Waldheimhütte - Fuchskogel (via Wildsee)

Access to starting point:
We leave the highway Klagenfurt am Wörthersee - Graz at the exit Bad St. Leonhard im Lavanttal, and then we follow the signs for Zeltweg and Reichenfels. After the settlement Reichenfels we reach the state border between Austrian Carinthia / Kärnten and Styria / Steiermark, and a little further we arrive at the Obdacher Sattel pass, where we turn left towards the settlement St. Anna am Lavantegg. A steeper ascent to the mentioned settlement follows, from where we follow the signs for the Waldheimhütte mountain hut. In the last section we continue on a toll road; the toll is paid at the parking meter next to the Waldheimhütte mountain hut (the toll in 2025 amounted to 3 euros for a passenger car).

Route description:
From the parking lot we walk past the mountain hut to a marked junction, from which we head slightly left onto the path towards Köhlerhütte (straight ahead Zirbitzkogel) and begin ascending diagonally along the forest road. The path along the road leads mostly through the forest and after a good 20 minutes of walking brings us to the chapel in the tree Maria in der Zirbe.
Further on, the road gradually turns into a wider cart track and then splits.
We continue along the lower path (the upper one leads to a nearby holiday cottage) and keep following the markings, gradually starting to ascend a bit more steeply. When a little further ahead we reach the indistinct ridge and the junction by Türkenkreuz, we continue straight onto the path towards Wildsee and Rohrerhütte (right Köhlerhütte).
Some diagonal descent down a slightly steeper slope follows, then we cross the Lavant river over a small bridge – the river after which the Lavanttal Alps are named. A gentle ascent follows, then past another cross we arrive at the next junction, where we turn right towards Wildsee and the summit of Zirbitzkogel (straight ahead Rohrerhütte).
Further on, the marked path is less distinct in places but remains fairly easy to follow throughout; in a moderate ascent across grassy slopes we reach the vicinity of the lake, from where the view of Wildsee already opens up.
We continue the ascent along the left side of the lake, then, when the path turns right onto the slope, we climb a bit more steeply along a faintly visible footpath. After approximately 20 minutes of ascent the path levels out and brings us to a junction on the broad southern ridge of Fuchskogel, from where we continue right towards Zirbitzkogel.
The path ahead ascends moderately; looking to the right, a beautiful view of Wildsee soon opens up. A little further on the path flattens again and we reach a junction where a fairly short path branches off right to the summit of Fuchskogel.
Here we leave the marked path that continues towards the summit of Zirbitzkogel and turn right following the signs for Fuchskogel. In a few minutes of further walking we reach the cross on Fuchskogel; the true highest point is situated slightly to the right and about a minute further.
Starting point – Wildsee 2:00, Wildsee – Fuchskogel 45 minutes.

Along the route: Maria in der Zirbe (1720m), Türkenkreuz (1839m), Wildsee (1981m)

The trip can be extended to the following destinations: Zirbitzkogel Hütte (Seetal Alps) ( 50 min), Zirbitzkogel (Seetal Alps) ( 52 min)

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