A hike around the Rettlkirchspitze mountain in the Sölktal Valley, Austria

Climb to the highest peak of the Rottenmann Tauern—Rettlkirchspitze

Starting point

Parking lot below the Sölkpaß Pass, near the former Ezherzog Johann Hütte.
 

Description of the hike

The Sölktal is a valley separating the Schladming and Rottenmann-Wölz Tauern ranges. The Sölkpaßstraße branches off from the Ennstal and gradually climbs to the Sölkpaß pass at 1,790 m. Motorcyclists and sports car drivers love this stretch for its countless curves and hairpin turns. However, you’ll need to slow down past Sankt Nikolai im Sölktal, as the road winds through alpine pastures and meadows where cows are sometimes left to graze freely. You can leave your car in the free parking lots between St. Nikolai and the Sölk Pass and head up into the beautiful green mountains.

From the road near the former Erzherzog Johann Hütte, a marked trail leads toward the Haseneckscharte Pass and Mount Hochstubofen (2,385 m). After a few hundred meters along wider paths, the trail narrows and winds upward through meadows. At the 2,000-meter marker on a rock, the trail splits; take the right fork to reach Hochstubofen. This is followed by a grassy traverse to the pass and a steep final ascent to the summit. From Hochstubofen, there is a perfect panoramic view of the Schladming and Rottenmann Tauern, the Sölktal, and southward to the Murtal valley. However, the view is dominated by the neighboring Rettlkirchspitze (2,475 m).

You can spice up the steep descent to the Rocklscharte saddle (2,246 m) with a short climbing section, or bypass the rocky outcrops on the right. The trail between Rocklscharte and Rettlkirchspitze is not marked, but cairns help with navigation. The trail continues along the ridge, mostly over large boulders. Occasionally you’ll need to use your hands, but there are no exposed sections. The climb to the Rettlkirchspitze cross takes about an hour. The views toward Murau open up further here; the focus is now on the equally high but rounded Greim (2,474 m) and, beyond it, the rolling landscape of Austrian Styria.

From Rettlkirchspitze, you can return the same way to Rocklscharte, saving a few hundred meters of elevation gain. If you want to extend the route a bit, you can continue along the ridge to the Funklscharte pass (2,250 m) and down into the valley of the Eselsbergbach stream. Following the stream, you can reach the nearby Neunkirchner Hütte. To the left, the trail branches off uphill through the valley back to Haseneckscharte (2,205 m). The valley is beautiful, with green pastures dotted with cows alternating with meadows filled with blueberries, dwarf pine, and rocky outcrops. The ascent to Haseneckscharte takes about an hour. At the pass, the trail swings back into the Sölktal. A small lake glistens below the northern face of the Hochstubofen; the view of the Deneck across the valley, with its blue lakes, is impressive. The detour to the Winkleralm is well worth it—there’s a spectacular view of the Solkpass’s switchbacks. From there, it’s only about half an hour to the Erzherzog-Johann-Hütte and the road.
 

Difficulty

A beautiful Alpine hike in the Low Tauern, mostly along marked trails. The ascent to Rettlkirchspitze from Rocklscharte follows an unmarked but well-trodden route. The route is not dangerous, though there are a few more technical sections where you’ll need to use your hands.
 

Water availability

There are streams along the route, and below Rettlkirchspitze, you can take a detour to the Neunkirchner Hütte.
 

Sleeping options

There are no cabins along the route, though there may be a turnoff to the Neunkirchner Hütte.
 

Mountain peaks

Hike to the Hochstubofen and Rettlkirchspitze, with views of the Ennstal, Sölktal, and the Schladming and Rottenmann Alps.
 

Danger

An Alpine hike with no exposed sections. Only the ridge between Rocklscharte and Rettlkirchspitze is rockier, and you’ll need to use your hands occasionally to ensure a secure footing.
 

Food

Bring your own food, or there are mountain huts in the valley.
 

Attractions

A classic destination in the Sölktal is Mount Deneck (2,433 m) and the lakes below it, easily accessible from the parking lot below the Sölk Pass (approx. 800 m elevation gain). It gets quite crowded on weekends, though. The highest peak in the Sölktal Alps is the Großer Knallstein (2,599 m), a fantastic route featuring additional lakes. The Gumpeneck–Hangofen route, which crosses several 2,000-meter peaks, is also very nice (note: there are a few technical sections). The motto of the Sölktal is “Endlich Ruhe” — “Finally, Peace and Quiet” (www.soelktaeler.at).