Laubschachen Trail

moderate partially opened Hiking · Schladming

Current Conditions
Elevated on 02/10/24

The hike from Hüttecksattel #61 to Obertal Valley #773 is closed due to logging work.
The duration of the closure is still open.

Tour characteristics
Stamina
Technique
Tour-Infos
Distance: 10.82 km
Duration: 03:30 h
Ascent: 257 m
Descent: 737 m
Best time of year
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
The tour

The route is made up of alpine trails and forest path with medium difficulty, and we recommend you use hiking boots for this tour. Toilets are only available at the starting point Ursprungalm and finishing point at the valley terminal of Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen cable-car. Bus line #972 takes you from Schladming and Rohrmoos to Ursprungalm, the trail head of the tour. Refreshment stops are Ursprungalm inn at the very beginning of the tour, and Familienhotel Austria at the end.

Points of Interest:

  • Ursprungalm cirque and alp beneath the North face of Steirische Kalkspitze summit.
  • primeval forest zone between Neudeggalm and Obere Moarhofalm.
Turn-by-turn directions

From Ursprungalm to Hochwurzen

You start your tour on trail n° 771 at Ursprungalm chalets, which you reach comfortably with the Planai buses. The impressive Dachstein massif always in your view you start your hike towards Hochwurzen - taking you over beautiful alpine meadows and thik forest. On the way you pass by centuries-old Swiss stone pines and the nature trail at Rossfeld.

Due to a primeval rockslide the area between Obere Moarhofalm and Obere Neudeggalm can hardly be used for forestry operations. Thus, this part of the trail takes you through a primeval forest with numerous old spruces, larches, and Swiss stone pines. Caused by the location the trees often have a special habit. At Obere Neudeggalm you turn-off on trail n° 773 and hike up to Latterfußsattel mountain saddle where you continue on the other side of the saddle on path #773 downhill in the direction of Rohrmoos/Hochwurzen cable car valley station.

After a few minutes you reach a forest path (the "Hochweg") which you walk north out of the valley. You will then come to the crossroads with hiking trail #61, which leads from the Hüttecksattel into the valley. Take the hiking trail downhill to the right and then take the lower forest path on which you hike for a good half hour out of the valley to the valley station of the Hochwurzen summit lift, where you have reached your destination.

An alternative possibility is to follow path n° 60 from the Latterfusssattel to the Rossfeld. After the descent to Hüttecksattel mountain saddle you reach Hochwurzenhütte at the summit of Hochwurzen in about 25 minutes. Here you can enjoy a snack at the chalet and enjoy the great panoramic views.

From the summit you can descend with the cable-car or take a Mountain GoKart (www.mountain-gokart.at - make sure to get your ticket at the shop before your hike) to the valley. If you want to keep on walking you can also descend to the valley terminal of Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen cable-car via trail n° 60.

There are two more alternative routes for this tour:

  • At Obere Neudeggalm you can continue along trail n° 771 via Untere Neudeggalm and via a forestry road to Hotel Winterer. This is a faster way out of the mountains during uncertain weather conditions.
  • Another possibility is to start at Hochwurzen and finish at Ursprungalm - in this case it is very important to keep the bus schedule in mind!
Getting there
From Schladming take provincial highway L722 (Rohrmoosstraße road) to Rohrmoos and at the roundabout continue straight on to the valley terminal of the Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen cable-car. It is best to park your car here and take the Planai bus to Ursprungalm for 2 reasons - first: the finishing point of your hike is at the valley terminal of the cable-car; thus you would need a second car to get the other car at Ursprungalm. Second: the road to Ursprungalm chalets in Preuneggtal valley is a toll road (the toll is included in the bus ticket).
With the Planai buses from Schladming (Planet-Planai, Lendplatz) or Rohrmoos (Rohrmoos-Zentrum) to Preuneggtal valley - bus stop Ursprungalm (last stop).
Parking
Parking is available at the valley terminal of Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen cable car.
Start
Hiking trail head Ursprungalm
Destination
Hiking trail head, Hochwurzen mountain terminal
Equipment

Changes in weather patterns, quick falls in temperature, thunderstorms, wind, fog and snow are some of the dangers that can be encountered on a hiking tour. Hosts of alpine huts and mountain refuges have a lot of experience in the mountains and can give good advice about weather and the trails. Poor equipment, overestimation of one's own capabilities, carelessness, poor personal constitution and/or wrong judgement  can lead to critical situations. In case of thunderstorms: avoid summits, ridges and steel ropes.

GPS data and orienteering

Available GPS data - just like hiking maps - is only a guidance for orientation and can never depict a trail exactly with all its details. Especially at dangerous spots it is essential to judge on site how to proceed.

In an emergency please call:

  • 140 - for Alpine emergencies (all over Austria)
  • 112 - European GSM emergency number

A well-packed backpack is helpful and especially when touring Alpine terrain a tuque, gloves, a windproof jacket and pants are standard equipment. Good, waterproof shoes, sun glasses, sun cream and sufficient beverages are essential too. Torch light, a map of the area, knie and a small first-aid kit should also be in the backpack.

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Weather forecast

Date
in the morning
2°C
at noon
10°C
in the evening
4°C
The day starts sunny, but will be partly cloudy in the afternoon.
in the morning
0°C
at noon
11°C
in the evening
5°C
Dry and partly sunny throughout the day, with cloudy periods from time to time.
in the morning
0°C
at noon
10°C
in the evening
3°C
Dry and sunny throughout the day with hardly any clouds.

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