From the
Albert-Appel-Haus, hike along path no. 235 through the rustic Henarwald Forest for 45 minutes over to the
Wildenseealm Meadow (1521 m). You will find a small shelter hut (self-catering) there. Between the typical wooden huts of the Ausseer alpine meadows, you can see the distant Dachstein Mountain and the Hallstatt Glacier to the left. However, your path turns to the right and meanders – now marked 212 – down to the basin of the Hufnagelwiese Meadow, which you reach in 30 minutes. There a stream disappears into the porous karst bedrock and then splashes back out again a few metres further on through a rock cleft– behind which
Lake Wildensee (1535 m) is visible.
The path heads along the shore to the right, then you must climb a short but steep and rugged slope. Just beyond, a friendly, green high valley opens up with a small stream trickling by. Go past two turnoffs towards the Rinnerkogel (see Tour 54) to arrive after another 45 minutes at the small Rinner Hut (1470 m), which is lovingly maintained by the Ebensee Mountaineering Association.
The descent begins with a short flat trail section that passes a small karst spring. From the northern edge of the plateau, you can see Lake Offensee far below for the first time. The trail turns left and winds downhill over steep, rocky and sometimes rather slippery terrain overgrown with mountain pines and occasional trees to a scree heap. Well-laid hairpin bends lead you quite comfortably down to the Rinnerboden with its refreshing spring. In the forest, you follow a mostly dry stream bed that ends underneath a cliff face over the abyss – after heavy rains, a waterfall can be found rushing here. To the left, you descend along a short, stepped rock section secured with steel cables. Down below, the route turns left and then descends next to the wall over a steep aluminium staircase. The descent route continues through sloping but sometimes forested slopes; two short sections are secured with cable railings. Via a small gorge, you arrive at the forested valley floor. A stream bed is crossed on footbridges, and then you hike along a flat forest road to the southern shore of Lake Offensee (649) and the snack station Seeau. 1:30 h
Shortly before the lake, the sign “Zum Almsee” points to the continuation of the trail (no. 420) which requires another 4 hours of hiking time. It follows the long-distance trail 04 and the Mariazeller Trail 06 uphill to the Gschirrsattel (1029 m). Behind this forest hollow below the Weißhorn (1755 m), you reach a gravel road which leads through the long valley of the Weißeneggbach Stream out into the Alm Valley. After 3 kilometres, you leave the long-distance trails to the right, soon afterwards descend left along a path into the valley and hike a bit further to another forest road. This road continues east until turning right onto a hiking trail which leads down to the southern shore of Lake Almsee (591 m) 4:00 h
Passing the Deutsches Haus and Gasthof Seehof (bus stop), you arrive at the Ostuferweg shoreline path. Hike along this trail next to Lake Almsee to the lake dam at the Schwarzenbrunn hunting lodge (bus stop). Walking along the Alm River, the route continues to the Jagersimmerl (577 m) in Habernau. 1:00 h