The Hechlstein (1815 m / 5954 ft) lies on the southern edge of the Warscheneck Group, part of the Totes Gebirge mountain range, whose highest peak, the Warscheneck, rises 2388 meters (7834 ft) into the sky. The Totes Gebirge (dead mountains) is located on the border of Upper Austria and Styria and is the largest limestone karst area in Central Europe, which drains largely underground through an extensive cave system. This is one of the reasons why vegetation on the central plateau is rather sparse, making the name "Dead Mountains" unsurprising. However, the Hechelstein doesn't quite fit this image.
The Hechlstein is often combined with the ascent of the Gwendlingstein (1645 m / 5397 ft) from Tauplitz, but on this tour the full attention will be paid to the Hechlstein, whose summit can be tackled starting from the car park at the Wörschachwalderhof in Wörschachwald.
Initially, the trail leads up the mountainside along the paved village road. At the end of the road, after about 400 m (0.25 mi), a stony forest road branches off to the left and disappears into the forest after a right turn. After continuing straight uphill for a while, the trail bends to the right, and after another 400 m (0.25 mi), a somewhat narrower path branches off to the left through the forest. This path shortly after crosses the forest road again and continues quite steeply upwards on a forest road, also paved with coarse gravel. After just over 1 km (0.6 mi), the forest road merges into a forest path. Continue uphill on this path. After crossing another forest road, you reach a fork in the path. Here, turn left, following the signpost for "Hechlstein West.". Alternatively, one could have turned right to climb the summit via (significantly easier) the normal route.
After a few minutes' walk, the path leads to a forest road, which you follow for the next 1.5 km (0.9 mi). After an initially steep climb, the hike along the gently ascending forest road proves to be a welcome change. The path along the southern slope of the Hechlstein is also extremely beautiful. The imposing Grimming (2351 m / 7713 ft) frequently comes into view.
The morning mist rising from the valley seems like a fluffy blanket. Above, the rising sun bathes the landscape in a warm light, perfectly setting the late summer mood.
The leisurely walk along the forest road ends with a yellow signpost at the side of the trail. From here, a narrow path leads steeply uphill through the forest until it joins a slightly wider path that leads to the "Struwin" saddle (1,521 m / 4990 ft) between Gwendlingstein and Hechlstein.
Now things get exciting. A sign points the way along the west ridge to the summit of the Hechlstein and warns of caution, especially in wet conditions. Just a few meters after entering the west ridge, the scrambling begins. The first rocky steps are quickly overcome. Although your hands already prove to be valuable support, the ascent is not particularly difficult.
Eventually, you reach a very striking rock formation. A rock juts upwards like a raised index finger. Between it and the mountain, there's only a small gap for the trail, which immediately reveals the first very exposed section. Steel cables are stretched along the rock face, providing some support on the extremely narrow and exposed path. A look back makes clear how close to the precipice the trail clings to the rock face.
But that was just a first taste. From now on, short walking sections alternate with easier and then more challenging climbing sections. For most of them, it's highly recommended to use your hands, because the higher you climb, the more exposed the climbing sections become.
Some sections are definitely in the upper first or lower second grade of difficulty (according to the UIAA), and only a very few, particularly dangerous sections are secured with fixed steel cables. This is one of the reasons why the west ridge of the Hechlstein can't really be described as a via ferrata.
In the upper section of the western ridge, several rocky peaks must be overcome, necessitating several descents. Especially between these rock formations, there is often only a narrow ridge between the steeply sloping rock faces of the Hechlstein. A head for heights and surefootedness are essential here.
The final climb to the summit is truly impressive. The summit structure rises steeply upwards, and the fixed steel cables make the path through the rock face quite clear. It's steep and exposed—that's for sure. This section could probably best be described as a short via ferrata, and if you've brought a via ferrata set, you should use it now for your own safety. The via ferrata is probably rated B/C, with the most difficult section being in the lower section.
From the end of the steel cable to the summit cross it is only a few meters and after a strenuous but exciting 2.5 hours the highest point is reached. It's hard to believe that the summit offers an unexpectedly spacious plateau, although it's worth noting that the rocks drop steeply to both the north and south.
The view back to the ridge looks almost harmless, especially since the steep and exposed sections are hidden from view. At the summit of the Hechlstein (1815 m / 5954 ft), you've certainly earned a rest, and in good weather, you can enjoy the magnificent panorama.
In the southwest, Europe's highest freestanding mountain, the Grimming, dominates the view. To the south rise the Lower Tauern range, and to the right of the Grimming (also to the west) the rapidly shrinking Dachstein glacier can be seen. Looking north, the Totes Gebirge mountain range dominates the view.
From the eastern side of the summit plateau, the standard route leads down into the valley. The path descends steeply through mountain pine terrain, but then gradually levels out, especially as it continues eastward for quite a while, climbing and descending along the ridge.
The landscape up here is wonderful, and this section of the hike is a true delight. Finally, the impressive summit of the Hechlstein comes back into view as you look back.
Only after almost 40 minutes, or just under 1.5 km (0.9 mi), does a signpost point the way down into the valley. From here, the descent to the parking lot takes about another 50 minutes. The trail is well signposted and marked, so it's impossible to miss it.
In conclusion, it must be said that crossing the Hechlstein was definitely a magnificent experience – a bit of a thrill included. The landscape is magnificent, the route very varied, physically demanding, and peppered with occasionally exposed rock scrambles.
Tour Facts (Tracked with Bergfex Tours):
Distance: 9,2 km (~ 5.7 mi)
Duration: 04:00 h (without breaks)
Ascent altitude: 753 m (2470 ft)
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