Are you ready to leave the Gastein Valley after almost a week? Then, we head into the Grossarl Valley on the flanks of the Gamskarkogel, which is visible from afar. Already in imperial times this area was a much sought-after hunting ground and so Archduke Johann had the Gamskarkogelhütte built at the beginning of the 19th century. A detour to the impressive green-glowing Grasberg is thoroughly recommended – whether for a short break or even for an additional overnight stay. The Alpine Trail here does not lead over the summit, but instead to the Tofern Scharte (2,091 metres) 400 metres lower down in the Grossarl Valley, which is also called the "Valley of the Alpine Pastures" due to its abundance of alpine pastures. The mountaineering village of Hüttschlag, like Bad Gastein, is one of the National Park resorts and inspires with its impressive natural scenery. The day will be long, with a challenge for your stamina and legs, but you will also be rewarded for it.
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 stage 11 is the station of the Stubnerkogelbahn, from where the Alpine Trail leads you through the historic center of Bad Gastein: The waterfall, as well as Straubinger Platz and the Dunstbad are on the way. About 300 meters after the waterfall, the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Promenade branches off from the Bismarckstrasse to the right and leads to the entrance of the Kötschachtal. Once you reach the Kötschachtaler Straße, the Almenweg goes to the left and after a few minutes of walking branches off to the right into the Martin-Lodinger-Höhenweg. After a few meters on the "Gasteiner Höhenweg" a path winds its way up to the Alpenhaus Poserhöhe (1,502 m), from where you are rewarded with a magnificent view of Bad Gastein. Perhaps it is already time to treat yourself with a delicious Kaiserschmarren.
After a short rest, follow the trail straight ahead towards Tofern Scharte at the children's playground of the Alpenhaus Poserhöhe (about 400 metres after the Poserhöhe). This is located at 2,091 metres above sea level and can be reached in another 2,5 hours. The last 200 metres of altitude to the Scharte are again a bit steeper. On this rather long ascent you can see wonderfully the altitude graduations of the vegetation. From the dense forest you walk through the forest tundra up to the open pastures. Once you arrive at the Tofern Scharte, there is the possibility to climb up to the Gamskarkogel (a one hour walk there and back).
The Alpine Trail, on the other hand, leads along a beautiful footpath across the unmanaged Tofernalm down to the Harbachalm (1,612 m) and several times crosses the forest path to the Tofernalm, which was rebuilt in 2021. From the Harbachalm, you choose the trail down to the valley floor and from here follow the service path out of the valley. After a short distance you reach the inlet basin of a small hydroelectric power plant and pass a chapel. Here, you leave the wide alpine area of the "Tofernalm" (Almtor) and enter a high spruce forest. A little further down the valley, an idyllic footpath branches off to the left and leads first through the forest and then up above the unmanaged Grünhofalm to Hüttschlag. If you prefer to hike along the forest road, you can of course also follow this. After the last piece of forest, a magnificent view spreads out over the picturesque mountaineering village of Hüttschlag. Following the trail, you finally reach the town centre, today's stage finish.
Alpine Trail Peak Tour
For those who don't want to cover today's stage in a single day or simply cannot yet say goodbye to the Gastein Valley, you have the opportunity to spend the night on the Gamskarkogel. From the Tofern Scharte, instead of descending towards Hüttschlag, you head up to the summit where the ascent takes approx. 1 hour from the Scharte. The hut was built in 1828 on behalf of Archduke Johann, who was often a guest here with his hunting parties. It is one of the oldest mountain accommodations in the entire Alps and is located directly on the 2,467 metre high summit of Europe's highest Grass Mountain. It can accommodate up to 20 people, and an overnight stay up there is certainly one of the most beautiful mountain experiences the Eastern Alps has to offer.
Along the trail
The Tofernalm area in the Großarl Valley is known for its rich occurrence of yellow and spotted gentian (popularly known as "gentian-root"). Its roots are appreciated for their special healing effect on stomach and intestinal diseases. However, the flowers may not be picked as they are strictly protected. According to a legend, the "Roots Troll of Tofern" lived in this area a long time ago. This little troll was able to make himself invisible, but his nose which was a gentian root, always remained visible. Even today, the “Roots Troll” is said to care for the gentian roots. See if you can spot it or a gentian!
