Snowshoe tour from the Waldheimhütte to the Zirbitzkogel

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Alpine snowshoe feeling at the highest peak of the Seetaler Alps in the adventure region Murtal.

The Seetaler Alps in the adventure region Murtal are, with the Zirbitzkogel (2396 m) as the highest peak and the Zirbitzkogel-Schutzhaus (officially Helmut-Erd-Schutzhaus), (2376 m) just below, a popular summer and winter hiking destination. Starting from the Waldheimhütte, the groomed trail is a great way to get to the Zirbitzkogel on snowshoes. The path is clear and indicated by snow poles, so you can expect a sporty but basically technically easy hike. The 360° view from the summit is fabulous, and with the orientation plate near the summit cross, the peaks in the distance are easy to determine. By the way, the name Zirbitz is derived from the Slovenian word "crvenica", which means "red area" and is due to the common alpine rose in the region. The Swiss stone pine (bot. Pinus cembra), also called the "Queen of the Alps", in turn gave the region its name, "Zirbenland". Name or not, to put it in a nutshell: Zirbe, Zirbitz, Zirbenland - a wonderful area that promises a lot and keeps it.

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

Experience

Scenery

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

The tour in numbers

medium

Level of difficulty

11,9 km

Route

5:30 h

Time

780 hm

Uphill

780 hm

Downhill

2396 m

Highest point

1614 m

Lowest point

Map & downloads

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More information

From Judenburg via the B78 and L540 to St. Anna am Lavantegg and then on a forest road to the signposted Waldheimhütte (31 km, approx. 35 minutes).

From Wolfsberg via the B78 past Reichenfels to the L540. Follow this and after St. Anna am Lavantegg on a forest road to the posted Waldheimhütte (43 km, approx. 45 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)

From the Waldheimhütte (1), 1614 m, we follow the path with the number 320 in the direction of the Zirbitzkogel, which is clearly recognizable by yellow signposts (in the immediate vicinity of the parking lot). At the edge of the ski slope we go slightly uphill, passing the head station of the drag lift on the left and then along the wide path through the stone pine forest. Above the tree line we come to a crossing point (2), 1900 m, which leads to the right to the Rothaidenhütte, which is unmanned in winter, and further on to the Alpengasthof Sabathy. During the ascent you can see the Rothaidenhütte well. The further course of the path is clear through the Radrakspur with the snow poles. Soon we recognize our goal, the Zirbitzkogel with the Schutzhaus, in the distance. The slope becomes less and less and before it becomes almost flat, we still see the crossing point Rothaidenweg (3), 2140 m, which is recognizable by a yellow hiking sign and would be an alternative for the descent. Furthermore, the prepared track leads us past the waypoint Kote (4), 2181 m, and then we are only facing about 200 meters of altitude difference. After seven turns and a pleasantly laid out trail, we reach the Helmut-Erd-Schutzhaus or Zirbitzkogel-Schutzhaus (5), 2376 m, as it is also called. The summit cross and orientation board of the Zirbitzkogel (6), 2396 m, is only a few minutes away. The descent takes us to the waypoint Kote (4), 2181 m, along the ascent route. Here we have the possibility to hike back over snow-filled gullies. It is important to consider these descent options only in fair weather. As soon as we reach our ascent track again, we follow it back to the Waldheimhütte (1).

Another hike from Alpengasthof Sabathy to the Waldheimhütte can be found in the snowshoe guide Styria under tour 13 "Hüttenwanderung Seetaler Alpen". The book is available at the Waldheimhütte.

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

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

There are enough parking spaces at the Waldheimhütte.

Waldheimhütte, Tel.: +43 3578 8205, 8742 St. Anna am Lavantegg, Lavantegg 57,

Zirbitzkogel-Schutzhaus (officially Helmut-Erd-Schutzhaus), Tel: +43 3578 8205 or +43 664 9140283, 8742 Obdach, Granitzen 41

Open in winter with appropriate snow and weather conditions on weekends and during winter holiday weeks. The innkeeper will be happy to provide information about opening hours by telephone. A winter room is open all year round, but does not offer heating and cooking facilities.