Arrival by public transport
Take the train or bus to Kirchberg and then continue by bus to Aschau Dorf; free use with guest card
The Große Rettenstein rises strikingly and ruggedly out of the Kitzbühel Alps. Incidentally, it is not entirely clear where this striking peak belongs. That's why there are simply two peaks at the top - one from Tyrol and one from Salzburg.
The Große Rettenstein is a challenging summit tour in the Kitzbühel Alps. Initially moderate through forest and meadows, before the ascent becomes steeper and more alpine. The trail leads over rocky terrain and some exposed sections require surefootedness and a head for heights. Short climbing section before the summit. The summit offers an impressive panoramic view of the Kitzbühel Alps and the surrounding valleys.
The absolute top mountain hike is the ascent of the Großer Rettenstein. If you want to tackle this tour, you must be sure-footed, experienced in the mountains and have a head for heights. It is highly recommended to start the tour early in the morning. To shorten the tour a little, you can take the toll road in the Unterer Grund to the Hintenbachalm/Kasplatzl and park there.
Otherwise, the hike starts at the Ebenau parking lot. After a short stretch on the hiking trail along the toll road, we turn left uphill towards Sonnwendalm. From there, continue along the forest road over the Schöntalgraben to the Schöntalalm. To the left of the Schöntalalm, we see the grassy flanks of the Spießnägel and hike further into the beautiful high valley, past the Schöntalscherm up to the Schöntalquelle. At this point, a short rest is highly recommended in order to be prepared for the ascent to the summit. The abundance of flowers here is fabulous. You can admire everything from arnica to clematis. If you keep quiet and still, you can hear the whistles of the many marmots that have settled here. Strengthened, you set off on the path with its many hairpin bends. The ascent becomes more difficult and in some places you have to hold on to the rocks. Hikers are urged to be careful here, as there is a considerable risk of kicking stones loose. Shortly before reaching the summit, we have to master a short climbing passage. Once we reach 2,366 m, we proudly sign the summit register of the Grosser Rettenstein. It is one of the highest mountains in the Kitzbühel Alps and leaves everyone with unforgettable memories. The unique distant view (Hohe Tauern, Großglockner, Großvenediger to the Zillertal mountains) will leave you in silent amazement. The same route is recommended for the descent as for the ascent, but you can also take a detour to the Kasplatzl cheese dairy and stop off there.
