This panoramic hike in Ausseerland leads through a diverse mountain landscape with alpine pastures, clear mountain lakes, larch forests and flowering alpine meadows. The destination is the 1,890-metre-high Rosskogel, which offers magnificent panoramic views of the Tauplitzalm lake plateau, the Tote Gebirge mountains and the Dachstein. The moderate gradient makes this extended tour manageable even for experienced pleasure hikers. However, surefootedness is required.
Route description
Start at the mountain station of the 4-seater chairlift or at the parking lot on the Tauplitzalm. The trail descends slightly in an easterly direction to the Naturfreundehaus. Shortly afterwards, a footpath branches off to the left from the asphalt road and leads slightly downhill to Lake Tauplitz. In early summer, the surrounding meadows are transformed into a colorful sea of flowers with alpine rush, gentian, hellebores and stonecrops.
Passing the northern shore of Tauplitzsee, you reach the Grazerhütte, where Heinrich Harrer worked as a hut warden in the 1930s. From there, the trail continues eastwards across the alpine pastures to the Steirersee lake. A short detour to the Steirerseebankerl is worthwhile - the view of the Sturzhahn is unforgettable.
The route now follows a gently sloping alpine road through a narrow valley to the Steirerseehütten. The Salzsteig then leads north-eastwards through a sparse larch forest. The golden shimmer of the larch needles is particularly impressive in the fall. At almost the same altitude, the Salzsteig leads to a small mountain saddle below the Sturzhahn, with a view of the Schwarzensee.
On the southern shore of Lake Schwarzensee, continue along trail 218/209A towards Leistalm. The trail now leads across an alpine meadow to the south-east, crosses trail 218 again and climbs gently through sparse larch forest. The summit of the Rosskogel is finally reached above the tree line.
At the summit at 1,890 meters, you can take an extended break with a panoramic view of the surrounding mountain peaks, the Tauplitzalm lake plateau and far into the Ausseerland region.
You can choose to return via the south side of Lake Styria. If you want to avoid the asphalt road, change to the gravel road just before the Naturfreundehaus and follow the meadow path back to the parking lot.