Hike up mountain pastures to get a fantastic panorama view at the “Hochwechsel”.
The tour starts at the chair lift “Mönichkirchen” (GPS: 47.512041, 16.030434). For the sake of saving time, consider buying a combi-ticket using the chair lift up and down.
The trail first crosses the ski slope and then runs through woods and mountain pastures till reaching the highest point (Hochwechsel). The unique panorama view allows to see Semmering, Rax or Schneeberg but also till Slovenia and Hungary – especially on clear winter days.
Tour Description
| 00:00 | Parking at the parking lot Schischaukel Mönichkirchen (free parking). |
| 00:05 | Take the chair lift Sonnenbahn to the first stage and starting point of the tour. |
| 00:15 | Pass by the huts and immediately cross the ski slope to follow the Studentenkreuzweg on the left handside which leads upwards to Hallerhaus. |
| 00:45 | Turn right and stay on the forest road towards Hallerhaus. |
| 01:00 | Pass by the Hallerhaus and follow the small trail on the left into the woods which is the lower part of the Steinerne Stiege. |
| 01:15 | Well-deserved break at the Stoa Alm (nice hut). Enjoy the view and some food and drinks ( ). |
| 02:00 | Steinerne Stiege: follow the partly steep trail on rocks through the woods. Continue the trail till reaching the first mountain pasture. |
| 03:00 | Pass by the memorial to the victims of the 2nd world war which is at the Niederwechsel (1669m). |
| 04:00 | Hochwechsel: Enjoy the fantastic panorama view and have a well-deserved break at the Wetterkoglerhaus (). Please note that the hut is closed in winter! |
| 05:10 | Follow the trail back till the first crossing. |
| 05:30 | Turn right at the crossing towards the “Vorauer Schwaig”. |
| 06:10 | Pass by the memorial to the russian war victims, next to the Vorauer Schwaig. |
| 06:50 | [Optional]: At the crossing and if the time allows, you can turn left and follow the marked path up to Hallerhaus for a deserved break () in comfortable atmosphere. |
| 07:10 | Follow the Studentenkreuzweg towards the mountain station of the chair lift. |
| 07:35 | If time allows (or you want descend by foot), enjoy a nice dinner and drink at the Berggasthof Mönichkirchner Schwaig ( ). |
| 08:35 | The way downwards: Depending on your choice, take the chair lift, or follow the paved road down to the parking. In summer, you can also consider taking the mountain cart or the offroad scooter to the valley station. |
General Tour Data
| Area: | Wiener Alpen, Lower Austria, Austria | |
| Distance: | 19km | |
| Ascent: | 650m (2h 20min) | |
| Descent: | 650m (2h 50min) | |
| Highest Pt: | 1743m | |
| Lowest Pt: | 1185m | |
| Duration: | 6h 00min (without breaks / chairlift) 7h 45min (with breaks) |
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| Stop/Rest: | Mönichkirchner Schwaig (1230m) Alpengasthof Enzian (1200m) Hallerhaus (1350m) Stoa Alm (1422m) Wetterkoglerhaus (1743m) Vorauer Schwaig (1505m) Flo und Co (1004m) |
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| Equipment: | Backpack with standard hiking equipment Food and enough water Sun & Weather protection Camera |
| Download GPX | ||
| O | Tour at outdooractive.com |
Tour Diary
| Last tour: | 2020-01-25 09:45 | ||
| Weather: | Sunny, clear | ||
| Participants: | Stefan, Hannes, Herbert, Nader, Robert | ||
| Activity: | Suunto | ||
At a glance
| Level | moderate |
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| Best time in the year | |
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Interesting background information
Mönichkirchen became a popular ski resort in Winter due to its closeness to Vienna but also Hungary.
The Schischaukel Mönichkirchen / Mariensee offers all kinds of slopes (beginners, advanced, and also a black FIS slope in Mariensee.
In summer the slope to the valley is used as a track for Mountain Carts and Offroad Scooters, bringing fun and excitement for adults and kids.
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