Through the Hartelsgraben into Sulzkar and on to Zinödl

Accessible by public transport

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty challenging

Route 16,6 km

Time 10:00 h

Uphill 1686 hm

Downhill 1335 hm

Highest point 2180 m

The Zinödl crossing truly offers a complete mountain hiking experience. The great view and the variety of the trail are only topped by a visit to the Heßhütte. And if that's not enough, the crossing to Johnsbach saves you about 300 meters of altitude difference in the descent.

On this mountain tour we have to cover approx. 17 km and 1700 m, but for this you really get everything that belongs to an eventful day of hiking.

The varied trail is really worth seeing: the historic forest road in the Hartelsgraben is accompanied by the rushing Sulzkarbach stream and soon after is replaced by wide alpine meadows and pastures before you have to overcome steep alpine passages leading to the extensive summit plateau of the Zinödls.

There we will have an excellent view of the Gesaeuse mountains. Later we will reach the famous Hess hut, which is located between Hochtor and Zinödl on the Ennseck and where we simply have to stop for a bite to eat before descending to the mountaineering village of Johnsbach.

Best season

January

February

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More information

A9 Phyrn motorway to exit Ardning/Admont and from there past Frauenberg, approx. 10 km after Admont. Via the B146 (Gesäuse Bundesstraße) coming from the west into the Gesäuse.

Or via Leoben, Vordernberg and Eisenerz to Hieflau and from there via the B146 in a westerly direction into the Gesaeuse.

A1 Westautobahn to exit Ybbs and from there in southern direction through Scheibbs, Lunz am See, Göstling an der Ybbs and Palfau to Hieflau. From there via B146 in western direction into the Gesäuse.

At 521 m above sea level, directly on the Enns bridge between Gstatterboden and Hieflau, is the starting point for this tour, which initially runs south through the Hartelsgraben. The historically remarkable forest road, which is at the same time a theme path on historic forestry and charcoal burning, runs along the Sulzkarbach and crosses it on bridges many times.

After about three kilometres you reach the Hartelsgraben hunting lodge and a little later a crossroads where you leave trail nr. 665 to the west and now follow the marked trail nr. 601, which is a well maintained forest road at the beginning, over a few bends into the Sulzkar.

On its wide alpine pastures you will find the next crossroads where you follow the markings to the north towards Zinödl. The following passage is marked by increasingly steeper terrain, where the trail markings were still partly badly visible in autumn 2017. In addition to your sense of orientation, you will soon need to be sure-footed and should take care not to loose stones that might endanger hikers further down. In addition, there is a general danger of falling rocks because of the steep rock faces at the foot of which the marked path passes a little later. At the end of this passage you are at the eastern end of the Zinödl Plateau and only a few hundred meters of easy ridge walk separate you from the summit.

From far away you can already see the summit cross and the weather station. The descent path leads northwards to the "Goß", from where you can enjoy spectacular views of the "Gseis".

The following section of the trail is a crossing in the direction of the "Heßhütte" and after about two kilometres you will reach it. From here you follow the normal route past the Gamsbrunnen, via Stadlalm, the Koderböden and the "zachen Schuh" to the Gasthof Kölblwirt.

In the Hartelsgraben you follow the theme trail with information boards about historical forestry and charcoal burning.
At the Johnsbach Bridge in front of the Kölblwirt Inn you have the opportunity to refresh yourself in the cool water.

With the Verbundlinie BusBahnBim app, finding timetable information has never been easier: all bus, train, and tram connections in Austria can be searched for by entering locations and/or addresses, stops, or important points. The app is available as a free app for smartphones (Android, iOS) on Google Play and in the App Store.

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In the Gesäuse region, you're mobile even without your own car during the summer months. Just one call to +43 3613 2100099 is all it takes: within operating hours, the Gesäuse shared taxi will take you to any destination in the Gesäuse — with no fixed timetable or stops.

A free national park parking lot with information boards is located on the right side of the road coming from Hieflau before the bridge over the Enns river, which you would reach after approx. 5 km. To reach the starting point of the tour, i.e. the beginning of the marked hiking trail into the Hartelsgraben, you have to cross the Ennsbrücke and change sides of the road.

Gesäuse Tourism Association
Hauptstraße 35, 8911 Admont, Austria
t: +43 3613 2116010
www.gesaeuse.at
Email: info@gesaeuse.at