Snowshoe hike Gaaler Höhe

Name: Snowshoe hike Gaaler Höhe
Brand: Steiermark
Rating: 5 (3 reviews)

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From the snowshoe experience to the enjoyment of the spa in the Murtal adventure region.

The Gaaler Höhenzug in the Erlebnisregion Murtal is something like the local mountain of the people of Fohnsdorf, so it is not surprising that numerous hiking trails lead up to the lake level of about 1400 m. This snowshoe hike does not go beyond the forest line, yet along the way there are always beautiful views of the Judenburg-Knittelfeld basin (colloquially known as Aichfeld) and the surrounding mountains of the Murtal region. Fohnsdorf looks back on 300 years of mining history, which is illustrated in the mining museum. The coal mined here - the slag heap still bears witness to this today - was used in the surrounding scythe mills and later in the steel and rolling mills. When the coal finally lost its economic importance, the mine was closed in 1978. Fohnsdorf is also inevitably associated with the Aqualux thermal spa. The thermal spring, which was discovered during deep drilling, is used to supply water to the spa, which was built in 2007 and is highly recommended as a relaxing end to a snowshoe tour.

Conclusion: Get out of your snowshoes and into the spa.

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

The tour in numbers

medium

Level of difficulty

14,6 km

Route

5:30 h

Time

640 hm

Uphill

640 hm

Downhill

1530 m

Highest point

Map & downloads

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More information

From St. Michael in Upper Styria via the Murtal expressway S36 (vignette required) to the exit "Judenburg-Ost". Then to Wasendorf and Fohnsdorf and via a forest road to the Mostschänke Stoxreiter (43 km, approx. 40 minutes).

From Judenburg via Wasendorf to Fohnsdorf and further via a forest path to the Mostschänke Stoxreiter (10 km, approx. 20 minutes).

By car to snowshoe hiking - a few things to watch out for!

Good winter tires are an absolute MUST!Ice scraper, snow broom, de-icer for the door locks and a small shovel belong to the basic equipment.Put snow chains and a tow rope in the car, even if you are not good with them yourself. Helping and knowledgeable hikers are always available on the mountain!Clear the car completely of snow and ice, especially sweep off the roof of the car completely.When parking, make sure you leave room for other motorists.Always park so that the rest of the roadway remains clear for cars, logging trucks, and snow removal vehicles.Find out about the snow situation on the access road or parking facilities before setting off. (hut host, webcams).

We start at the parking lot at the Mostschänke Stoxreiter (1), 1015 m, and follow hiking trail 989 north to a fork in the trail (2), 1244 m. From there, the marked hiking trail goes steeply uphill, but we stick to the more energy-saving option and continue left on the forest road, which goes uphill in serpentines with beautiful views. Shortly below the Fohnsdorferhütte we cross the hiking trail, but continue to stay on the forest road. Just before a signpost pointing to the Fohnsdorferhütte (3), 1490 m, the destination, the Hölzelkogel, already shows itself to us. We continue our tour on the forest road and are now heading towards Spielberg. At a small clearing we leave the forest road and take the hiking trail straight ahead into the forest. At the crossroads we head towards Fohnsdorf and soon we reach the Hölzelkogel (4), 1451 m, or also called Hammereck. The way back is the same as our ascent up to the Fohnsdorferhütte. From there we follow the marked hiking trail leading steeply through the forest until we reach the already known forest road again, on which we - following our ascent tracks - reach the Mostschänke Stoxreiter (1) again.

If the whole tour is too far, the Fohnsdorfer Hütte is already a worthwhile destination!

There is no public transport connection to the starting point of the tour.

General information about public transport to the region: www.verbundlinie.at

Only a few parking spaces available at the Mostschänke Stoxreiter.

Mostschänke Stoxreiter, Tel.: +43 3573 3554, Schlapfkogelweg 30, 8753 Fohnsdorf,

Tip: Therme Aqualux in Fohnsdorf, Tel.: +43 3573 20 780-0, Thermenallee 10, 8753 Fohnsdorf, www.therme-aqualux.at

Freytag & Berndt (2017): Seetaler Alpen, Seckauer Alpen, Judenburg, Knittelfeld. WK 212 Wander-, Rad-, Freizeitkarte; 1:50000 Sarcletti S., Zienitzer E., (2. Auflage 2018): Schneeschuhführer Steiermark – Vom Dachstein bis zum Steirischen Weinland. Bergverlag Rother GmbH, München, S. 176. Für weitere Infos hier klicken.

Schneeweiß C., (2012): Schneeschuhgehen – Praxiswissen vom Profi zu Ausrüstung, Technik und Sicherheit. Bruckmann Verlag GmbH, München, S.192