Central Alpine Trail
| Central Alpine Trail | |
|---|---|
 The Tappenkarsee in the Radstätter Tauern |
|
| Data | |
| length | 1200 km |
| Markers | red-white-red 02 |
| Starting point | Hainburg an der Donau 48 ° 8 ′ 52 ″ N , 16 ° 56 ′ 29 ″ E |
| Target point | Feldkirch 47 ° 14 ′ 9 ″ N , 9 ° 35 ′ 40 ″ E |
| Type | Long-distance hiking trail |
| The highest point | Venice Pass (3407 m) |
| Lowest point | Neusiedl am See (118 m) |
| Level of difficulty | demanding |
| season | summer |
| Months | June to September |
Map with all coordinates: The Zentralalpenweg (also Österreichischer Weitwanderweg 02 ) is a high alpine long-distance hiking trail in Austria that leads from Hainburg an der Donau to Feldkirch in Vorarlberg. The main Alpine ridge provides the rough course over long stretches .
In an east-west direction, the route crosses Austria for almost its entire length and touches the federal states of Lower Austria , Burgenland , Styria , Salzburg , Carinthia , Tyrol and Vorarlberg , and shorter sections run through Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein .
It takes two to two and a half months to walk the entire route (excluding rest days).
Course of the main route
From Hainburg to the Fischbach Alps
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The Central Alpine Trail begins in Hainburg an der Donau and follows it upstream to Bad Deutsch-Altenburg . The route leads via Parndorf and Neusiedl am See to the village of Breitenbrunn at the foot of the Leithagebirge , which is crossed to Großhöflein . The path continues over the Rosalia and near Kobersdorf into the Bucklige Welt to Landsee and Krumbach . Via the health resort Mönichkirchen you get to the Hallerhaus and Niederwechsel until you finally reach the Wetterkoglerhaus on the Hochwechsel .
A variant 02A runs from Breitenbrunn along Lake Neusiedl via Rust to Rosalia, from there to take a more direct route to Krumbach.
The distance to be covered is around 171 (on the main route) and can be covered in seven days.
From the Fischbach Alps over the Gleinalpe to Knittelfeld
The state of Styria is reached for the first time on Feistritzsattel and the ascent to Alois-Günther-Haus on Stuhleck takes place from Pfaffensattel . Via the Pretulalpe you get to Alpl , the next passes are the Schanzsattel and the Straßegg . Now the hike continues to the Sommeralm and the Teichalm , through the Bärenschützklamm you finally reach the Murtal .
From Zlatten the path leads up to the Eisenpass and the mountain hut on the Brucker Hochanger , which is the starting point for crossing the long mountain range of the Gleinalpe . The Speikkogel and Rossbachkogel are the most prominent peaks. Finally , descend from the Steinplan to Knittelfeld , where the Mur is crossed again.
A variant 02A chooses a more northerly route between the Straßegg and the Eisenpass, crossing the Rennfeld and passing Bruck an der Mur .
The path is 167 km long and takes around a week to walk through.
Through the Niedere Tauern to the Tappenkarsee
Past the lookout point on Tremmelberg , the path leads to Seckau Abbey and at Ingering II in the Triebener Tauern. Past the Ingeringsee the path climbs up to the Kettentörl and leads into the rear Triebental . Now the 2000 mark is exceeded on the Knaudachtörl for the first time, over the Geierkogel you get to Hohentauern and the Edelrautehütte .
This is followed by a long chain of peaks (including Kleiner Bösenstein, Hochschwung , Seitnerzinken, Breiteckkoppe) that leads to the Planneralm . Then down to Donnersbachwald , from where you change over the Gstemmerscharte to the Großer Sölktal .
In the Schladminger Tauern , the path runs over the Rudolf-Schober-Hütte and the Rantentörl into the Kleine Sölktal, then over the Tratten- and Wildlochscharte to the Preintalerhütte . The Greifenberg is climbed through the Klafferkessel . The path runs over the Gollingscharte and the Trockenbrotscharte to the Giglach Lakes and into the Akarscharte, where the border with the state of Salzburg runs, before arriving in Obertauern . Via the Südwiener- and Franz-Fischer-Hütte you hike to the Tappenkarsee near the border between Niederen and Hohen Tauern .
Approximately 16 days are estimated for the 236-kilometer route of this section.
At the Tappenkarsee, the Central Alpine Trail divides into two variants. The main route described below remains true to the main Alpine ridge and is mostly high alpine, glacier experience and equipment are essential for the ascent. The further north running, glacier-free route 02A avoids these alpine difficulties and is therefore also suitable for solo hikers.
Through the Hohe Tauern in the Zillertal Alps
From the Tappenkarsee, the Zentralalpenweg initially follows the course of the Tauernhöhenweg and leads over the Murtörl and Weinschnabel to the Kölnbreinspeicher and the Osnabrücker Hütte . The next stops are the Hannoverhaus , the Mindener and the Hagener Hütte , from where you hike via the Duisburger Hütte to the Zittelhaus on the summit of the Hohen Sonnblick .
The glaciated high-alpine route 02 runs via Hocharn and Hochtor to the Oberwalderhütte and on to the Rudolfs and St. Pöltner Hütte to get to the Neue Prager Hütte .
Alternatively, you can descend from the Zittelhaus on a secondary route 02B to Heiligenblut and hike via the Stüdlhütte and the Lucknerhaus to Kals . From there it goes over the Kals-Matreier Törl and the Dürrenfeldscharte to the Sudetendeutschen Hütte and the Matreier Tauernhaus as well as through the Innergschlöß also to the Neue Prager Hütte.
The Central Alpine Trail reaches its highest point in the Venice Scharte , before passing the Kürsingerhütte and the Warnsdorfer Hütte into the Krimmler Achental , where the Hohe Tauern is left. The path now reaches Mayrhofen via the Plauener Hütte and the Zillergründl reservoir .
A little more than two weeks of walking time must be planned for the 214-kilometer section.
Through the Zillertal, Stubai and Ötztal Alps
The path now leads to the Stillup reservoir and up to the Kasseler Hütte . He also arrives at the Greizer Hütte and through the Floitengrund to the Berliner Hütte , where the ascent to the Schönbichler Horn is tackled. Past the Furtschaglhaus and Schlegeisspeicher , it goes to the Olpererhütte and over the Alpeiner Scharte to the Geraer Hütte . You leave the Zillertal Alps through the Valser Valley and reach St. Jodok am Brenner .
From here running in the Stubai Alps , the path leads through the Gschnitztal up to the Bremer Hut , from there to the Nürnberger , Sulzenau and Dresdner Hut . It crosses the Schaufelferner to the Hildesheimer Hütte , down into the Windachtal and to Sölden in the Ötztal . The route leads via Obergurgl to the Ramolhaus and from Vent up to the Hochjochhospiz . Brandenburger Jöchl and Kesselwandferner bring the hikers to the Brandenburger Haus , afterwards the Gepatschferner has to be crossed. From the Rauhekopfhütte it goes down to the Gepatschhaus , from there up again to the Riffljoch and Rotschragenjoch. About the Hohenzollern house is in pound the Oberinntal reached.
This section of the route measures almost 250 kilometers, which corresponds to about 15 daily stages.
Through the Samnaun group, Verwall, Silvretta and Rätikon to Feldkirch
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The route leads from the Inn Valley via Serfaus to the Kölner Haus , on the other side of the Furglerjoch via the Ascher Hut to See in the Paznaun Valley . From Kappl the path climbs up to the Niederelbehütte and the Darmstädter Hütte , from there you can take the Doppelseescharte down to Ischgl .
Now is the Fimbatal south to where Switzerland situated, Heidelbergerhütte hiked. The Madlenerhaus near the Bielerhöhe is reached via the Kronenjoch and the Jamtalhütte .
The path continues via the Saarbrücker Hütte and the Tübinger Hütte to Gargellen . Now over the Obere Röbialpe to the Sarotlapass, the Plasseggen- and Grubenpass to the Tilisunahütte . It then continues over the Bilkengrat to the Lindauer Hütte and over the Öfapass and the Verajoch to the Douglasshütte on the Lünersee .
The Totalphütte can be used as a base for the ascent to the summit of the Schesaplana , over the Brandner Glacier you get to the Mannheimer Hütte . Following the Liechtensteiner Höhenweg, you come to the Pfälzer Hütte in the Principality of Liechtenstein . Now more about the places Sücka and Silum to, in the north-west wall of the Alpspitz beaten Fürstensteig . The last peaks on the way are the Gafleispitz , the Garsellakopf and the Drei Schwestern . From the Feldkircherhütte the path leads down to Frastanz and finally to its end point in Feldkirch .
This final part of the main route is around 200 km long and takes around 12 days to complete.
The glacier-free side route
Via Gastein Valley and Kitzbühel Alps into the Zillertal
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Variant 02A starts at Tappenkarsee and reaches Grossarltal via Draugsteintörl , then via Gamskarkogel to Bad Hofgastein in Gasteinertal . You hike over the Seebachscharte to Rauris and from there out of the valley through the Kitzlochklamm to Taxenbach in the Salzach valley . From the Statzerhaus on the summit of the Hundstein , it goes down to Zell am See , from where the Schmittenhöhe is climbed.
The Pinzgau walk leads the hikers to the Bürglhütte , passing Mittersill to reach the Thurn pass . Wildkogel and Kröndlhorn are the next peaks, after spending the night in the Neue Bamberger Hütte , cross the Salzachjoch and then descend via Königsleiten to Gerlos . From there you hike down to Hippach in the Zillertal.
This section has 11 stages and a length of 214 km.
Through the Tux, Stubai and Ötztal Alps
One of the longest climbs on the entire Central Alpine Trail leads over the Rastkogelhütte and on to the summit of the Rastkogel , from where it runs down to the Weidener Hütte . The Wattentaler Lizum with the Lizumer Hütte is reached via the Grafennsjoch , over the Geier and the Naviser Hütte it goes to Navis . Heading out of the valley you reach Matrei am Brenner , then you change via Maria Waldrast to Fulpmes in the Stubaital , before you come again steeply up to the Starkenburger hut and the Franz-Senn-Weg to the Franz-Senn hut .
The village of Praxmar is reached via the Große Horntaler Joch, the Schweinfurter Hütte via the Gleirschjöchl. The Hochreichscharte takes you to the Neue Bielefelder Hütte , from which you descend into the Ötztal , where you walk through the villages of Habichen and Tumpen. The Wildgrat , which marks the highest point on Route 02A, is then climbed via the Erlanger Hut . The path leads over the Hochzeigerhaus down to Jerzens in the Pitztal .
This section with its 13 daily stages is around 190 kilometers in length.
Through Samnaun, Paznaun and Verwall
The last section of the alternative route 02A leads from the Pitztal via the Pillerhöhe to Ried im Oberinntal and via Serfaus up to the Kölner Haus. Via the Furgler Joch and the Ascher Hütte you change to the Paznaun, where you hike on the valley hiking trail from See to Kappl.
A little further into the valley from Ischgl, the path turns up to the Friedrichshafener Hütte , the Muttenjoch creates the connection to the Heilbronner Hütte , in order to then reach the hut of the same name on the Wormser Weg . The path leads down into the Montafon , where Schruns and Tschagguns are crossed. Via the Gauertalhaus you finally get up to the Lindauer Hütte, where it joins the main route 02, which is followed to Feldkirch.
From the Pitztal to Feldkirch, the route has 10 stages, which measure a total of around 200 km.
mark
The path is well signposted with path number 02, which is preceded by an uneven hundred digit (i.e. 102, 302, 502, 702 and 902) on the individual path sections. The route variants also have the letter A or B. The marking is in the colors red-white-red.
The course of the Central Alpine Trail is determined by the alpine associations active in Austria, the long-distance hikers section of the Austrian Alpine Association is responsible for looking after the hikers (information, awarding of badges, receiving feedback) .
literature
- Erika Käfer, Fritz Käfer: Austrian long-distance hiking trail 02 (Volume I). From the Hungarian gate to the Lower Tauern . Ed .: Austrian Alpine Association, Section Long-Distance Hikers. April 2018.
- Erika Käfer, Fritz Käfer: Austrian long-distance hiking trail 02 (Volume II). On the glacier-free route 02A from the Niedere Tauern to the Rätikon and Feldkirch . Ed .: Austrian Alpine Association, Section Long-Distance Hikers. December 2019.
- Erika Käfer, Fritz Käfer: Austrian long-distance hiking trail 02 (Volume III). Through the Hohe Tauern and Tyrolean Central Alps to Feldkirch . Ed .: Austrian Alpine Association, Section Long-Distance Hikers. March 2018.
- Hans Führer: Tauern-Höhenweg - From the Seckauer Tauern to the Ahrntal in South Tyrol . Bergverlag Rother, 2016, ISBN 978-3-7633-4263-1 .
- Hans Hödl , Werner Rachoy, Robert Wurst: On Austria's great roads. Long-distance hiking trail 01 - 10 . Styria, Graz.
Web links
- Austrian Alpine Association: Zentralalpenweg 02 at the long-distance hikers section (accessed on March 23, 2020)
- Waymarked Trails: Zentralalpenweg (main route) (accessed March 23, 2020)