Ascent to Bosruck on the hiking trail

Challenging climb to the Bosruck mountain

Starting point

Parking in the pass in the Pyhrnpass (954 m), spacious free of charge.
 

Description of the hike

Bosruck is the border mountain between Upper Austria and Styria. A motorway and railway tunnel runs directly through it. The Bosruck can be climbed from two directions - from the southeast from the Ardningalm there is a hiking trail and a boarding path to the Klettersteig Wildfrauensteig (secured route, medium difficulty B/C - equipment required), from the west there is a hiking trail over the Kitzstein peak. I chose the hiking trail from the Pyhrnpass.

I leave my car in the parking lot (spacious, free) in the Pyhrnpass (954 m). A marked hiking trail starts directly from the parking lot. The ascent is gradual at first, after about half an hour I reach the Fuchsalm, a meadow with several wooden farmhouses. From Fuchsalm a steeper climb through the forest begins. The glade offers views of nearby Warscheneck, the Wurzelalm ski resort and the red wall of the Rote Wand. To the west, the road to Liezen and Ennstal can be seen. There is a spring and a water trough in the forest for refilling water.

After about an hour's journey, I finally get above the tree line, on the meadows below the first peak, Lahnerkogel (1854 m). There are flood barriers of an unusual shape here, it looks more like a modern art gallery. The Lahnerkogel is decorated with a small commemorative cross and behind it is a warning that the next part of the route is more technical and requires Trittsicherheit, a sure step. From the first summit the path follows the ridge. Care must be taken, occasionally scrambling over and around rocks, several sections are secured with fixed ropes. For those who suffer from a fear of heights, some passages will be unpleasant - both slopes are steep and drop several hundred metres down into the valley. Deep below you can see the town of Spital am Pyhrn and the motorway to Graz.

The journey along the ridge to the summit takes about 1.5 hours. In the middle of the ridge is the second peak Kitzstein (1925 m), where the hiking trail from Ardningalm connects. From here the path descends a little to the south, then at the saddle it turns north again. The last metres start with a traverse on the north side (comfortable footpath) and then a quick ascent over bare stones to the summit cross at 1,992 m.

From the cross there is a circular view - north to the Totes Gebirge and Sengsengebirge, east to the Haller Mauern, Gesäuse and the distant eastern Alps, south to Ennstal, west to Grimming and, with good visibility, the Schladming Tauern and Dachstein. Gradually more people gather at the cross, from the ferrata and from the hiking trails. The route is walked, but not crowded. After resting for a while, I head back the same way. After about 2,5 hours I am back in Pyhrnpass.
 

Difficulty

A beautiful trek to the border mountain between Upper Austria and Styria. In the upper parts it goes directly along the ridge, it is necessary to have experience with the mountain terrain and a sure step. Do not go in bad weather, very dangerous.
 

Water availability

Take water with you, or you can refill water above the Fuchsalm shepherd's huts.
 

Sleeping options

There is no lodge on the route, plenty of accommodation in the valley.
 

Mountain peaks

Bosruck Ridge 1 992 m above sea level with side peaks, views of the Ennstal Alps, Totes Gebirge, Sengsengebirge and more.
 

Danger

The route is touristic (black) with a few easy secured sections. Deep views into the valley can be unpleasant. Dangerous in bad weather (wet, snow, wind).
 

Food

Takeaway food, there are no huts on the route.