View from Guschen summit to Rossfeld and the Dachstein massif | © Gerhard Pilz/Gerhard Pilz

Hochwurzen - Rossfeld - Guschen

moderate Hiking · Schladming

Tour characteristics
Stamina
Technique
Experience
Landscape
Tour-Infos
Distance: 9.1 km
Duration: 4:00 h
Ascent: 391 m
Descent: 1096 m
Best time of year
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The tour
Hike with medium difficulty from the summit of Hochwurzen to the summit of Guschen. Mountain pines and Swiss Stone Pines seam the trail which is a light up & down over the extensive ridge of Rossfeld. Alltogether a quite easygoing hike. From Hochwurzen (1,850 m) and Guschen (1,982 m) you have a great panoramic view to the Dachstein-Massif and the Schladminger Tauern mountain range.
Turn-by-turn directions

From the mountain terminal of the Hochwurzen cable-car at Hochwurzenhütte you follow trail n° 60 via "Kleine Wurzen" and through the pine forest to the mountain saddle of "Hüttecksattel" (1,744 m) from where the trail ascends easily to the ridge of Rossfeld (1,919 m). While walking over the long ridge you get an idea why it has got its name (Rossfeld translates to "horse fur"). From the Rossfeld you descend to the mountain saddle of "Latterfußsattel" (1,792 m). From here the trail ascends again to the summit of Guschen (1,982 m) - the hightest point of this tour. From the summit you have a beautiful view into the Obertal valley and to the Steirische Kalkspitze summit at the valley head of Preuneggtal valley.

For the way back there are several alternatives:

  • Take the way back to Latterfußsattel and from there take trail n° 773 to Obertal valley and to the valley terminal of the Hochwurzen cable-car.
  • Take the way you came back to Hütteckattel and from there take trail n° 61 to Obertal valley and the valley terminal of Hochwurzen cable-car.
  • Take the way you came back to Hochwurznhütte and ride back down with the cable-car or take trail n° 60 back down to the valley terminal of the Hochwurzen cable-car (+1.5 hours).
Getting there
Take provincial highway L722 from Schladming to Rohrmoos until you reach the Hochwurzen cable-car.
With the Planai buses from Schladming (Planet-Planai, Lendplatz) or Rohrmoos (Rohrmoos-Zentrum) to the valley terminal of the Hochwurzen cable-car - bus stop "Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen". 

From there take the Hochwurzen cable-car to Hochwurzenhütte on top of Hochwurzen.

Parking
Parking is available at the valley terminal of the Hochwurzen cable-car.
Start
Hochwurzenhütte
Destination
Hiking trail head, Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen valley terminal
Security

Surefootedness is requried.

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
Equipment
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.

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Weather forecast

Date
in the morning
0°C
at noon
12°C
in the evening
9°C
Dry with variable cloudiness and frequent sunny spells.
in the morning
2°C
at noon
16°C
in the evening
13°C
Early morning clouds will clear soon. The rest of the day will be dry and bright with plenty of sunshine.
in the morning
6°C
at noon
20°C
in the evening
16°C
Morning clouds will clear gradually. Then frequent sunny periods.

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