A hike in the southern part of the Hochschwab Mountains

Hike to Mount Kampl in the Hochschwab Mountains

Starting point

Parking lot at the Alfenzer Bürgeralm mountain resort. A toll road leads to the parking lot from the village of Aflenz Kurort. The toll is 10 euros per day.
 

Description of the hike

Several trails lead from the parking lot to the ridge above the Schönleitenhaus hut. We chose the shortest one—straight up the ski slope. The ascent along this route is essentially the most challenging part of the entire trek. You walk straight up a grassy slope. However, it was a pleasant morning and it wasn’t too hot yet. What’s more, not only were there cows grazing in the meadows, but also plenty of chamois. This made for a pleasant diversion during the climb. Once we reached the hut, a beautiful view opened up before us of the mountain ridge leading to the Hochschwab Mountains and the range itself.

We continued along the ridge. In some places, the trail winds through dwarf pine. In one section, the ridge is narrow, and the trail runs through rockier terrain. Eventually, we reached the Zlackensattel pass. Here we rested for a while, as the second, steeper ascent on the route lay ahead of us. From the pass, the trail leads to a plateau. The climb, however, isn’t long, and we soon reached an emergency bivouac on the plateau. We rested here for a while again, but this time to watch the wildlife. The area was teeming with ibex, marmots, and chamois. From the bivouac, we continued along the trail toward Mount Kampl. The trail doesn’t actually lead to the mountain itself, but the terrain here is easy, so we had no trouble walking across the mountain meadow to the summit.
 

From there, there’s a beautiful view of the entire Hochschwab mountain range; to the east, the small Veitschalpe range dominates the landscape. To the west, you can see the Eisenerz Alps. From the summit, we made our way back across open terrain. We took a short loop around the plateau, once again enjoying the sight of wildlife along the way. Finally, we joined the trail that led us back to the Schönleitenhaus hut. There, we treated ourselves to a light snack. Afterward, we walked back across the meadow to the parking lot.

Difficulty

Thanks to the high-altitude parking lot, the total elevation gain isn’t significant. The entire route follows mountain trails or meadows. There are only two steeper climbs: the first to the Schönleitenhaus hut and then from the Zlackensattel pass. Overall, this is an easy trek in the Alps, suitable even for fit children.
 

Water availability

Refreshments are available at the Schönleitenhaus lodge. Otherwise, there are no water sources along the route, so you must bring your own supplies.
 

Sleeping options

Accommodations are available at the cabins in the Aflenzer Bürgeralm resort or in the valley.
 

Mountain peaks

From the summit of Kampl, at 1,990 meters above sea level, there is a beautiful view of the Hochschwab Mountains, Veitschalpe, the Eisenerz Alps, and more.
 

Danger

The route is very easy. You'll be walking along a mountain trail or through alpine meadows. There are no exposed sections.
 

Food

You can eat at the Schönleitenhaus lodge. Otherwise, it’s definitely a good idea to bring your own snack.