Stage 13 From Glacier to Wine North Route Eisenerz - Hochschwab Sonnscheinalm

From Eisenerz (Tourist Information Tel. +43 3635 2110 or +43 676 6164847) this stage of the hiking route "From Glacier to Wine" leads us first to the nearby Leopoldsteinersee with the Seestüberl (Tel. +43 3848 3135) on the eastern shore, one of the most romantic places in Styria. When we leave early in the morning we still have this idyllic landscape together with the wildlife just for ourselves, an experience we should not miss. At the eastern end of the lake at Seeboden our path makes a sharp change of direction and it goes to the right first for a few kilometers comfortably flat there, but soon upwards in the middle of the Hochschwab massif. To the east we bypass the summit of the Kitzstein to soon reach the Fobisalm, a now dilapidated hunting lodge.

Here we keep in the direction of Fobistörl south of the striking and at the same time lonely Brandstein peak and get through mountain pine fields and over beautiful alpine pastures to the Androthalm with its numerous huts, where we are also fed culinary best. After this well-deserved refreshment, we continue westward over the Androthkogel, which lies between the peaks of the Spitzkogel and Kulmstein, to the Sonnschienalm, our stage destination, where we will also spend the night in the Sonnschienhütte (Tel. +43 664 5112474). It is beautifully situated between Ebenstein, Grasserwand and Kulmstein. At dusk we can enjoy the magnificent panorama of the Eisenerz Alps, which present themselves to us here quite peacefully. Just the way life is up here. And what can we look forward to: on the next stage to the Schiestlhaus we reach the summit of the Hochschwab.

Those who have not yet seen the Green Lake in Tragöß (Tourist Information Tel. +43 3868 8330) at the foot of the Hochschwab, can pay a visit to the winner of the election of the most beautiful place in Austria in 2014. The prerequisite for this is, of course, that another night is planned at the Sonnschienalm. Via trail 836, the route descends via the Russenstraße to this unique natural jewel, a lake fed purely by the meltwater of the Hochschwabwasser. Return on the same path or on the 837 path over the Klammboden.

Attention: from September 15 to October 15 there is an annual hunting closure in parts of the Hochschwab area. Therefore, the Sonnschienalm is not open during this period. Therefore, during these weeks the stage from Eisenerz to Tragöß leads from the Sonnschienalm via trail no. 837 to Tragöß (additional 2 hours!). The next day, the ascent from Tragöß to the Schiestlhaus takes place via trail nos. 837 and 838 to rejoin the main route at the Häuslalm.

Accessible by train and bus.

Detailed information about arriving by ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) can be found at www.oebb.at or on the Verbundlinie Steiermark website www.busbahnbim.at

With Verbundlinie’s BusBahnBim route planner app, planning your journey has never been easier: simply enter towns and/or addresses, stop names or points of interest to check all bus, train and tram connections in Austria. The app is available free of charge for smartphones – on Google Play and in the App Store

Steiermark Tourismus

Tel. +43 316 4003

info@steiermark.com

www.steiermark.com/en

If you would like to hire a  tour operator, simply book with Steiermark Touristik, the official travel agency of Steiermark Tourismus:

Tel. +43 316 4003 450, 

www.steiermark-touristik.com

The Steiermark Touren app, available free of charge on Google Play and the App Store  (Android, iOS), offers detailed first-hand information: brief facts (length, duration, difficulty, ascent and descent/elevation gain, ratings), map, route descriptions, altimeter, compass, peak finder, navigation along the tour. You can also create your own personal lists of favourite tours and sites, store tours and destinations offline, use social media channels, and much more.

Gratis Pocket Card Wanderroute "Vom Gletscher zum Wein" finden Sie auf www.steiermark.com

Wanderkarte BergZeitReise durch die Hochsteiermark finden Sie auf www.hochsteiermark.at

Kompass WK212 Hochschwab, Mariazell, Eisenwurzen www.kompass.at

Freytag & Berndt WK41 Hochschwab · Veitschalpe · Eisenerz · Bruck an der Mur www.freytagberndt.at

Rother Wanderführer "Vom Gletscher zum Wein": auf 160 Seiten mit 80 Farbabbildungen 60 Höhenprofile, 60 Wanderkärtchen im Maßstab 1:75.000, zwei Übersichtskarten, GPS-Tracks zum Download, Format 11,5 x 16,5 cm, kartoniert mit Polytex-Laminierung, ISBN 978-3-7633-4550-2, www.rother.de

Wanderführer BergZeitReise des TRV Hochsteiermark www.hochsteiermark.at