Schlaitner Berge

Technical difficulty: 4/10
Fitness: 7/10
Objective danger: 3/10
Landscape: 8/10
Busy: 2/10

A beautiful loop through open alpine terrain in central East Tyrol, with a flat and runnable first half followed by a scenic traverse of 9 summits in the second half.

guest post by @bennibru

Starting point: Parkplatz Hochsteinhütte
Ending point: Parkplatz Hochsteinhütte
Length: 28km
Vertical: 2000m
Speed: Mostly runnable trails with minimal vertical over the first 10 km. Progress slows during the summit traverse, but never involves serious difficulties.

Route:

This route uses a high-altitude starting point to traverse the mountain range between Rotstein and Böses Weibele, just above Lienz. This easternmost part of the Villgraten Mountains is referred to as the “Schlaitner Berge” and, thanks to its central location in East Tyrol, offers fantastic panoramic views without excessive technical demands. We access the start of the traverse via the Pustertaler Almweg – a gently undulating hiking trail that follows the tree line.

We begin at the parking lot below the Hochsteinhütte (road open May through late October) and follow signs for the “Pustertaler Almweg” heading west. After just over 3 km through open terrain and alpine rose meadows, we reach a small alpine hut along a forest road. Following the GPX track, we briefly head south alongside a fence before making a sharp right to begin a descent through the forest. This section follows a marked but sometimes hard-to-spot trail, leading past another hut before climbing again. Alternatively, you can take a gentler option by heading north before the hut and continuing on the mostly flat Almweg before a short descent.

We continue westward along the Almweg – not particularly spectacular, but with lovely clearings and views of the Lienz Dolomites to the south. High above the Wilferner Valley, we press deeper into the heart of the mountain massif, eventually reaching the pasture basin below the Huberkaser at around 10 km. This is a good spot to refill water, as the longest climb of the day (about 700 vertical meters) lies ahead, and opportunities for water are scarce from this point on.

At the junction where the valley road turns into the Rotstein normal route, we briefly stay on the Almweg before turning right onto vague trail traces across grassy slopes. The climb now becomes pathless and moderately steep, over south-facing meadows – expect strong sun exposure here in summer unless you begin your tour early. We eventually reach the Jakoberjoch, marking the end of the Munzalspitzen ridge and the start of our summit traverse. If weather is unstable, take note: from this point forward, the route stays entirely on an exposed ridge. Apart from a small shelter near the Rotstein summit, there’s no protection from the elements – although several (pathless) escape routes back to the Almweg are possible if needed.

The first ridge section leads westward to the Untere Munzalspitze (2608 m). As we gain elevation, the terrain becomes rockier. At the summit, we turn north to see the wide crest of the Obere Munzalspitze (2682 m) ahead, which we reach without difficulty via a short descent and corresponding climb. From this point and especially from the summit, the views across the bright turquoise Ochsenalm lakes to the Zarspitzen and Bockstein peaks are breathtaking.

We leave the wide summit plateau heading northeast and descend to the Gelenkscharte. From there, we follow trail traces toward the Rotstein, where exposure and technicality increase slightly. After the saddle, we stay just below the ridge on grassy south-facing slopes but return to the crest at the Rotstein’s fore- summit. Here, we merge with an alternative route that climbs up through a gully from the Wilfern Valley. In light scrambling terrain, we quickly reach the main summit of the Rotstein (2702 m), marked by a large summit cross. This is the high point of the loop – the views in all directions are exceptional, particularly northward to the Großglockner massif and eastward to the peaks still ahead.

After a summit break, we descend briefly through some protected rocky terrain and reach the aforementioned shelter. Here, the trail turns east, descending to about 2574 m. Rather than taking the normal descent into the Wilfern Valley, we stay on the ridge, where a scenic series of ups and downs takes us over the Schlaitner Kofel (2650 m) and Lavantegg (2658 m) to the Schönbergspitze (2640 m). The trail is marked and easy to follow, though you’re unlikely to encounter many (or any) people – ideal for lovers of solitude.

After the Schönbergspitze, we descend pathlessly through grassy terrain. A short rock step in our way can be bypassed on either the left or right. At the saddle at 2452m, a more visible trail leads us to the Hintere Lavantspitze (2546 m) and Vordere Lavantspitze (2516 m). From here, the final summit of the route comes into view: the popular Böses Weibele (2521 m), marked by a large cross. We reach it over undulating terrain with some rocky patches, and from the summit enjoy sweeping views across the Schober group to the north, the Lienz basin below, and the rugged Lienz Dolomites to the south – including the unmistakable Spitzkofel ridge.

From Böses Weibele, the terrain becomes increasingly runnable as we descend toward the Hochsteinhütte. Just before reaching the hut, we pass over the barely noticeable summit of the Hochstein (2057 m), topped by a large “Heimkehrerkreuz” memorial cross. It’s the perfect finale before wrapping up the loop with a well- deserved stop at the Hochsteinhütte.

From the hut, it’s less than a 5-minute walk back to the parking area.

Pro tip: Due to the openness of the terrain, this route is ideal for a crisp autumn day. In summer, expect long stretches of sun exposure.

Special thanks to Nature Classic for documenting and inspiring this outstanding trail running route.

Photos by @bennibru