Sun Trail Dachstein: 3 days along Dachstein's sunny side
moderate Multi-day tours · Ramsau am Dachstein
The Dachstein - this great mountain with its diverse landscapes has always inspired people and it is not for nothing that he is considered THE mountain personality.
You hike from the Hofalmen in Filzmoos through the "Tor" to the day's destination of the 1st stage with an overnight stay at the Dachstein Südwandhütte. At the beginning of the 2nd stage, you float up the Dachstein glacier in the panorama gondola. From there it goes over the area "am Stein" to the Guttenberghaus for your 2nd overnight stay. Experience the typical landscape with snow hollows, easy climbs, rocky ridges and a wide view of the Totes Gebirge mountain range. The 3rd stage takes you from the Guttenberghaus over the king's stage past the Silberkarsee and the Silberkarhütte back to Ramsau Ort.
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1st stage: Hofalmen - Dachstein Südwandhütte
You take the bus from Ramsau Kulm to Filzmoos and take the hiking bus there to the Hofalmen. You start here and hike a 45-minute ascent to the Hofpürglhütte. The hike from the hut to the Dachstein Südwandhütte is a beautiful high-altitude hike and initially leads moderately uphill over the Kesselwand into a huge cirque. The path winds over large screes below the Gosaustein and after about 1.5 hours you reach the Rinderfeld: green , lush meadows, gentle hills at the foot of the Hochkesselkopf. After rather gentle stretches of the path, a decent ascent to the Sulzen Schneid is the order of the day. However, the view from the summit cross (1,990m) is really worthwhile. After a long break halfway through this tour, the path leads down to the Sulzenhals and then into the Windlegerkar and further through the "Tor" to the Dachstein Südwandhütte.
Variant in bad weather: Instead of hiking over the "Tor" you descend via path #614 to the Bachlalm and hike in the direction of Neustattalmen. The ascent over the Schönbühel (near the Neustattalmen) takes about 50 minutes from there until you reach the first day's destination.
2nd stage: Dachstein Südwandhütte - Guttenberghaus
The descent from the Südwandhütte is best done early in the morning and takes about 35 minutes to the valley station of the Dachstein Gletscherbahn. The cable car overcomes 1000 meters in altitude in just 7 minutes to the Hunerkogel mountain station. The Sky Walk viewing platform, the Dachstein Ice Palace and the suspension bridge with the stairway to nothingness are located right next to the mountain station.
Continue on the path to the Guttenberghaus: this takes you first over the Schladming Glacier in the direction of Gjaidstein and down its eastern flank to the east. The marker number is 674. It is a high alpine tour that starts at almost 2,700 meters above sea level and offers no shelter in between if the weather changes. Colored markings on the rock and snow poles serve as orientation. The landscape is typical of the "am Stein" plateau, snow hollows, easy climbs, rocky ridges and a wide view of the Dead Mountains. After about 4 hours of walking, 2 climbs meet on the Feistererscharte. The #616 is the descent to the already visible Guttenberghaus at 2,146m above sea level. The highest mountain shelter in Styria is the 2nd stage destination on the Dachstein circular hiking trail.
Variant in bad weather: If the weather does not cooperate, the tour can of course be modified. From the Dachstein Südwandhütte you walk about 35 minutes to the valley station of the Dachstein Gletscherbahn. From the Berghotel Türlwand the path leads you past the Austriahütte and Brandalm (in the Austriahütte is the highest alpine museum in Styria) to Ramsau Ort (overnight stays also possible here). The overnight stay either in Ramsau Ort or at the Austriahütte should be booked through the Schladming-Dachstein Tourist Office.
The next day the bus will take you to the starting point for the second stage. The ascent to the Guttenberghaus is directly behind the Hotel Feistererhof. You walk about 20 minutes from the bus stop to the Hotel Feistererhof.
3rd stage: Guttenberghaus - Ramsau-Ort
After spending the night in the Guttenberghaus, a beautiful high-altitude hike awaits you with an attractive view down to Ramsau and the Schladminger Tauern. From the Feistererscharte, path #618 first leads east on the north slope of the Sinabell as a pleasant climb. After a good hour's walk, coarse boulders and the wild landscape above the Hölltal dominate. A surprising sight is the Hölltalsee, far below, with its emerald green sea eye. A narrow path leads down to the lake.
Continue on path #619. After the Grubach, the path branches off and leads steeply and stony downhill in serpentines via the Stangalm to the Silberkarhütte. The hut at 1,223 m above sea level offers you rich organic products from its own organic farm. The rest of the way is different again and entertaining. It goes through the romantic wild water gorge past the Schleier waterfall, over stairs and footbridges down the rushing brook to the lower exit of the Silberkarklamm. Here you now follow the signs in the direction of Ramsau-Ort. Past the fly mushroom snack bar you reach the old mill in Ramsau Rössing. From there you have two options for getting to Ramsau-Ort or your car:
- either above the state road - past the Hotel Feisterer to Ramsau-Ort and via the Philosophenweg to Ramsau-Kulm or
- along the Hofrat-Gruber-Weg to Ramsau Kulm (to the car) and/or further on the Philosophenweg to Ramsau-Ort.
Alternatively, you can also take the bus from the Silberkarklamm or Alte Mühle car park to Ramsau-Ort.
From west:
Tauernautobahn A 10 to the Ennstal junction - exit in the direction of Graz/Schladming - about 20 km on the Ennstal federal road to Schladming. Turn off in Schladming Mitte and follow the state road in the direction of Ramsau am Dachstein.
From the north:
Pyhrnautobahn in the direction of Liezen Ennstalbundesstraße to Schladming. Turn off in Schladming Mitte and follow the state road in the direction of Ramsau am Dachstein.
The tour begins at the Hofalmen in Filzmoos. The best way to get there is by bus from Ramsau Kulm.
You can take the Ramsauer Verkehrsbetriebe bus from Schladming or Ramsau am Dachstein to Filzmoos and from there take the Filzmoos hiking bus to the starting point at the Hofalmen.
- Ramsau hiking bus timetable at www.rvb.at
- Fidibus Wanderbus Filzmoos at www.filzmoos.at
Car park at Ramsau Kulm, next to the tourist office.
High alpine tour!
Changes in weather patterns, quick falls in temperature, thunderstorms, wind, fog and snow are some of the dangers that can be encountered on a hiking tour. Hosts of alpine huts and mountain refuges have a lot of experience in the mountains and can give good advice about weather and the trails. Poor equipment, overestimation of one's own capabilities, carelessness, poor personal constitution and/or wrong judgement can lead to critical situations. In case of thunderstorms: avoid summits, ridges and steel ropes.
GPS data and orienteering
Available GPS data - just like hiking maps - is only a guidance for orientation and can never depict a trail exactly with all its details. Especially at dangerous spots it is essential to judge on site how to proceed.
In an emergency please call:
- 140 - for Alpine emergencies (all over Austria)
- 112 - European GSM emergency number
A well-packed backpack is helpful and especially when touring Alpine terrain a tuque, gloves, a windproof jacket and pants are standard equipment. Good, waterproof shoes, sun glasses, sun cream and sufficient beverages are essential too. Torch light, a map of the area, knie and a small first-aid kit should also be in the backpack.
Visiting the attractions on the Dachstein is definitely worth a visit!
