Sporthotel Maltatal - Arlhöhe

Access to starting point:
From the Beljak/Villach - Salzburg highway, we take the Gmünd exit and follow the road ahead towards the Maltatal valley. A well-marked road brings us after a few kilometres to the settlement Malta, and only a little further to the spot where road toll is paid. The steep and occasionally narrow road with the help of tunnels and traffic lights brings us to a large parking lot by the artificial lake (the dam at the end of the lake is 165m high). While driving, we can observe numerous waterfalls, which because of a lack of parking spaces we can view only from the car.

Route description:
From the large asphalt parking lot we continue on a macadam road in the direction of Osnabrücker Hütte. After 5 minutes of easy walking by the lake we get to the next parking lot at the mountain hut Kölnbreinstüberl. We continue on the road in the direction of the mountain hut Osnabrücker Hütte. The gentle road, which all the time runs by the lake, offers a nice view of the surrounding peaks and waterfalls of the surrounding streams. After a good half an hour of walking, we come to a junction, where we continue sharply right in the direction of Arlscharte. From here on, the path starts ascending and after additional 5 minutes of ascent brings us to the next junction.
Right: mountain hut 5 minutes, we continue straight on an increasingly steep and panoramic path, which higher up brings us to a poorly marked junction. We continue slightly left in the direction of Arlscharte on the path, which is getting closer to the indistinct summit on our left side. When the path gets completely close to the cliffs on our left, it turns slightly to the right and after further ascent brings us to the saddle Arlscharte (2252m). On the saddle, we notice a cross and mountaineering signposts.
We continue left in the direction of the peak Arlhöhe (straight: lake Pfringersee 5 minutes) on the path which for a short time steeply ascends and then brings us to one of the forepeaks of our destination. There follows a good 10 minutes more of walking on the panoramic summit ridge of the mountain with some gentle descents. We recognise the main peak only when we step onto it and there notice the panorama board.

Along the route: Jägersteighütte (1981m), Arlscharte (2252m), Pfringersee (2230m)

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