To the Friedenskircherl chapel and to Stoderzinken

The drive up Stoderzinken Alpine Road is an experience in its own right (not a toll road), especially the last third, where the road clings tightly to the rocky mountainside until reaching its highest point.  During our brief hike up to Alpengasthof Steiner, we catch a first glimpse of the Dachstein Glacier high above the forest.  At the trail crossing next to the Tritscher Alm, the trail branches off towards the summit and Peace Chapel, which we will reach in about 20 minutes.  This beautiful trail is narrow and right up against the cliffs, leading us to the chapel, perched there like an eagle’s nest and treating us to magnificent views.

Built as a memorial to Emil Ritter von Horstig, a pioneer on the Stoderzinken, it has since become a popular lookout point.  In order to reach the summit, we hike back the way we came, as far as the Peter Rosegger memorial, then hike up through larch, beyond the tree line and across the tree-less mountaintops to the summit.  This is a spot you will want to stay and enjoy for a while – 360° exceptionally captivating views of the Dachstein and its glaciers, and of the karst alpine terrain known as “Am Stein”, as well as of Gröbming’s wide valley basin, above which towers the jagged, rocky ridgeline of the Kammspitze, much closer than we might have expected. We can also return along trail No. 675 to the Brünnerhütte (ca. a ½-hour walk).

The drive up Stoderzinken Alpine Road is an experience in its own right (not a toll road), especially the last third, where the road clings tightly to the rocky mountainside until reaching its highest point.  During our brief hike up to Alpengasthof Steiner, we catch a first glimpse of the Dachstein Glacier high above the forest.  At the trail crossing next to the Tritscher Alm, the trail branches off towards the summit and Peace Chapel, which we will reach in about 20 minutes.  This beautiful trail is narrow and right up against the cliffs, leading us to the chapel, perched there like an eagle’s nest and treating us to magnificent views. Built as a memorial to Emil Ritter von Horstig, a pioneer on the Stoderzinken, it has since become a popular lookout point.  In order to reach the summit, we hike back the way we came, as far as the Peter Rosegger memorial, then hike up through larch, beyond the tree line and across the tree-less mountaintops to the summit.  This is a spot you will want to stay and enjoy for a while – 360° exceptionally captivating views of the Dachstein and its glaciers, and of the karst alpine terrain known as “Am Stein”, as well as of Gröbming’s wide valley basin, above which towers the jagged, rocky ridgeline of the Kammspitze, much closer than we might have expected. We can also return along trail No. 675 to the Brünnerhütte (ca. a ½-hour walk).

Exit the B320 Ennstalbundesstraße in Gröbming. Follow the signs towards the Stoderzinken Alpenstrasse. From the Adventure Park/Gröbminger Alm, the Stoderzinkenstraße is a toll road.