Smelting Furnace Tour
Tour description
This easy tour, which is suitable for push-chairs, takes you from Wehrhofalm to the historic smelting furnace - Europe's last ruine of a melting furnace combined with a walkable glass cabinet. The smelting furnace is open to the public as "Nickel Museum" on Wednesdays and Fridays during the summer season.
The tour
Map, elevation profile & further information
The round begins at the Wehrhofalm. Opposite the bus stop, cross the bridge and then walk along the forest road to the left through a short section of forest and then along the edge of the forest. After a slight uphill section, your path branches off to the left onto another forest road and after just a few minutes you reach the Nickel Museum.
From the museum you hike along the forest road back to the Wehrhofalm. Alternatively, you can turn right down to Obertalstraße immediately after the signposted forest road fork. From there, walk along the Obertalstraße into the valley until you reach the start of the gravel road. Now you turn left onto the access road to the Hirsch forestry administration. At the small chapel you keep left and walk past it out of the valley to the pond at the Wehrhofalm, where you can comfortably stop off.
You can also start the tour at the Hopfriesen hiking portal.
- Buses of Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen: www.planaibus.at
Some sections of the trail are very close to water (along the Obertalbach creek and passing the pond at Wehrhofalm). Special attention is required with smaller kids!
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.
If you register in advance, you have the oppurtunity to take part in a guided tour of the "Bromriesenstollen" mine, which is close to the tour. Further information about the Nickel Museum and mine tour is available at the tourist offices or online www.wildewasser.at
- App-Store-Download "Story2Go Schladming"https://apps.apple.com/at/app/story2go-schladming/id1571490862
- Google-Play Download "Story2Go Schladming"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.radiotourism.story2go.schladming&gl=AT
- Information about buses schedules:www.planaibus.at
- Hiking map ‘Hiking WEST’ available at the information offices in the region.
- Schladming hiking map, 1:25,000, available at the Schladming information office.
- Hiking map Schladming-Dachstein, 1:50,000, available at the information offices in the region.
- Hiking guide Schladming-Dachstein by Herbert Raffalt, available at the information offices in the region.
