Debanttalrunde
Technical difficulty: 5/10
Fitness: 8/10
Objective danger: 3/10
Landscape: 8/10
Busy: 4/10
On this beautiful loop at marathon distance in East Tyrol, we visit some of the most popular hiking and excursion destinations near the Lienz basin. By linking several themed and high-altitude trails, we create a unique tour within the Hohe Tauern National Park, mostly staying well off the beaten tourist path.
guest post by @bennibru
Starting point: Toni-Egger-Park, Nußdorf Debant
Ending point: Toni-Egger-Park, Nußdorf Debant
Length: 42km
Vertical: 2500m
Speed: Mostly moderate trails. Slower going on Lienzer Höhenweg, fast final downhill.
Route:
The Debanttal is a 16 km long, largely untouched alpine valley north of Lienz, and especially along its valley road and trail, it's a popular destination for mountain biking and family-friendly hiking. The loop described here can be completed in a day by ntermediate to advanced trail runners; technical difficulties are moderate. Several opportunities to stop for food or to shorten or exit the route make it suitable for a fast-and-light style approach.
We begin the loop at the Toni Egger Park in Nußdorf Debant, heading north, where a few meters later the signposted turnoff to the “Erlebnisweg Nußdorfer Berg” appears on the left. This varied path leads through clearings and holloways, connecting several farms as it climbs steadily uphill, until we reach the paved Faschingalmstraße at about 1550 m. We follow the road through its final switchbacks to the large parking area, where a trail leads alongside the Faschingalmbahn. When the climb becomes really steep, we branch off to the right toward the popular Naturfreunde Hut (Vinzenz Biedner-Hütte). Above the hut, a trail passes through a forest section; once we leave the woods behind, we gradually move through flatter and more open terrain, distancing ourselves from the nearby ski area. At a gate around 2050 m, we enter the Lienzer Höhenweg.
The Lienzer Höhenweg forms the next stage of our circuit and leads, without major elevation gain or loss, north of Zettersfeld to the Lienzer Hütte, located at the head of the Debanttal. The forest road at the beginning and the initial descent may be misleading – in spite of the rather gentle profile, progress is not particularly fast, as the trail is too technical and uneven to run continuously. That gives us more time to admire the increasingly high peaks on the opposite side of the valley, especially the striking Glödis at the valley’s end. After 9.5 km on the Höhenweg, we reach the Lienzer Hütte, where a break is highly recommended – even if adjusting to the crowds here after the solitude of previous hours takes a moment.
The Lienzer Hütte marks our turnaround point in the valley. From here, we cross to the opposite side and begin to follow the trail down-valley, now staying on the north side of the Debantbach. We follow signs toward Wangenitzsee(hütte), and after a short, pleasant flat section, we begin the climb to the Untere Seescharte. After several switchbacks, the following moderately steep ascent is a highlight of the route – particularly rewarding if you look back now and then toward the head of the valley with Hochschober and Glödis. Just before reaching the saddle, the trail becomes a little more technical, but we soon arrive at the crossing with views of the next scenic highlight.
From the Untere Seescharte, we can see Kreuzsee and parts of the large Wangenitzsee below, and even the Wangenitzseehütte is in view – the next potential stop for food. However, since the hut lies a bit off our route and we still have a fair bit ahead of us, we skip this detour and instead turn south between the two lakes toward the Obere Seescharte. From this point onward, we’re on the Wiener Höhenweg. The views down to the Wangenitzsee are spectacular and help ease the effort of this final climb to the highest point of the loop, which we reach shortly after the saddle at about 2600 m. Much of the entire loop is now visible from here, and far off in the southeast, we can already make out our next goal, the Roaner Alm.
The descent along the Wiener Höhenweg starts out fairly technical and steep, but soon we reach flatter, wide-open alpine pastures. As the terrain becomes easier, our legs begin to feel heavier – making the Roaner Alm an inviting spot for a quick refuel before the final descent. The route initially follows a forest road (which is also accessible to vehicles), but we soon take several shortcut trails and arrive in the village of Iselsberg, suddenly back in civilization. We now follow signs for the Römerweg for the remaining descent to the valley floor, enjoying some last meters on forest trails before returning to our starting point and completing the loop.
Photos by @bennibru
