Summit Tour of the Predigtstuhl - 2543m

An attractive alpine tour, not least because of the various terrain features we hike through: broad alpine pastures, ancient forests, high lake plateaus shaped by glaciers, and a rugged peak.  From the Breitlahnhütte, we first hike towards the Schwarzensee – after about 30 min. trail No. 793 branches off to the left just before the Grafenalm (giant spruce tree), leading us through the forest and beautiful clearings to the Neualm.  Enjoying a very leisurely walk, we now hike to the Innere Neualm and the trail crossing, where the two trails 702 (Rantentörl) & 793 (Predigtstuhl) separate.  Now things get serious – trail No. 793 ascends steeply through an old larch forest to the Hüttkar, now above the tree line. The landscape is marked by rounded rocky knobs worn smooth by glaciers, along with a few tarns.  An ideal spot for a break accompanied by beautiful views.  Directly above the Hüttkar, a steep trail ascends towards the alpine gap at the summit, taking us through a gully strewn with rocky debris, where we will need to tread carefully. From the gap, the again rocky trail takes us through some passages secured by cables and directly to the beautiful summit.  The views from there are magnificent, especially those of the Hohe Tauern peaks to the west, along with the surrounding cirques and valleys deep below.  Somewhat longer, though more exciting, is a descent around the Wiegeneck, instead of following the steep gully.  To do so, at the gap we will follow signs for trail No. 702, hiking down over fields of boulders and narrow rocky ridges, passing by a crystal-clear lake and crossing the grassy hillside to the Rantentörl.Now begins a long descent: We first drop from the Törl down to the delightful Holzkarsee which, with its shoreline lined by cotton grass, makes for quite a contrast to the rocky scenery of the Predigtstuhl.  Now making another steep descent, our trail takes us to the Rossboden in the Steinkar, then alongside a waterfall steeply down to the Innere Neualm, where we once again meet up with trail No. 793, now hiking on to the Breitlahn Hütte.Comment: long, yet beautiful. Tip: only attempt in stable weather conditions!