Hans-Hernler Steig

Overview

On the beautiful Traunstein three marked routes lead (in addition to some more scrambles and easy climbs). Hans-Hernler Steig is an easy ferrata (or a medium hard hike-up), which goes by the western face. It can be nicely combined with the other, a bit harder Naturfreundesteig. In this case it is more recommended to ascend by the latter and to use Hans-Hernler route to descend. In 2001 we did the tour in the opposite direction, which was a perfect choice (done incidentally), because end of April on Hans-Hernler Steig there was still a lot of snow and Naturfreundesteig was almost perfectly dry.

Rating the Route (With Hiking Standards)

The grading system for hiking and scrambling routes is here.

0. General: You ascend from 430 m to 1691 m, exposition of slopes is W. The route is a very nice secured hike up, with great scenery and views down on Traun lake. For the ferrata less experienced will find a ferrata set useful, otherwise good shoes and poles are sufficient. By the Swiss Scale for grading hikes the difficulty would be T4. The ferrata part is rated A/B by the Austrian scale. Best time to ascend is from May till October.

1. Effort: 1260 m, 4 h for ascent, 2 h 30 min for descent.

2. Power: 3 - medium on ferrata sections, otherwise only walk up.

3. Psyche: 3 - medium.

4. Orientation: 1 - no difficulties, well marked all the time.

Getting There

See the main page of Traunstein how to get to the end parking place on its east shore. From Gmunden you drive till the Hois'n restaurant, 430 m. Hans-Hernler route is the first one, south of the inn. For the other two routes you have to walk more along the lake shore.

Route Description

From Hois'n restaurant you go a few minutes along the lake southwards, then deter left up. Inscriptions clearly guide you to Gmundner Huette. The first 30 minutes go through the woods, then you reach a steep rocky step where the first time the route is protected. With a help of steel cables and pegs you climb up and reach a still steep shoulder, on which the path goes in several turns a bit more comfortably up. When it reaches the western walls of the mountain, the path must clearly avoid them, deterring towards the north. On the detour ascent, the path crosses first a broad, rocky ravine, and then continues ascending by its left side. In this section the path is very steep, rocky and on several places protected again. Less experienced my here find a ferrata set useful. Finally the route exits by a ravine od a steep shoulder, after a short crossing turns towards the south and over easy rocks exits on the summit plateau.

Before the route exits on the upper shouldr

Crossing towards the upper plateau

On the plateau we reach a crossroads. Right is Gmundner Huette, reachable in only 5 minutes, left we continue on top of Traunstein, which we reach in another 20 minutes.

For the descent we use either the same route, or choose Naturfreundesteig, which goes down from Traunsteinhuette, standing lower on the rocks, 1575 m. The third option would be to descend southwards, on Mairalm. But also that path is not just easy (ferrata sections of difficulty A), and the return also goes much around the mountain.

External Links

> Hans-Hernler Steig (in German)

Images

View Hans-Hernler Steig Image Gallery - 5 Images