Kronich Eisenweg

Overview

Kronich Eisenweg is a short and sporting via ferrata built in the year 1970 (difficulty C by the Austrian scale). You can find it on the Rax plateau near the Ottohaus hut in the 50 m high southern rock face of Törlkopf. Törlkopf is an insignificant rock peak sticking out from the Rax plateau on its south-eastern edge. The route is short but very exciting and recommended. The route is named after Camillo Kronich.
Camillo Kronich was a caretaker of the hut Ottohaus in years 1902 – 1953. He tried to make accessible the massif of Rax to hikers and climbers. He let build marked paths and small emergency shelters. With the climber and painter Gustav Jahn they let build two well-known via ferrata routes: in the year 1912 Alpenvereinsteig which connects Höllental valley with Ottohaus hut and Haidsteig through south face of Preiner Wand. He worked long years as a mountain rescuer and is rightly called „King of Rax“.

There are many possibilities to get to the trailhead of Kronich Eisenweg:

1. From the Höllental valley – there is a car park next to the Weichtalhaus hut, then you can use one of the via ferrata routes in Grosses Höllental valley – Alpenvereinsteig (B by the Austrian scale), Teufelsbandstubensteig (B), Gaislochsteig (B), Gustav Jahn Steig (B) or Wachthüttlkammsteig (A). It takes about 3 – 4 hours according to chosen route.
   
2. From the Rax cable car – marked path, it takes about 40 min.
3. From Edlach an der Rax – marked path Törlweg, it takes about 3 hours.

The trailhead of the route is on the marked path Törlweg next to a rock window. It takes about 10 min. from the Ottohaus hut.

I can recommend an ascent through Grosses Höllental valley where you can use some of the via ferrata routes. It‘s a great and exciting event in connection with Kronich Eisenweg.

Getting There

From A2-highway you have to take the exit Seebenstein to S6-road. Then take the exit 17 to Gloggnitz, from Gloggnitz take the road to Payerbach and Reichenau an der Rax. Then you can turn left to Edlach an der Rax or keep the direction to Höllental valley. There is the car park next to the Rax cable car a and then the car park next to the Weichtalhaus hut.

Route Description

The first five meters is an unsecured climbing (difficulty I). The rest of the route is well secured with steel cables and includes many natural holds and steps. Two places with a short vertical rock face are besides secured with steel rungs (difficulty B and B/C). The key place of the route is a small rock spur immediately below the top of Törlkopf (difficulty C).

To descent you can use the Törlkopf normal route. You descent to a small rock chasm and then ascent on the Rax plateau. The rock chasm is secured with steel chains (difficulty A).
To descent from the Rax plateau you can take one of the ascending routes.

Essential Gear

• complete via ferrata equipment (via ferrata set, a helmet, gloves) and good shoes
• the route isn’t appropriate for people sufferring from vertigo!
• an ascent from Höllental valley or from Edlach an der Rax is very long – it is necessary to be in a good physical condition.
  

External Links

• Kronich Eisenweg (in German)
  
• Ottohaus hut (in German + in English)
• Rax cable car (in German + in English)
  

Images

View Kronich Eisenweg Image Gallery - 14 Images