From an altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level, today there is a rather long descent to the Angertal for about three hours. For today, it is essential to pack a snack, as there are no refreshment stops along the way. The Salzburger Almenweg leads along well-surfaced goods paths through the middle of the Schlossalm ski area: Hikers feel like they are in the realm of winter sports enthusiasts. Where cows graze in summer to maintain and preserve biodiversity, the alpine landscape is transformed into perfectly groomed slopes in winter. With a little luck you can also observe bearded vultures in the sky, which were reintroduced to the Hohe Tauern National Park in the 1980s. A trail variant (7a) leads via the Gadaunerer Hochalm into the Angertal valley. However, this trail requires a head for heights and surefootedness on the black-marked Hermann Kreilinger trail. The Gadaunerer Hochalmen are a wonderful example of how traditional alpine farming in Salzburg's Pongau region has been lived for generations and centuries. The working days up here start well before five o'clock in the morning and hundreds of steps have to be done from milking the cows to heating the wood oven and cheese kettle. Nevertheless, hospitality is top priority for the alpine people.
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
Explorers and nature lovers enjoy a varied start to the day in the area around the Hofgasteiner Haus. Unique plateau landscapes, hidden rock creatures, the "Schlossalmblick" viewing platform and exciting adventure stations such as a motor skills trail with twenty stations are waiting to be discovered and "played". It is well worth planning a little time to visit the family and adventure mountain Schlossalm.
If you then set off, you will hike from the Schlossalm mountain station to the Weitmoser Schlossalm and right through the Schlossalm ski area. The wide goods road leads over the ski slope "Hamburger" and passes the Pinzgauer cattles of the restaurant Weitmoserschlössl in Bad Hofgastein, which spend the alpine summer up here. Further on, the Salzburg Almenweg follows the Kaserebengüterweg, which forms the connection between the Schlossalm - Angertal - Stubnerkogel ski area in winter. It leads hikers directly and without detours to today's stage destination in the Angertal in Bad Hofgastein. The stage finish also gives hikers a glimpse into the past. In the Erzwies area, miners once extracted treasures from the ground. In summer, the Alpenpension Lackenbauer, which is located about 1.4 kilometres out of the valley, offers overnight accommodation. An overnight stay is also possible in Bad Hofgastein.
Variante 7a from Hermann-Kreilinger-Steig and Gadaunerer Hochalm:
From the mountain station of the Schlossalm cable car, follow an old connecting trail through the pasture area of the Schloss-Hochalm to the managed Rockfeldalm: The so-called Hermann Kreilinger Trail requires surefootedness and a head for heights. From here you already have a view of the Gadaunerer Hochalm with its enchanting mountain meadows and the managed huts. These are reached after 2.5 hours of walking and offer an impressive view to the Türchlwand (2,577 m) and the Sieben Spitz (2,488 m). The descent into the Angertal leads through dense spruce forests or comfortably along a wide forest path.
Along the trail
The less frequently meadows are mowed, the richer their flower diversity. The alpine pastures of the Gadaunerer Hochalm are a true flower paradise, especially in early summer. If you take variant 7a, you will discover a few rare flowers here. These include the Yellow Troll Flowers, which are also called "Butternockerl" in SalzburgerLand, the Bearded Bellflower in white and purple, Arnica or the Daisy Honorific. But beware - please only look at all these flowers, do not pick them!
Alpine Trail History
The Angertal was already well-known in the Middle Ages for its rich gold and silver deposits. Mining was carried out here from very early on. What was unique in Europe, was that the finds were smelted on the spot locally. This took place in a total of seven smelting furnaces, which were discovered during archaeological work and dated to the period between 1490 and 1530. The "Knappenwelt Angertal" is a small, family-friendly mining centre that can be visited in the summer months as part of guided tours.
