
Route
9:30 h
Time
1610 hm
Uphill
1610 hm
Downhill
2618 m
Highest point

Map & downloads

More information

From Schladming take provincial highway L722 towards Rohrmoos. At the roundabout traffic in Rohrmoos make a left (3rd exit) and continue on provincial highway L723 towards Untertal. In the village of Untertal continue on Untertalstraße road until you reach Seeleiten car park and Riesach waterfall at the valley head.

Starting from Almgasthaus Riesachfall at Seeleiten car parking you hike through Steinriesental valley to Gollinghütte mountain chalet. Via many steps and rocky outcrops the trail leads to the Greifenbergsattel mountain saddle. A small lake, with the summit of Hochgolling in the backdrop, is a first impressive sight.

The further climb to the Greifenberg Mountain (2,618 m) is via a stepped scree. Towering above all, and framing the Klafferkessel, rise the flanks of the Waldhorn opposite and before them, in the green of the mosses, shine the scenic mountain lakes, large and small, scattered over various levels. Further East the pyramid of Hochwildstelle rises into the sky - below the green slopes of "Himmelreich" (Kingdom of Heaven). From the summit you walk, initially across crumbly land (Trail No. 702 – short stretch of safety ropes) on sharp hairpin bends downhill into the corrie.

Until far into the summer many of the lakes are covered with ice. The mosses and lichens, combined with the lakes and wild rocky scenery, give the impression of a primeval landscape. Through the Klafferkessel Corrie itself the trail is mostly downhill to the striking rocky form of the Greifenstein, where you leave the corrie.

The further path runs steeply down across a barrier terrain to the Lämmerkare Corries and across a steep meadow to the Preintalerhütte and Waldhornalm chalets at 1,656 metres. The descent to the Kotalm Chalet starts rather steeply, after which it is mostly level until the Kaltenbachalm and Gfölleralm Inns on the Riesachsee Lake. The last descent on this long walk leads across the forest road down to the starting point at Almgasthaus Riesachfall at the Seeleiten Car Park.

Many guests enjoy this tour in 2 days and stay overnight at one of the mountain chalets (Gollinghütte or Preintalerhütte) on the way.

Take the Planai buses from Schladming (Planet Planai) or Rohrmoos (Rohrmoos-Zentrum) to Seeleiten car park and Riesach waterfall in Untertal valley.

Seeleiten car park - Riesach waterfall.

ATTENTION: parking fees

Tourist information: www.schladming.com

Information about buses schedules: www.planaibus.at

360° drone images

Get yourself an overview with our 360° drone images:

  • Hiking map Schladming, 1:25.000, available at the tourist office Schladming.
  • Hiking map Schladming-Dachstein, 1:50.000, available at the tourist office Schladming.
  • Magazine "Wild Waters", available at the tourist office Schladming.

Gallery

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