A Hearty Hut Stage 3 starts in Griesenau. After a short walk along the road you will see Devil’s Chapel, a place shrouded in stories. Just after Gasthaus Altmühl the trail enters a pretty mixed forest. After about an hour you will reach Stubenalm, a charming mountain inn on a beautiful grassy plateau. The inn is well known for its tasty homemade cheese and the many pigs that roam around in the summer. Don’t miss out on their flavorsome open-faced speck and cheese sandwiches! TIP: homemade mountain cheese and speck are also available for purchase. The inn’s well offers a good opportunity to refill your water bottle. Not far from Stubenalm are two vista points with wayside crosses where you can stop and revel in the magnificent views of the Wilder Kaiser mountains and all the way to Kampenwand in Bavaria. Follow the forest road and then a narrow trail to Sprissleralm (not serviced), which you will reach after approx. 2.5 hours. At Sprisseralm a trail climbs past a hunting lodge to another wayside cross and great vista point. Don’t forget to sign the Gipfelbuch (summit logbook). Take a moment to read past entries and add your own thoughts and contemplations while marveling at the breathtaking mountain scenery around you. Box am Rand:
The best photo opportunities along the way:
Stubenalm
Sprissleralm
Teufelsgasse
Teufelskanzel
Historic Air Traffic Control/Prostkogel
In the Footsteps of the Devil About halfway into your hike you will come across Devil’s Lane, a lane-like labyrinth that is enclosed by dark rock walls and shrouded in stories. Legend has it that the devil himself hewed the path into the rock to lead sinful souls astray. During the turmoil of war soldiers stationed on Prostkogel found shelter inside Devil’s Lane and immortalized their names on the rock face. Today it’s hikers and lovers who carve their initials into the stone. At the end of your journey through Devil’s Lane there are two beautiful vista points worthwhile a rest: Teufelskanzel (Devil’s Pulpit) and below it, in a sheltered location, Teufelsthron (Devil’s Throne) overlooking Kitzbüheler Horn. Delectable Break at Prostalm The hike continues across idyllic pasturelands to Prostalm (closed on Mondays), another mountain inn on a beautiful plateau (total walking time approx. 3.5 hours). Treat yourself to a stop at the inn and refuel with a delicious meal on the sundeck. The break will leave you feeling energized to tackle the climb to the summit of Prostkogel where an old air traffic control station from WW II makes for a great photo opportunity. Leisurely Finish The remaining 4K to Erpfendorf are all downhill. Take the trail to Strübelalm. Follow the narrow forest road to another small trail branching off to your left. Continue along this trail to the hamlet of Weng. Hike along the road to a bridge across the river. Make a right and follow the river to the Steinbacher Dämmstoffe company premises where a road branches off to the left and takes you to the center of Erpfendorf, which, after about 6 hours of hiking, is the end of Stage 3.
