Today it gets rockier, stonier and higher. Step by step you get nearer to the Hohe Tauern National Park with its mighty mountains on this beautiful, but quite long high mountain tour. On the horizon you can see to the west the Hohe Sonnblick (3,105 m) with Europe's highest, year-round weather observatory, and directly in front of you is the 3,122 metre high Schareck. One of the highlights of today's tour is the Lower Bockhartsee Lake, a high mountain reservoir located at 1,812 metres. In the so-called Bockhartrevier gold was mined until the middle of the 19th century using water power. Around the managed Bockharthütte you have the best chance of observing ibex, chamois and marmots. The largest native butterfly, the Alpine Apollo butterfly, has already been spotted at the Miesbiechlscharte. The stage finish at the Alpen Restaurant Valeriehaus is located in Nassfeld, today's Sportgastein, which is also called "Tiny Tibet" due to its extraordinary beauty.
To make sure your day in the mountains is an unforgettable experience, here you can find some tips to keep you safe in the mountains.
For further information about the Salzburger Almenweg click here.
Stage Course
The starting point of the ninth stage is the historic Anger Valley. Visibly influenced by the centuries-long mining period, many stations in this side valley tell legends about the precious gold and the life of the miners. From the Anger Valley hike starting point, a wide forest path leads past the Waldgasthof Angertal to the Miesbichlscharte-Schattbachalm junction. Through a dense mountain forest, it continues steadily uphill to the managed Schattbachalm at 1,683 metres, which can be reached in about 2 1/4 hours walking time. A small break is advisable here, as the next managed hut, the Bockhartseehütte, is a good 3.5 hours walk away and you still have to master 554 metres of altitude on the ascent.
From the alpine pasture, the path continues uphill on the west side of the 2,246 metre high Stubnerkogel to the highest point of today's stage, the Miesbichlscharte, which is 2,237 metres high. From then on it is only downhill, first to the Lower Bockhartsee Lake, then to the Bockhartseehütte (1,933 m). Once at the managed hut, it is worthwhile taking a refreshment with a short rest and enjoying the view of the surrounding mountains.
The approximately 45-minute descent from the hut down into the valley leads over an ancient mining path, past numerous relics from its mining past, glacier grinding and quartz veins. On the valley floor of Sportgastein there are numerous farmed alpine pastures, a national park house and the ninth stage finish at the Alpen Restaurant Valeriehaus.
The Sportgastein plateau is part of the Hohe Tauern National Park and in winter a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts and those seeking relaxation.
Alpine Trail History
The Hohe Tauern National Park was created in 1981 and is considered the largest nature reserve in Central Europe. Among the "Big Five" wild animals living here are the ibex, the marmot, the bearded vulture, the golden eagle and the chamois, all of which can be spotted with a little luck on the Alpine Trail. A total of 15,000 animal species and 3,500 plant species find a protected habitat here. The National Park comprises 18 towns and 13 valleys in the state of Salzburg alone, but also extends over parts of Carinthia and Tyrol. Its magical centre is the 3,798 metre high Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria, which is surrounded by 265 other mountains.
Off the beaten track
The Gastein Valley has four adventure mountains - the Fulseck in Dorfgastein, the Schlossalm in Bad Hofgastein and the Stubner and Graukogel in Bad Gastein. Special features on the Fulseck are Lake Spiegelsee and the numerous places of power. In Bad Hofgastein, the Schlossalmbahn takes you right into the middle of family fun, including via ferrata and children's playground (see Stage 8). In Bad Gastein, visitors can expect several highlights on the Stubnerkogel with the 140-metre-long suspension bridge at 2,300 metres above sea level, the viewing platforms "Glocknerblick" and "Talblick" and the rock trail with another viewing platform. On the summit, there is also the highest street art artwork in Europe by the Parisian artist Victor Ash. On the Graukogel, the Zirben Trail promises a natural experience with fantastic views. And for those taking a rest day in Bad Gastein tomorrow, you can comfortably enjoy both the Graukogel and the Stubnerkogel by cable car or lift.
