Spring crossing of Mount Göller

Circular trek over the Göller mountain from the Lahnsattel car park

Starting point

The Lahnsattel car park is spacious and free of charge. Access is from the north from Mariazell, from the south from Mürzsteg.
 

Description of the hike

It may not be astronomical spring yet, but you can't call it winter outside anymore. I leave the car in the parking lot in Lahnsattel and climb up the forest paths towards Terzer Göller. There are hundreds of white snow roses with palm-sized flowers all around. I cut my way through a clearing, but the climb is steep and overgrown; a forest path would be better for a warm-up. After an hour or so, I'm above the tree line. Then on foot through meadows and between kneeling trees to the rounded summit of Terzer Göller (1728m). Behind me is the long, still snow-covered ridge of the Wildalpe with its transmitters, and beyond that the distant peaks of Hohe Veitsch and Hochschwab.

From the Terzer Göller I cross directly on the ridge towards the summit cross of the Göller. The path is not exposed, it is on meadows. I am exceptionally alone on the Göller, expect more visitors in summer. The views are a bit hazy, but I can make out Ötscher, Tirolerkogel to the NW, nearby Gippel to the east and Schneeberg in the distance, Raxy, Windberg, Veitschalpe and Hochschwab to the south.

After a while I continue on the marked route towards Kleiner Göller (1673 m). Be careful here, the path descends quickly right on the edge of the cliff, in summer the gravel is a bit slippery, sticks are useful. I cross over to the northern slope, where there is still half a metre of snow, up to a metre in drifts, fortunately hard, frozen over. In winter, definitely at least snowshoes, in deeper snow snow snowshoes. The route still follows the edge up to Kleiner Göller (in winter you can cross the knees, in summer there is a turn a little lower). From the Kleiner Göller you probably get the best view of the big Göller and its scalloped eastern slope.

I descend down the pass in a kneeling position to the Göllerhütte (closed out of season). Then continue across the meadows to the Waldhüttsattel saddle (1266 m), where the paths to Kernhof and Lahnsattel turn off. I climb about 300 metres more to the grassy Schnalzstein (1546 m), from where the neighbouring Gippel is just a stone's throw away. Then I descend gently through the meadows to the Hofalm huts (open from June to October) and then along a wider forest path back to the Waldhüttsattel. Through the Saugraben boiler I return to the road to Lahnsattel. At the wooden cottages of Donaudörfl the pilgrimage route to Mariazell joins. Every hundred metres there is a cross or monument. It takes about half an hour to get back to Lahnsattel by footpaths following the road.
 

Difficulty

The Göller (1766 m) is one of the prominent peaks of Lower Austria. It can be climbed all year round - marked trails lead from the north from the village of Kernhof and from the church of Maria am Gscheid, from the south from the almo Donaudörfl (Lahnsattel). A nice unmarked but sometimes exposed route is from the north through the Schindlergraben canyon (beware of slope slides and a swollen stream after winter and rains). Winter skialp routes ascend from the Lahnsattel Passhöhe (1015 m). For the more demanding, there is the crossing of the Göller and Gippel in one day, or the two-day Schwarzau im Gebirge - Obersberg - Mistelbacher Höhe - Gippel - Göller ridge run with an overnight stay at one of the huts along the way (Waldfreundhütte Obersberg, Gippelhütte, Göllerhütte).
 

Water availability

Refreshments are available in season at Göllerhütte and Hofalm, on the way down the streams. Otherwise you need to have your own supplies.
 

Sleeping options

In season Göllerhütte, camping in Kernhof, plenty of accommodation is in the valley.
 

Mountain peaks

Climb to Terzer Göller, Göller, Kleiner Göller and Schnalzstein. During the trek there are views of the Schneeberg, Raxy, Windberg, Veitsch, Hochschwab, Ybbstal Alps.
 

Danger

Slightly exposed section between Göller and Kleiner Göller, in summer with poles, in winter with snowshoes. Otherwise you walk on mountain meadows or paths. 
 

Food

Refreshments are available in season at the Göllerhütte and the Hofalm Alm.