Haute Route on Mout Dachstein
Dachstein lengthwise
In the beginning there was the idea: Can a "Haute Route", i.e. the grandiose ski touring crossing of the Valais Alps from Zermatt to Chamonix, also be found in Austria in a smaller format? Heli Putz, the owner of "Outdoor Leadership" who is as busy as he is innovative, had a special motivation for his search: Alpine competitions have long been an integral part of the local mountains. The two-day tour, which you can also book directly with Outdoor Leadership, has long since established itself as a classic. The 25-kilometre-long route, which can also be done on alpine skis, is absolutely spectacular in terms of landscape, but ultimately makes few demands on physical endurance and one's own mountaineering skills. Because the long ascent to the plateau is done by the cable car from Ramsau in Styria, and from the top it is – almost – only downhill.
Tour start at Ödensee
The entrance at the Ödensee between Bad Aussee and Bad Mitterndorf surprised even the experienced area expert Heli Putz: "The "kingdom" lives up to its name with its ancient tree population. In addition, the gradient is simply ideal for the ascent with skins."
Day 1: From the Ödensee to the Krippenstein
But the first piece is not only mystically beautiful and extremely lonely - the people of Bad Mitterndorf have so far only used it to drive "home" from the Krippenstein. It is also long: Coming from the north, more than twelve hundred meters of altitude have to be made to the Hirzberg. Then the Dachstein Plateau is reached. The orientation in the wild hinterland of the Dachstein is conclusive in principle, but not easy: A continuous marking is still missing at the moment, the track crosses forest paths again and again and at the rock faces, which you encounter again and again on the ascent, you should not "mess up"! Anyone who ends up stranded in the middle of nowhere several times can console themselves: Even some of the extremely fit Waymaker teams that climbed here in the fog at the beginning of April had their challenge with orientation. From the Hirzberg, the familiar Rumpler and the Speikkogel come into view and the trail becomes clearer: This now leads over the wide fell-up-fell-down terrain of the Dachstein Plateau always west towards the Heilbronner Kreuz and ends at the Krippenstein Lodge.
The difference between the starting point and the end of the first day could not be greater: from the lake to the high mountains, from the solitude of the forest through all the vegetation levels up into the hustle and bustle of the ski area. But that's not so bad: If you climb from the Ödensee, you won't reach the Krippenstein until after closing time anyway and thus in its tranquil times. The view over the plateau over to the Hoher Dachstein is then almost to yourself and it is hard to top. It's also a good moment to stretch your legs, because the second day is tough – not so much in terms of collecting altitude meters. Most of them have been made for now, but there are still a few more to come. But in addition, alpine versatility is now in demand.
Day 2: From Krippenstein to Lake Gosau
Depending on the weather conditions, there are different variants for the onward route. The common destination, i.e. also the end point of the tour, is in any case Lake Gosau, located in the west of the massif. What all possibilities have in common is the sublime starting position: If you strap on your skis here at seven o'clock in the morning, you are at least an hour before the first skiers and thus have a lot of mountains and sky to yourself. The alpine ski area is soon behind them anyway: via the Gjaidalm, past the ice lake, to the Simonyhütte and on over the Hallstatt Glacier. If the conditions and your own skills allow it, the Hohe Dachstein is of course a must: In winter, the path with shouldered skis and the hand on the steel cable does not lead over the shoulder, but the Randkluftsteig to the summit.
The premium variant is now a small detour eastwards to the Schladming Glacier, in order to enter the Edelgrieß from there - beyond the mountain station: In the wide cirque between Türlspitz and Gamsfeldspitz, a racy 1,600 metres of descent down to the sun terrace of Ramsau await, which, depending on the climatic form of the day, can be borderline ingenious powder or brutal breaking harsh. You should be able to ski in any case. From below, you float back up to the Hunerkogel for a few euros and continue your long way west.
"The best piece of the tour"
You should think carefully about the detour to Ramsau, because the tour is already filled without semolina. On the descent from the summit, full concentration is required again: The path over the west ridge is made easier by a small and easy via ferrata, but being here in late winter is still a much more complex matter than in summer. The Gosau Glacier can also be approached through the Steinerscharte further east. Once you have arrived here, perhaps the best part of the tour is still ahead of you: The 2,000 metres of altitude difference are truly a "super G(osau)" and thus one of the greatest descents in the Eastern Alps. This section alone justifies many efforts of the two days in good conditions and puts the crown on the tour. However, this glacier has also suffered massively in its substance over the last few years and some sections are at risk of avalanches due to daytime warming. Too late in the day, you should therefore no longer ski its steep passages. During the two days of the Dachstein longitudinal crossing, an alpine microcosm opens up, which will surprise even area connoisseurs in its diversity and enrich their sense of place with new aspects.
Enquire now or book now!
And if you have now whetted your appetite for an unforgettable ski tour along the Dachstein massif, then make a non-binding enquiry today at Outdoor Leadership in Bad Goisern on Lake Hallstatt for your very own "Dachstein crossing". The friendly staff of Heli Putz are in the starting blocks for an unforgettable winter holiday with ski tour in the Salzkammergut.
With this outdoor provider on the "Haute Route Dachstein"
Outdoor Leadership in Bad Goisern
Outdoor Leadership in Bad Goisern on Lake Hallstatt stands for safe fun in the mountains. Guests can choose from a wide pool of offers, which even allows for a program in bad weather.
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Hotels and accommodation providers in Hallstatt, Bad Goisern, Gosau and Obertraun offer the ideal room or apartment for your holidays, no matter what your tastes. Aside from establishments rated according to the international "star" scale, you will also find around Lake Hallstatt in Austria businesses that have been awarded two to four "edelweiss". The more flowers, the greater comforts you can expect. Whether you eventually find your cozy nest in an elegant 5-star luxury hotel, at comfortable guesthouse, a family-friendly apartment, or on a traditional farm, the choice is always entirely up to you.