Planai World Cup Trail - Stick imitation track

moderate Hiking route

Tour characteristics
Stamina
Technique
Tour-Infos
Distance: 6.7 km
Duration: 01:30 h
Ascent: 1078 m
Descent: 0 m
Best time of year
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
The tour
The Planai World Cup trail is a great uphill training session for Nordic athletes and trail runners. The path is the most direct route from the Planai stadium to the Planai cable car mountain station.

At the middle station, training groups have the opportunity to exchange ideas with the trainers. They can use the Planai cable car (free once a day with the Sommercard). It is also possible to travel on to the mountain station.
Turn-by-turn directions
From the hiking portal at the Planai valley terminal (at the bus stops for the hiking buses), walk past the Tauernhof through Schießstattgasse to Berggasse. Follow this to the left and after approx. 50 metres turn left onto the WM path towards Grubegg and Planai. From here, the trail continues steadily uphill. The path is always marked as WM-Pfad Planai.

Via Grubegg, the trail climbs up to the junction with hiking trail #779. Through a spring protection area, you reach the lower end of the Harreiterweg trail. Continue along this - the hairpin bend is shortened via the WM trail - until the WM trail branches off to the left of the road at the next hairpin bend (after the ‘Holzhackerin’). Shortly below the road, you then cross the Fastenbergweg and shortly afterwards the Planaistraße over to the access road to the Breilerhof. Walk up the driveway and turn right again onto the WM path before the farm. A meadow path takes you to a forest path and shortly afterwards into the forest, which you leave again just below the middle station and Kessleralm. Here you can take a break or have a chat with the trainer.

From the middle station, continue uphill along the World Cup trail. To do this, cross the FIS downhill run slightly to the south-west up into the forest. In the forest, the trail climbs below the Lärchkogel cable car to the next forest path. Pass below a high seat and head back through the forest to the FIS downhill run and over to the Bruckmoos reservoir. Continue along the WM trail, past the Quellbodenhütte and through the forest and up the FIS downhill run. Before a steep section, the trail branches off to the right into the forest and leads you over a few short hairpin bends to the mountain rescue hut at Hopsiland Planai. From here, it's only a short walk up to the Schafalm and the Planai cable car mountain station.

You've made it! You've earned a rest here. You can return to the valley by cable car or on foot - there are other options besides the WM trail:
  • Hiking trail #50 via Burgstallalm and Wieslechalm to the Planai Stadium in Schladming.
  • Hiking trails #53 and #779 via the Lärchkogel, Jager and Talbachklamm to Schladming.
Getting there
Exit from federal highway B320 at the exit "Schladming-Ost" and continue to the valley terminal of the Planai cable-car.

In the town of Schladming you can take the Citybus. From Rohrmoos take the Planai buses to Planet Planai, from Ramsau take the buses of Ramsauer Verkehrsbetriebe. 

Parking
Parking is available at the valley terminal of the Planai cable-car at Planai Stadium.
Start
Hiking trail head, mountain terminal Planai cable-car
Destination
Hiking trail head Planai stadium
Equipment

You have your poles with you for a powerful ascent with a good training effect. A small trail rucksack with a power bar and drink should be included. For changeable conditions you should bring a jacket, bonnet and possibly gloves. Good, waterproof trail shoes, sunglasses and sun protection are essential.

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

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