Long-Distance Hike
Glocknerkrone

Stage 1: Glanz car park – Sudetendeutsche Hütte (2,650 metres)
Uphill/downhill: 1,170/42 vertical metres, walking time: 5 hours, distance: 8 kilometres, difficulty rating: intermediate

The best way to reach the starting point of the tour, the Glanz car park 560 metres above Matrei, is to book an alpine taxi in advance. From the car park, the route leads across the Glanzer Berg mountain, through lush meadows with pretty Edelweiss flowers and great views all the way up to the Äußere Steiner Alm hut and on to the Sudetendeutsche Hütte, which is situated next to a small lake and offers a magnificent views stretching for many kilometres. With almost 1,200 vertical metres of uphill walking, this first stage is physically demanding.

Stage 2: Sudetendeutsche Hütte – Kalser Tauernhaus (1,755 metres)
Uphill/downhill: 432/1,336 vertical metres, walking time: 5.5 hours, distance: 12 kilometres, difficulty rating: intermediate

The second stage is more downhill than uphill. The route leads across a section near the Gradötzkees glacier and over the Gradötzsattel (2,826 metres) to the flank of the Großer Muntanitz. Via the Muntanitzschneid, the trail heads north across meadow slopes to the Schwarzsee lake, from where the descent begins via Spinnevitrol to the Kalser Tauernhaus.

Stage 3: Kalser Tauernhaus – Lucknerhütte (2,241 metres)
Uphill/downhill: 1,376/882 vertical metres, walking time: 8 hours, distance: 16.2 kilometres, difficulty rating: intermediate

The third stage is the blue ribbon stage of this hike, not only in terms of proximity to the Großglockner mountain but also in terms of fitness and endurance. Through the Dorfertal valley, you first hike southwards along an alpine path. Soon after the Berger Alm, turn left and head via the "Stiege" to the Moaalm hut and then on the Moaalmstraße down to the Teischnitzbach stream. Follow the forest road upwards on the right side of the valley and then take the long climb up to the Stüdlhütte (2,802 metres). From there, a path leads down to the Lucknerhütte hut in the Ködnitztal valley.

Stage 4: Lucknerhütte – Glorer Hütte (2,642 metres)
Uphill/downhill: 822/420 vertical metres, walking time: 4.5 hours, distance: 7.9 kilometres, difficulty rating: intermediate

Stage four begins with a short walk back towards Stüdlhütte. The route then branches off to the right towards Pfortscharte (2,825 metres). This ridge area is steep in places and has steel ropes anchored into the rock for extra safety. On the other side, hike down into the valley and across the Leiterbach stream, then upwards across lush meadows to the Salmhütte hut. From there, descend southwards, cross the stream again and hike past the Oberer Glatzsee lake to the Glorer Hütte hut.

Stage 5: Glorer Hütte – Alpengasthof Glödis Refugium (1.850 Meter)
Uphill/downhill: 181/986 vertical metres, walking time: 4.5 hours, distance: 13.6 kilometres, difficulty rating: intermediate

The fifth stage begins with a section along another long-distance hiking trail, the Wiener Höhenweg, downhill to the Peischlachtörl (2,484 metres). Just before you reach the Tschadinalm, the trail goes uphill for a bit, then mostly downhill. The section before the Lesacher Riegel offers wonderful views of the Kalser Tal valley and the Glockner Massif on the opposite side. The trail then leads via mountain meadows and sunny alpine pastures to the Alpengasthof Glödis Refugium in the Lesachtal valley.

Stage 6: Alpengasthof Glödis Refugium – Kals am Großglockner (1.300 Meter)
Uphill/downhill: 105/632 vertical metres, walking time: 2.75 hours, distance: 8.1 kilometres, difficulty rating: intermediate

The final stage starts with a downhill section along a narrow path next to a river called the Lesach, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right of the rushign water. In Oberlesach you will walk past a number of picturesque farmhouses before heading north along a path known as the "Kalser Talrundweg". At the suspension bridge over the Ködnitzbach stream, either take the path on the south side to Ködnitz or hike on the other side of the bridge via Glor to Ködnitz.