Ruins of historic miners' housing at Vetternkar cirque - Engelkarspitze mountain in the backdrop | © Gerhard Pilz/Gerhard Pilz - www.gpic.at

Giglachseen - Rotmandl - Keinprechthütte: Schladminger Tauern Trail: Stage 02

difficult Summit tours · Schladming

Tour characteristics
Stamina
Technique
Experience
Landscape
Tour-Infos
Distance: 5.88 km
Duration: 4:00 h
Ascent: 584 m
Descent: 638 m
Best time of year
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The tour

This alpine hike is a stage of the Schladminger Tauern High Trail. At first, the route runs quite easily around Giglachseen Lakes and slightly uphill into Vetternkar cirque. Then, it ascends quite steeply to Rotmandlspitze summit on rubble and potentially snowfields (possible until mid of July). Through high alpine scenery you then hike on towars Krukeckscharte, while getting great views of the Schladminger Tauern range. Finally, a quite steep descent to Keinprechthütte chalet ends this days' tour.

Turn-by-turn directions

The 2nd stage of Schladminger Tauern High Trail starts at Giglachseen Lakes. From there you follow trail n° 702 into Vetternkar cirque where you can see the remains of ancient miners housing. The miners mined the mountains around Vetternkar cirque for silver and nickel for centuries. From the cirque you ascend via several switchbacks to the summit of Rotmandlspitze (2,453 m). On the way to the ridge of Kruckeckscharte you might encounter snowfields, depending on time of the year. From the ridge you descend to Keinprechthütte on a quite steep trail.

Descent to the valley:

Via Neualm you can descend to Eschachalm in about 2 hours. From there the Planai-Hochwurzen bus takes you back to Rohrmoos and Schladming.

Getting there
The closest public transport is the Planai-Hochwurzen bus leaving from Ursprungalm (approximately 1 hour from Giglachseen Lakes) or at Hopfriesen in Obertal valley (approximately 2.5 hours from Giglachseen Lakes).

www.planaibus.at

Start
Giglachseen Lakes
Destination
Keinprechthütte
Security

Surefootedness and experience in alpine terrain are required.

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
2°C
at noon
7°C
in the evening
5°C
Morning snow showers, then fairly sunny during the day.
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
3°C
at noon
16°C
in the evening
13°C
Early clouds will gradually clear to leave the region with a dry and sunny day.

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