Trek in the Schneealpe mountains across the Amaißbich mountain

Trip to Schneealm for the first snow

Starting point

Hinternaßwald, free parking.
 

Description of the hike

I park my car in the village of Hinternaßwald, which is the starting point for hiking trails to Schneealm, Windberg and the northern side of Raxalpe. From the car park, you can already see the highest point of the trail, the Amaißbichl mountain, or Ameisbühel as it is called here. I don't know if the name of the mountain has anything to do with an anthill (Ameise = ant, Bühel = mound, hill), but the round hill really looks like one from a distance.

From the car park, the trail leads through the deep Reißtal valley. At the end of the valley, you can see the massive northern walls of the Raxalpe. Behind the decorated wooden houses, the marked trail turns across the stream and then climbs steeply through the forest. The climb does not take long, followed by a traverse along a wide forest path around the Gamskogel hill.

At the end of the forest road, the trail winds its way up again towards Karalm at approx. 1,400 m. From the viewpoints along the way, you can see the Großer Sonnleitstein hill opposite. There is a wooden hut at Karalm, and from there it is only a few hundred metres to the edge of the forest and the Ochsenboden saddle (1,909 m).

There is already a dusting of snow here. In the shade, the trees are covered in snow like in a winter fairy tale, but in the clearings, the snow melts quickly in the sun and the withered grass is still decorated with purple gentians in places. Ochsenboden offers a fantastic view of Heukuppe, the highest mountain in the Rax range. Those who climb Heukuppe via the popular route from the south from the Preiner Gscheid saddle do not realise how massive the mountain really is.

From this perspective, Heukuppe really cannot be compared to a haystack (Heu = hay). The north faces drop a thousand metres down into the valley and their steepness commands respect. In contrast to the grassy slopes to the south and the leisurely ascent via the Karl-Ludwig Haus hut and the Raxkircherl church, exposed secured routes lead from the north to the summit.

The path turns right and after a short climb, you can see the Lurgbauerhütte hut and behind it the vast Schneealm, a plateau stretching all the way to the highest mountain of the Schneealpe Windberg (1,903 m). Here, everything is white and the wind blows the snow into smooth patches that glisten dazzlingly in the sun.

The views are magnificent – Schneeberg with its white cap to the east, Heukuppe to the south, Windberg to the west and the mighty rock faces of Mitterbergwand and Donnerwand to the north-west. It is only a few metres to climb to Ameisbühel. Ameisbühel does not have a summit cross, so if you want to take a photo of the summit with a cross, you have to go beyond Lurgbauerhütte to the Schauerwand hill.

A strong wind soon drives me off the summit. I continue down the rocky ridge. It is not dangerous, but in snowy or wet conditions, walking sticks are useful for support on rocky terrain. The border between Lower Austria and Styria runs along the ridge. There are no markings here, only the occasional faded sign, but the border is marked by boundary stones and metal rods.

There is no mistaking the path, which continues along a wider ridge over undulating terrain, between dwarf pine and weather-beaten spruce trees. On the left is a nice view of Mitterbergwand and Donnerwand, on the right you can see the Hinternasswald valley in the sun. The view back is spectacular – Amaißbichl from the north is a pointed mountain, its summit glistening like glass in the midday sun, the wind whipping up snow swirls and aeroplanes criss-crossing the blue sky above. An hour and a half along the ridge is probably the most beautiful part of the route.

At the Kreuzsattel saddle, the trail turns towards the Amaiswiese meadows. Follow the contour line along the Forststrasse for a short while and then head uphill again along the marked trail to the Großer Sonnleitstein (1,639 m). This mountain is sometimes called the Lower Austrian Matterhorn, which is incomprehensible when viewed from the south. After a half-hour climb through the forest, you will understand why.

The north side of the mountain drops steeply, and the summit is formed by pointed rocks. Sonnleitstein is a beautiful vantage point – in addition to Schneeberg, Rax and Schneelm, you can also see Hochschwab, Göller, Gippel, Ötscher and the Ybbstal Alps. From Sonnenstein, you can return via the wide Amaiswiesenstrasse road or take the steeper descent via Frans Jonas Steig, first across meadows and then through the Oselgraben canyon. The signpost indicates 2.5 hours to the valley in both directions, which is a slight exaggeration; I am back at the car park in less than 2 hours.
 

Difficulty

A technically undemanding Alpine hike with elevation gain. The route includes two beautiful panoramic mountains, Amaißbichl and Grosser Sonnleitstein. Most of the route follows marked AV trails.
 

Water availability

Bring water with you; refreshments are available in the nearby village of Naßwald.
 

Sleeping options

Accommodation is available at the Lurgbauerhütte, the huts on the Schneealm, or in the valley.
 

Mountain peaks

Ascent to the peaks of Ameisbühel (Amaißbichl) and Grosser Sonnleistein, views of Schneeberg, Raxalpe, Windberg, Ybbstal Alps.
 

Danger

There are no exposed sections along the route. It runs almost entirely along forest or mountain trails, or across alpine meadows.
 

Food

During the season, refreshments are available at the Lurgbauerhütte mountain hut. It is definitely necessary to bring your own food.