The following daily route is just a suggestion. Everyone should put together the tour individually, as there are numerous sights and places to stop for refreshments along the route, which can cause delays. Daily stage 1 First we go on the European long-distance hiking trail 07 from Vorau across meadows and fields, always in view of the Wechsel massif, via the beautiful flower village of Mönichwald to the 1,743 m high Hochwechsel, where we spend the night for the first time. It is recommended to register in advance at the Wetterkoglerhaus at the summit of the Hochwechsel, Tel. +43 664 2636186. Vorau (659 m) - Mönichwald (574 m) - Rabl-Kreuz-Hütte (11,394 m) - Hochwechsel/Wetterkoglerhaus (1,743 m) Duration: 6 hours Condition: **** Technology: *** Experience value: ***** Landscape: ***** 2nd stage of the day From Hochwechsel we always walk along the ridge with a view of the Joglland and the Vienna Basin to the 1,782 m high Stuhleck with the Alois Güntherhaus of the OEAV. Here we have a unique panoramic view over around 1/3 of the entire Austrian territory. From here we continue across alpine pastures to the 1,656 m high Pretulalpe with the Rosegger Schutzhaus, where we spend the night again, Tel. +43 3170 522. This day's stage is a technically easy hike over the wide, panoramic alpine pastures of northeast Styria's Joglland and the forest home of Peter Roseggers. Due to its fog-free, mild and sunny climate, Joglland is also known as the Alpine garden of Eastern Styria. Hochwechsel/Wetterkoglerhaus (1,743 m) - Feistritzsattel (1,298 m) - Stuhleck (1,782 m) - Pertulalpe (1,656 m) Duration: 7 hours Condition: **** Technology: ** Experience value: ****** Landscape: *****
3rd stage of the day First the path leads downhill over the Ganzalm into the Upper Styrian Mürztal to Mürzzuschlag. The district capital is located in the Int. FIS Winter Sports Museum, among other things, has the world's largest collection of winter sports equipment. Why? In 1892, the Stuhleck was the first peak in the Alpine region to be climbed with skis from Mürzzuschlag. From Mürzzuschlag the path climbs again and takes us to the Hohe Scheibe, whose hut at the summit is only open on weekends. Now downhill again to Preiner Gschaid and from here again briefly uphill to the Waxriegelhaus on the Raxalpe, our next destination, Tel. +43 2665 237. Pretulalpe (1,656 m) - Mürzzuschlag (670 m) - Hohe Scheibe (1,473 m) - Preiner Gscheid (1,070 m) - Waxriegelhaus (1,361 m) Duration: 5 hours Condition: **** Technology: ** Experience value: ***** Landscape: ***** 4th day step From the Waxriegelhaus upwards either easily via the “Schlangenweg” or, a little more challenging, via the insured Kantnersteig (via ferrata difficulty level A/B or not very difficult) we go to the Karl Ludwighaus on the Rax plateau. We soon reach the 2,007 m high Heukuppe, the highest point on the Rax, one of the most popular hiking destinations in Eastern Austria. The path continues downhill to the so-called Gamseck and over an insured path down to the Nasskamm (difficulty level A/B or not very difficult, climbing enthusiasts can also descend via the “Wilde Gamseck”, UIAA difficulty level 2, no insurance). It goes over the Ameisbühel again, a little steeper in places, but slightly up to the Schneealpe and over the plateau to the Schneealpenhaus, Tel. +43 3857 2190. Waxriegelhaus (1,361 m) - Rax (2,007 m) - Nasskamm (1,210 m) - Schneealpenhaus (1,784 m) Duration: 6 hours Condition: ***** Technology: ***** Experience value: ***** Landscape: *****
5th stage of the day From the Schneealpenhaus we first reach the 1903 m high Windberg summit and the Knopperwiese and, a little steeper downhill, to the Großbodenalm. The path, sometimes also as a forest path, leads via the Bodneralm and the Haselboden through a nature reserve to the Hinteralm, a beautifully situated high alpine pasture in the Mürzer Oberland Nature Park. We'll stay here again, Tel. +43 664 4174427. This day is a treat for all alpine pasture lovers, as the hike leads easily over the most beautiful alpine pastures in the Mürzer Oberland Nature Park. In addition, it is also the shortest day of the entire tour in terms of distance. Schneealpenhaus (1,784 m) - Windberg (1,903 m) - Hinteralm (1,446 m) Duration: 4 hours Condition: ***** Technology: ***** Experience value: ***** Landscape: ***** 6th stage of the day From the Hinteralm we now go almost flat to the wonderful Rosswiese and from here downhill to the small town of Frein an der Mürz. We now march along the Freiner Bach to Gschwandt and now either through the Brunntal or - more beautiful but more strenuous - via the Königsalm and the Dürriegelalm to the Buchalpenkreuz. Continue up, partly steeply, to the Herrenboden/Tonionstock and from here on the well-known Mariazell pilgrimage route 06 down to the Niederalplpass. This day brings a technically easy but long journey through “Styrian Siberia”. Lonely, wild and (in winter) very cold. The coldest point in Austria was measured here at just under -52° Celsius in the 1920s. Hinteralm (1,446 m) - Frein an der Mürz (864 m) - Dürriegelalm (1,353 m) - Buchalpenkreuz (1,402 m) - Niederalpl (1,221 m) Duration: 6 hours Condition: ***** Technology: ***** Experience value: ***** Landscape: ***** 7th stage of the day Leaving the Niederalpl in a southerly direction via the Sohlenalm, always uphill to the beautiful Gingatzwiese and further up to the summit of the Hohe Veitsch. Shortly downhill to Graf Meranhaus and over the steep Teufelsteig we reach the managed Rotsohlalm. This can also be reached directly from Niederalpl via the Mariazellerweg 06 without an alpine option via the Hohe Veitsch. Now we head west on long-distance hiking trail 01 or 05 over beautiful alpine pastures, finally through the Lappental, to the Seebergsattel and then to Seewiesen and the Seeberghof. Niederalpl (1,221 m) - Hohe Veitsch (1,981 m) - Rothsohlalm (1,413 m) - Göriacher Alm (1,429 m) - Seewiesen (974 m) Duration: 6 hours Condition: ***** Technology: ***** Experience value: ****** Landscape: ****** ***
8th stage of the day Today we go to the 2,277 m high Hochschwab, the alpine highlight of the entire tour. First through the flat Seetal and up over the Florlhütte and theFrench Cross to the Voisthalerhütte, Tel. +43 664 5112475. Further initially flat, but later quite steeply, we hike over the Graf Meran Steig to the Schiestlhaus, the highest passive house in Austria. Here it is only 120 meters in altitude and around 30 minutes on foot to the summit of the Hochschwab with its wonderful panorama. You can see the entire path from Hochwechsel over the Joglland, the Waldheimat and the Mürzer Oberland Nature Park. In the far south and west, Dachstein, Karawanken and Niedere Tauern greet you. From the summit we return to the Schiestlhaus, our destination, Tel. +43 699 10812199. Seewiesen (974 m) - Voisthalerhütte (1,654 m) - Hochschwab (2,277 m) - Schiestlhaus (2,153 m) Duration: 6 hours Condition: ***** Technology: ***** Experience value: ******* Landscape: ******* 9th stage of the day From the Schiestlhaus there is a hike over the beautiful plateau of the Aflenzer Staritzen to the Staritzen West summit. From here it goes down the Prinzensteig via the Graualm to Kastenriegel. Now we follow the Ramertal in an easterly direction out of the valley. When the path splits, either keep right in around 1 hour to Wegscheid and from there take the bus the remaining 14 kilometers to Mariazell. Or keep left over the Pretal and follow a forest path for around 8 kilometers into the Salzatal. From here we go via Gußwerk on the Mariazell pilgrimage route to Mariazell. At the beginning an alpine high-altitude hike in a class of its own with wonderful panoramic views and finally with the beautiful Graualm. From the Kastenriegel very nice but long hike along the Ramertal or over the Pretal to Mariazell. Schiestlhaus (2,153 m) - Kastenriegel (1,094 m) - Gußwerk (747 m) - Mariazell (868 m) Duration: 7 hours Condition: ***** Technology: *** Experience value: ****** Landscape: ******