Spring klettersteig Teufelsbadstubensteig in the Raxalpe mountains

Cool ferrata in the Raxalpe Teufelsbadstubensteig

Starting point

A small car park by the tunnel in the Schwarza River valley. The valley is separated by the Raxalpe and Schneeberg mountains. The parking is free of charge.
 

Description of the hike

A hiking trail starts right at the small car park and leads to the Teufelsbadstubensteig ferrata. I had walked it many years ago, so I knew what to expect. That's why we decided to go down the klettersteig, because the view from below on the perpendicular rock could easily scare the members of the expedition. And there's no reason for that. The ferrata is not difficult.

From the road, we started to climb steeply up the trail. The climb is very steep from the start and ladders have been installed in many places to make the ascent easier. Gradually the views of the Schwarza river valley open up. The climb is intense and we had to take breaks to rest. After some time we reached the edge of the cliffs, from which there are nice views of the surrounding mountains. At the top the trail flattens out and the climb is not so steep. Eventually we came to a fork where we turned off and started descending to the klettersteig Teufelsbadstubensteig.

The upper part is rather in rubble and slightly on rocks. That is why we were not even safe at the beginning. The middle and lower part of the ferrata is more vertical and so we put on our ferrata gear and descended steeply down the rock. There are also two ladders that cross the rock walls. Although it was the kids' first time on a ferrata, they enjoyed the journey. In the end, we successfully descended into the valley. Here we joined the wide path and walked back to the car park. The path moved to a footpath and we still had one long flight of steps to descend. Eventually we followed the path back to the car in the valley.
 

Difficulty

A nice ferrata (klettersteig), which is not too long and difficult. There are some steeper sections, but nothing terrible. There are also two ladders on the ferrata. There is some slightly unpleasant rubble at the top. The climb to the top of the ferrata is also very steep, there are lots of ladders on the trail. The elevation gain is more than 700 meters in just under 2 kilometers. So you'll get a bit of a buzz. We walked this route with the kids and they were enthusiastic, however they already have some climbing experience.
 

Water availability

There is no water source on the trail, so it is necessary to have your own supplies.
 

Sleeping options

We had accommodation in the village of Payerbach. There is no problem with accommodation in the valleys, there are plenty of guesthouses, hotels or apartments. In the Schwarza river valley there are places around the road where you could sleep rough, but there are signs everywhere forbidding overnight parking and camping.
 

Mountain peaks

The route does not go over any peak. Views are offered by the cliff edge during the ascent. The view is mainly of the eastern part of the Raxalpe mountain range.
 

Danger

This is a classic ferrata (klettersteig), so it is good to have a ferrata set. You can do it without one, but I don't recommend it. The route is rated B, which is an easy ferrata. There is a risk of falling rocks from climbers above you, so a helmet is definitely useful.
 

Food

Takeaway food, there is no mountain hut on the route. And replenishing energy will definitely come in handy.