Mountain Path - Variant Zell am See/Sonnalm/Schmittenhöhe/Schüttdorf

Starting from the Schmittenhöhebahn car park at the head of the Schmittental valley (access by bus), an easily accessible trail leads uphill. The trail then quickly climbs higher and soon the first views of Zell am See and Lake Zell are revealed. After about half an hour's walk, you reach the Berghotel Jaga-Alm, and the Berghotel Blaickner's Sonnalm (located next to the Sonnenalmbahn mountain railway) after a further hour. Following several hairpin bends, the Schmiedhofalm is within sight. The Sonnkogel is only a 40-minute walk away.

Once you reach the Sonnkogel Restaurant, the high-altitude promenade adventure trail (no. 68) begins.

Viewing platforms, telescopes and surprise stations reveal new "Schmitten views". The trail runs along the Salersbachköpfl, a ridge depression, past the Hochzelleralm to the mountain station of the Schmittenhöhebahn cable car. From the summit of the Schmittenhöhe (1,965 m), you enjoy views of 30 three-thousand-metre-high peaks.

The mountain hotel is a good place to stop for refreshments (you can take the Schmittenhöhebahn downhill into the valley).

The hiking tour then leads along the mountain ridge down to the Kettingalm (no. 719 - Pinzgau Walk). There you cross an alpine meadow and continue along the "Pfaffenkendelsteig" (no. 69) to the Pinzgauer Hütte.  (Overnight accommodation available).

At the end of the 1.5 km long trail, you will reach the Schmitten hiking trail (no. 50) or the Areit Trail (no. 56A, 51), both leading downhill into the valley.

Option: Take the cityXpress downhill to the centre of Zell am See or the areitXpress to the district of Schüttdorf.

information about the opening hours of the cable cars.