Sportgastein - Westerfrölkekogel
Starting point: Sportgastein (1570 m)
| Lat/Lon: | 47,06152°N 13,05771°E |
| |
Time of walking: 4 h 15 min
Difficulty: difficult pathless terrain
Altitude difference: 1157 m
Altitude difference po putu: 1185 m
Map:
Recommended equipment (summer):
Recommended equipment (winter):
Views: 279
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Access to the starting point:
At Tauern motorway in Austria take an exit for Bischofshofen and follow the road in direction to Zell am See. After a little more than 20 km from Bischofshofen, take a left turn for Bad Hofgastein and Badgastein. Continue to Sportgastein and park at one of the big parking places (ski resort area).
An alternative option is a motorail connection between Mallnitz and Bad Gastein via 8371 m long Tauern tunnel. You will save 150 km one way with this option (along with tunnel tolls at Tauern highway).
Public transport is also an excellent option (a combination of a train and a bus).
Path description:
The trail from Sportgastein first crosses the vast Gasteiner-Tal a.k.a. Nassfeld valley. There is a lot of markings in the valley, since there are also many visitors (most of these are leisure walkers, who turn back at the end of the valley or even sooner). Many huts and mountain pastures await you along the way. The first hut is a Valeriehaus at the beginning of the trail. Nevertheless, just after a couple of minutes of walk there is a Schareck mountain pasture (Schareckalm). Soon after, on the right side of the way, there are Moisesalm and Pottingeralm. A trail to Schereck branches off at this point as well. After 5 to 10 minutes a Nassfeldalm and a hut are reached. After 30 minutes you will reach the end of the valley, where a Veitbaueralm is situated. After this point the trail gets steeper and ascends along the glacial moraines. In the next two and a half hours of walking uphill you will gain more than 800 meters of altitude and arrive to the Hagener hut (Hagener Hütte, 2446 m).
Continue west, descend a few meters to the signs and a bell, and follow a leisurely trail further west. The trail then reaches a spring that is emerging from the ground all around the area. From this point on, the trail gets steeper. After gaining cca. 150 meters of altitude you will reach the ridge. The trail is really steep the last few meters and so caution is advised. A mountain Westerfrölkekogel (2727m) rises on the right side. From here go right and ascend the ridge. Hold to the left side where necessary. The upper part of the ridge leading to the summit is one of the most erosive areas in Hohe Taurn with crumbling terrain, where the outer layer of the rock literally peels off as you step on it. This pathless terrain is short yet caution is strongly advised. An excellent view can be enjoyed from the top, especially to Vorderer Geiselkopf to the north, mountain pastures and a valley Nassfeldalm and Sportgastein, and eternally white 3000-meter-high peaks in vicinity such as Hochalmspitze and Ankogel to the east and Schareck to the west.
Sportgastein – Hagener Hütte (3 h 15 min); Hagener Hütte – Westerfrölkekogel (1h).
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Discussion about the trail Sportgastein - Westerfrölkekogel