Etappe 1c: Variante BergZeitReise Bodenbauer - Hochschwab - Schiestlhaus

Actually a day hiking classic, one of the most popular and beautiful tours in Styria. Today this path serves us as the last feeder of our variant on the Hochschwab.

We start at the Alpengasthof Bodenbauer in the face of the mighty rock faces of the Hochschwab area and first climb at the foot of the Hundswand to the no longer managed Trawiesalm. From here the path becomes steeper and also more alpine. In numerous hairpin bends and finally over a steep meadow ridge we reach the ladders of the "G'hackten".

Over these (surefootedness necessary!) it goes steeply, but always well secured, upwards. So we quickly stand on the wide plateau of the "Schwaben", not far from the yellow Fleischer bivouac box.

In foggy conditions, the way ahead is not so easy, because the path leads us directly across the plateau to the 2,277m high summit of the Hochschwab - the highest point of the BergZeitReise has been reached.

A mighty summit cross and an equally mighty - magnificent view await us on the broad summit plateau. Only a few steps eastward and we see our destination for today, the new Schiestlhaus. The last part of today's hike, the descent to the house, takes about 20 minutes.

This stage is also one of the most beautiful of Hochsteiermark as a day hike! However, a good portion of fitness as well as surefootedness is necessary here (wire rope protections in the so-called "G'hackten").

We start flat in the valley from the Bodenbauer on a wide forest road, keeping to the right (do NOT ascend to the Häuslalm!) to a stream crossing. After this, a path begins, which is partly steeper, partly flatter through the forest and under the rock walls of the Hundswand up to the dilapidated Trawiesalm.

Here a beautiful view opens up to our further path, which takes us, now keeping slightly to the left and partly very steep, to the so-called Vogelbad (spring).

Here we could, foregoing the summit, hike over the Trawiessattel directly to the Schiestlhaus or to the Voisthaler Hütte.

However, we choose the much more beautiful, but also more difficult variant through the so-called "G'hackte" and the 2,277m high Hochschwab peak to reach the Schiestlhaus.

From the Vogelbad it goes steeply uphill to the entrance of the "G'hackte" and through this (wire ropes, climbing aids) up to the plateau. There is then the Fleischer bivouac box as an emergency shelter and last "base" before the Hochschwab summit storm.

This summit with the mighty summit cross is soon reached via the path that leads eastwards upwards over the summit area (pole marking).

Now we look over the whole of Styria, from the Dachstein to the Thermenland, a panorama board helps us to identify the numerous peaks.

Again in an easterly direction, a trail leads us downhill from the summit (pole marking, attention - sinkholes!) to the already clearly visible Schiestlhaus, our night's lodging.