Obir SE Ski Tour

Overview

Well, in order not to have all information on the main page, here is a short description of the normal SE ascent, which is in winter also a beautiful and popular ski tour. It is easy all the time, only the upper 20 meters or so require some care and skiing technique in order not to slide over the rocks. The upper part can be also hard or even icy which then changes the difficulty rating. On the tour the overall danger of avalanches is low, but a few open and steep enough slopes can be found to be dangerous, but only when there is a lot of fresh snow.

For some 1000 meters of altitude you will need about 3 hours for the ascent and 1 hour to ski down.

Getting There

You start the tour on the mountain roud which leads up towards Eisenkappeller Huette. By the valley of Ebriachbach / Obirski potok there is a good road from Eisenkappel / Železna Kapla on Schaida/Šajda saddle. From that road one branch road deters northwards, towards Eisenkappeller Huette soon after leaving the town of Eisenkappel. The other branch deters higher, more below Schaida/Šajda saddle and comes from the west. Above Ebriach/Obirsko (two nice churches there) the two branches come together and up the hill only one road goes from that point (it is called also Hochobir panoramic road). Soon you reach to the place where in summer youi pay toll, but in the times of tour skiing the road is opened. It depends on snow conditions how high the road is cleaned. It crosses much of the mountain slope towards the west and normally you can park on a crossroads on some 1150 m.

Route Description

From the parking place you start ascending over the meadows directly uphills, while the roads go left and right and do a long turn. On the top of the meadow you get on the road again and the ski track from now on follows the road (the marked path goes through the woods directly up the slope). The road is long and flat, but normally it enables skiing down. So, a bit patience, please. Below Eisenkappeller Huette, 1553 m, the ski track again ascends over nice meadows.

From the hut you have a nice view towards the south and on the sunny terrace you will certainly take a short break. Otherwise in times of tour skiing the hut is usually closed.

Even if from the hut you have only 600 meters to ascend, there is also some distance, so you will need good one hour and half to the top. The ski track (and in summer the marked path) goes first towards the NW, only shortly through the forrest, later all the time over nice open terrains. Those alpine meadows are called Seealpe. On top of them we already reach the long E ridge of Hochobir. The route goes more and more in the western direction. We ascend another elevation and reach a broad upper plateau, where on some 1800 m of altitude we see for the first time the summit cone. It looks close, but the ascent does quite a detour by the left slopes, so count still one hour to the top. We first cross the plateau and then the next hill by its southern slopes. Depending on conditions, you can also go all the time by the ridge and then below the summit cone descend a little. So we reach the sunny southern valley where ruins of the ex mining house are still visible. Next 100 meters of altitude are then done in good 15 minutes. Just below the summit the ascent requires some care, especially if the slopes are hard or even icy. The slope on the right is steep enough to be dangerous in case of sliding and below it finishes with rocks. But altogether the whole ascent is easy and comfortable. You can also go the last meters on foot and take in hand an ice pick if conditions are really hard.

You best ski down by the ascent route. On the broad meadows above Eisenkappeller Huette you can of course choose the best slopes, and also from the hut down you don't need to stick all the time to the road.

Essential Gear

Usual ski tour equipment. If icy, take an ice pick.

Images

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