Climb up to the highest point in Lower Austria: the Klosterwappen via the beautiful Weichtalklamm
The tour starts at the Weichtalhaus and first leads through the impressive Weichtalklamm (easy Via Ferrata cat. A/B) to the Kienthalerhütte. After a short break, the tour then continues to hike up Schneeberg via the Schauerstein, allowing scenic views. After enjoying the impressive distance view from Kaiserstein and a well-deserved lunch break at the Fischerhütte, the tour continues to the highest point of Lower Austria, the Klosterwappen. The tour then descends back towards the Kienthalerhütte and then follows the easier Ferdinand-Mayr-Weg back to Weichtalhaus.
Tour Description
| 00:00 | Start at the parking lot Weichtalhaus (GPS: 47.747306, 15.769372). Pass by the Weichtalhaus and follow the trail northwards (right hand-side of the river) which directly leads into the Weichtalklamm. |
| 00:30 | Entrance to the gorge. Follow the path inside, partly supported by iron ladders or additional climbing aids (iron rungs, pegs, carved steps). |
| 00:45 | Climb up the first longer iron ladder. |
| 01:15 | Follow the trail into a small cave, partly directly in the small river (waterproof shoes strongly recommended!). |
| 01:30 | At the end of the Weichtalklamm trail, turn right and follow the small trail straight ahead towards Kienthalerhütte. |
| 01:50 | Well deserved break () at the Kienthalerhütte. |
| 02:05 | Follow the trail northeastwards towards Schneeberg (see signpost). |
| 02:15 | At the crossing, stay straight ahead and follow the trail northwards. |
| 02:25 | At the crossing Juliengraben, stay straight ahead and continue following the trail northwards. |
| 02:30 | At the crossing Fleischer Gedenkstein, turn right and then keep left towards Schauerstein. |
| 03:10 | Enjoy the impressive view from Schauerstein and continue following the trail up towards Kaiserstein / Fischerhütte. |
| 03:30 | At the crossing, keep straight ahead and hike up to Kaiserstein. |
| 03:32 | Enjoy the scenic view from Kaiserstein. Descend then southwards to the already visible Fischerhütte. |
| 03:40 | Well deserved break ( ) at the Fischerhütte. |
| 04:10 | Follow the trail south and then keep right after a view meters towards the also visible Klosterwappen (antenna). |
| 04:25 | Enjoy the view from Klosterwappen, the highest point of Lower Austria (best enjoyed with a self-brought refreshment ). |
| 04:35 | Descend eastwards (turn left) back towards Kienthalerhütte. |
| 05:15 | At the crossing, turn left and follow the trail back to Kienthalerhütte. |
| 05:30 | Pass by the Kienthalerhütte and follow the same trail back that was used for the ascent. |
| 05:55 | Follow the street downwards (straight ahead) above the Weichtalklamm. |
| 06:10 | Turn left into the small trail downwards to Weichtalhaus. |
| 07:05 | Turn left and use the upper trail back to Weichtalhaus. |
| 07:10 | Back at the Weichtalhaus. Recap the tour ( ). |
At a glance
| Level | difficult |
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Although the Weichtalklamm is categorized as a Via Ferrata, the trail is fairly easy. A Via Ferrata set is not required, also because of missing protecting ropes. The route however requires a sure foot and no fear of heights as it has several ladders that must be climbed up!
General Tour Data
| Area: | Rax/Schneeberg Group, Lower Austria, Austria | |
| Distance: | 15km | |
| Ascent: | 1530m (3h 35min) | |
| Descent: | 1530m (2h 30min) | |
| Highest Pt: | 2074m | |
| Lowest Pt: | 543m | |
| Duration: | 6h 15min (without breaks) 7h 10min (with breaks) |
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| Stop/Rest: | Fischerhütte (2049m) Weichtalhaus (543m) |
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| Equipment: | Hiking shoes Backpack with standard hiking equipment Snacks and plenty of water Sun & Weather protection Camera |
| Download GPX | ||
| O | Tour at outdooractive.com |
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