Via the Kaltenbachseen to the Deneck
Steep paths, beautiful lakes and a full-blooded peak – intermediate-level alpine tours don’t get any more fun than this.
This attractive alpine tour is also thoroughly recommended as a family hike, especially since we can also tackle it in stages. Above the Kaltenbachalm, off a sharp bend, is a small P. From there the trail leads us across the stream and then via a series of switchbacks to the first Kaltenbachsee. When the rhododendron are in bloom, the hillsides are a single sea of color, with gentian also native to this area as well. Above the tree line, the trail takes us via an extended mountainside up to the Oberer Kaltenbachsee. Time on trail is a little more than 1 hour. This lake has a distinctive alpine character, yet is a splendid place to spend some time. However, the next waypoints are no less enchanting: on the left shoreline, we make our way along a ridgeline and via a rocky outcropping up to a small cirque, also home, of course, to a small tarn which, in early summer, is enchantingly surrounded by marsh marigolds.Our next waypoint is a stream that sprays out a fine mist, for it is here that the trail takes us over a short, though quite steep rocky shoulder up to the Etrachböden. This is a broad, lovely area of high pastures, serving up glorious panoramic views of the Tauern mountains. The view of the lakes and Sölkpass road, with its striking curves, both of them deep below, is impressive, clear evidence of how high we have already climbed. Once up here, we’ll want to stay a while; small brooks cut across the meadows, divided by gentle hilltops. Avid mountaineers will follow the trail along the right-hand crest (unmarked), descending briefly into a hollow, then crossing rugged terrain (marked), ascending on the south-west side to the big summit cross. We will return the same way. Poles are a real advantage on this hike – be careful in wet conditions.
Characteristics
The tour in numbers
medium
Level of difficulty
Map & downloads
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More information
Branch off from the Ennstalbundesstraße B320 at Pruggern to Sölktäler. From Stein an der Enns to the Großsölktal and further to St. Nikolai. From there across the Sölkpass to the Kaltenbach Alm.
Valley shuttle Naturpark Sölktäler
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Deneck 2.433m | © Fotograf: Volkhard Maier | Schladming Dachstein
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Deneck | © Fotograf: Volkhard Maier | Schladming Dachstein
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Blick Richtung Sölkpassstraße | © Erlebnisregion Schladming-Dachstein | Christoph Lukas
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Unterer Kaltenbachsee mit Blick zum Gipfel des Denecks | © Fotograf: Volkhard Maier | Schladming Dachstein
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Zwischen Unterem und Mittleren Kaltenbachsee | © Fotograf: Volkhard Maier | Schladming Dachstein
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Blick auf den Unteren Kaltenbachsee | © Gerhard Pilz | Gerhard Pilz
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Rast am Mittleren Kaltenbachsee | © Erlebnisregion Schladming-Dachstein | Christoph Lukas
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Oberer Kaltenbachsee | © Fotograf: Volkhard Maier | Schladming Dachstein
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Auf den Etrachböden angekommen | © Erlebnisregion Schladming-Dachstein | Christoph Lukas
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Steinformation oberhalb des Etrachbodens | © Fotograf: Volkhard Maier | Schladming Dachstein
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Via Schafspitze hinauf zum Deneck | © Erlebnisregion Schladming-Dachstein | Christoph Lukas
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Gipfelaufbau vom Deneck | © Fotograf: Volkhard Maier | Schladming Dachstein
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Sonnenaufgang am Deneck | © Fotograf: Volkhard Maier | Schladming Dachstein
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Gipfelkreuz am Deneck | © Fotograf: Volkhard Maier | Schladming Dachstein
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Blick Richtung Knallstein | © Erlebnisregion Schladming-Dachstein | Christoph Lukas
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Vom Gipfel des Deneck hinunter auf die Etrachböden | © Erlebnisregion Schladming-Dachstein | Christoph Lukas
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Hochebene Etrachböden | © Erlebnisregion Schladming-Dachstein | Christoph Lukas
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Eine Wanderin auf den Etrachböden | © Gerhard Pilz | Gerhard Pilz
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Bergerlebnis auf der Tour zum Deneck | © Gerhard Pilz | Gerhard Pilz
What the weather will be like
Schöder (893m)
Sunny in the morning, but increasingly cloudy during the day. Showers will be possible towards evening.
Quite sunny with scattered clouds during the day, but a chance of thunderstorms towards evening.
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