The Totes Gebirge (dead mountains) are a mountain range between Upper Austria and Styria. This is the largest karst limestone area in Central Europe. The water here does not flow in streams on the surface, but mostly underground through caves in the mountains. This results in relatively sparse vegetation and explains why these mountains are called dead mountains. They can be divided into three groups: the Schönberg group in the west, the Priel group whose highest mountain - the Große Priel (2515 m / 8251 ft) - also marks the highest point of the Totes Gebirge, and the Warscheneck group in the east.
The goal of this tour is the Warscheneck (2388 m / 7834 ft), which can actually be climbed from several sides. The most popular ascent routes start from the Wurzeralm, an alpine pasture that is easily accessible from Spital am Phyrn using the Wurzerbahn funicular. The area is well developed for tourism. In winter, the ski area offers skiing fun in the midst of a fantastic panorama and in summer, the many hiking trails invite you to take leisurely to challenging hikes around the alpine pasture.
If you want to take advantage of the cool temperatures in the morning on a hot summer day and also don't want to miss the sunrise over the mountains in the east, you should not wait until the funicular starts operating (at 08:30 am on Saturdays and Sundays), but start the climb from the cable car station to the Wurzeralm much earlier.
The path leads up gravel roads along the ski slope, repeatedly crossing the route of the funicular. Opposite the valley station, the Bosruck towers up, which looks particularly impressive when viewed from this side. Once you have arrived at the top station of the funicular (after around 1 h and 20 min), there are several options for getting to the next stage destination, the top station of the Frauenkar chairlift: following the circular route and then turning left after the valley station of the Fraunkarlift should be the first choice. If you want to avoid the ups and downs of the circular route, you can choose the Wurzer Kampl hiking trail. This also initially leads along a gravel road, but eventually leads into an extremely narrow path through lush vegetation and mostly very wet and therefore slippery ground. Ultimately, however, both paths meet on the "Frauenkarabfahrt" ski slope and lead comfortably and easily up to the top station of the Frauenkar chairlift, which is in operation on weekends and public holidays in the summer season when the weather is good.
Looking back, you will once again be treated to great views towards Gesäuse and Rottenmanner Tauern.
About 100 meters below the mountain station of the Frauenkar chairlift, the gravel road disappears into a wide gravel track and the Warscheneck (2388 m / 7834 ft) rises into the sky in the morning sun.
After almost 3 h, immediately before the mountain station, arrows painted on the rock point the way towards Warscheneck. Between mountain pines, the path is now much bumpier over washed-out limestone to the first climb to the ridge.The path eventually leads to the less rugged south side of the ridge. From here you have a magnificent view of the southern tip of the Totes Gebirge, the Angerkogel (2114 m / 6935 ft) and the Nazogl (2057 m / 6748 ft).
The path is generally well marked throughout. However, the trail marks often tempt you to leave the marked path unknowingly. So be careful. There is such a place at an altitude of around 2052 m (6732 ft). If you are attracted by the great view of Ramesch and Frauenkar and turn right onto the north side of the ridge, you can enjoy wonderful views down along an increasingly narrow ledge, but you will eventually realise that this must be a dead end.
Back on the marked path, the summit of the 2110 m (6922 ft) high Widerlechnerstein is bypassed slightly below to the south. Now nothing obscures the view of the Warscheneck and the south-east ridge leading to it.
After a short descent, the alpine path now leads straight up along the ridge. The path climbs rocky step by rocky step. It gets steeper and you finally reach the first places secured with iron pegs or steel ropes. In the literature, the ascent over the south-east ridge is often referred to as a via ferrata. However, it is more of an alpine path with only a few places secured. It is therefore unnecessary to take a via ferrata set with you.
Starting from the mountain station of the Frauenkar chairlift, the summit should be reachable in 1.5 to 2 hours. Keeping an eye on the approaching summit cross, you continue your way up and finally reach the summit plateau of the Warscheneck, which runs to the northwest.
The view is breathtakingly beautiful. To the west, the Grimming (2351 m / 7713 ft) and the Dachstein glacier (2995 m / 9826 ft) rise up. The Totes Gebirge are at your feet, so to speak, and the characteristic peaks of Spitzmauer (2446 m / 8025 ft) and Großer Priel (2515 m / 8251 ft) are clearly visible.
The view to the east is no less exciting. Between Brunnsteinerkar and Frauenkar rises the Ramesch (2119 m / 6952 ft), behind it the Wurzeralm and in the distance the Haller Mauern and the Gesäuse mountains can be clearly seen.
The descent past the Toten Mann (2137 m / 7011 ft) back to the Wurzeralm is initially quite easy. The first hundred meters down are a leisurely hike over gravelly terrain. Only after a little more than a kilometer (0.62 mi) does the descent become a little steeper and more demanding. The descent now goes downhill more quickly over several steep steps, which is also obvious when you look back.
In general, it is always worth looking back towards Warscheneck. The scenery is impressive and the views down into the Frauenkar and later also the Brunnsteinerkar are magnificent.
Looking ahead, you can now clearly see the rest of the path. The path leads easily along the northern flank of the Toten Mann (2137 m / 7011 ft) to the Speikwiese.The Speikwiese is beautiful and provides yet another bit of variety on this scenic tour. The "dead mountains" are definitely not this green everywhere.
Then the path becomes steeper again and leads down to the saddle where several hiking trails cross. From here you can descend to the Dümlerhütte or take a detour to the nearby summit of the Rote Wand (1872 m / 6141 ft).The turnoff to the right leads along a steep path on the right along the flank in a large arc back down to the Wurzeralm.
Starting from the saddle, the descent takes around 45 minutes to the Brunnsteinersee, a small mountain lake that offers a welcome cooling off. Now the path becomes increasingly flatter and leads back to the circular path over the Wurzeralm and further to the mountain station of the funicular, which finally takes you back to the starting point of an 8-hour tour that was extremely varied and beautiful.
Tour Facts (Tracked with Bergfex Tours):
Distance: 17 km (~ 10.6 mi)
Duration: 08:00 h (without breaks)
Ascent altitude: 1692 m (5551 ft)
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