Snowshoe tour from Alpengasthof Sabathy on the Zirbitzkogel

Name: Snowshoe tour from Alpengasthof Sabathy on the Zirbitzkogel
Brand: Steiermark
Rating: 5 (3 reviews)

Accessible by public transport

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 12,9 km

Time 5:30 h

Uphill 793 hm

Downhill 793 hm

Highest point 2394 m

From Alpengasthof Sabathy via Rothaidenalm to the highest peak of the Seetaler Alps in the Murtal adventure region.

This snowshoe tour on the eastern side of the Seetal Alps in the Murtal adventure region leads from Alpengasthof Sabathy via the Linderhütte and a wide ridge above the Rothaidenhütte to the highest point of the Seetal Alps, the Zirbitzkogel at 2396 m above sea level. During the ascent and descent you are accompanied by a wonderful view of the peaks of the Seetal Alps, the Stubalpe, the Seckau Alps and the Judenburg-Knittelfeld basin. The hike is somewhat more demanding in terms of orientation in sections and is therefore recommended in good weather. The Zirbitzkogel with the Schutzhaus just 20 meters in altitude below is a real highlight in winter with snowshoes, provided the necessary condition and alpine experience. The winds can be very strong and icy in the Seetal Alps and this in turn can make a hike, which is about 2/3 in the forest-free area, very strenuous and tiring. On beautiful weekend days, numerous ski tourers and snowshoe hikers are on the move on the Zirbitzkogel, sometimes also because one finds an open shelter here in winter at 2376 m above sea level. If you want to be sure whether the refuge is open or not, you should call Werner, the long-time host of the refuge, or the Waldheimhütte.

Best season

January

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More information

From Vienna (approx. 2.5–3 hours):

Take the A2 towards Graz.
At 161-St. Michael junction, change to the S36 towards Judenburg/Knittelfeld.
Exit at Zeltweg-West/Obdach.
Drive along the B78 Obdacher Straße to Obdach.
In the village, follow the signs to the Sabathyalm.
Continue on the mountain road up to the Alpengasthof Sabathy (parking available).

From Graz (approx. 1.5 hours):

Take the A9 towards Linz/Salzburg.
At 161-St. Michael junction, switch to the S36 towards Judenburg/Knittelfeld.
Exit at Zeltweg-West/Obdach.
Follow the B78 to Obdach.
In the village, follow the signs to the Sabathyalm.
Drive up the mountain road to the Alpengasthof Sabathy.

From Salzburg (approx. 3 hours):

Take the A10 towards Villach.
At exit 63-Altenmarkt, change to the B320 towards Radstadt/Schladming.
Continue via Schladming to Liezen.
Join the A9 towards Graz.
At 161-St. Michael junction, switch to the S36 towards Judenburg/Knittelfeld.
Exit at Zeltweg-West/Obdach.
Drive along the B78 to Obdach.
In the village, follow the signs to the Sabathyalm and take the mountain road up to the Alpengasthof Sabathy.

At the parking lot of the Alpengasthof Sabathy (1), 1620 m, we can first get a good overview of the hiking area on a hiking board. Passing the nearby Herz-Jesu chapel, we keep going in the direction of Lindertal (Zirbitzkogel-Lindertalweg 316). The forest path is slightly ascending and runs continuously in the forest until the Linderhütte. At the Linderhütte (2), 1730 m, we leave the forest road and turn left onto the hiking trail marked 47. The path leads first slightly downhill, over a bridge, in order to guide us a short piece steeply uphill immediately afterwards. We orient ourselves by the trail markings and soon reach a forest road, which we now follow for about 0.8 km to the crossing point (3) on the Zirbitzkogel. Now we keep in a line uphill over this free mountain ridge. A fence serves as a small orientation support, which can be seen over a longer distance and which we leave to the right, so to speak. Soon we recognize our goal, the Zirbitzkogel with the Schutzhaus, in the distance. The slope becomes less and less and before it becomes almost flat, we come to a prepared Radrakspur, which leads us past the waypoint Kote (4), 2181m. Now it is only 200 meters in altitude and seven curves until we reach the Helmut-Erd-Schutzhaus or Zirbitzkogel-Schutzhaus (5), 2376 m, also called. The summit cross and orientation board of the Zirbitzkogel (6), 2396 m, is only a few minutes away. After the well-deserved break, we follow the ascent route back to Alpengasthof Sabathy (1) on the descent.

Another hike from Alpengasthof Sabathy can be found in the Rother Snowshoe Guide Styria under Tour 13 "Hüttenwanderung Seetaler Alpen.

Unfortunately, this tour cannot be reached by public transport.

Recommendation: Travel by car or organize a carpool.

Large parking lot at the Alpengasthof Sabathy.

Directions to the parking lot

Alpengasthof Sabathy, Tel.: +43 3578 8230, 8742 Obdach, Granitzen 32, www.alpengasthof-sabathy.at

Waldheimhütte, Tel.: +43 3578 8205, 8742 St. Anna am Lavantegg, Lavantegg 57, information from the tourist office

Zirbitzkogel-Schutzhaus (officially Helmut-Erd-Schutzhaus), Tel: +43 3578 8205 or +43 664 9140283, 8742 Obdach, Granitzen 41,

Open in winter with appropriate snow and weather conditions on weekends and during winter holiday weeks. The innkeeper will be happy to provide information about opening hours by telephone. A winter room is open all year round, but does not offer heating and cooking facilities.

Freytag & Berndt (2017): Seetaler Alpen, Seckauer Alpen, Judenburg, Knittelfeld. WK 212 Wander-, Rad-, Freizeitkarte; 1:50000

You can also find this tour on the Snowshoehiking map:

You can also find more information about the region on - www.murtal.at

Sarcletti S., Zienitzer E., (2. Auflage 2018): Schneeschuhführer Steiermark – Vom Dachstein bis zum Steirischen Weinland. Bergverlag Rother GmbH, München, S. 176

Schneeweiß C., (2012): Schneeschuhgehen – Praxiswissen vom Profi zu Ausrüstung, Technik und Sicherheit. Bruckmann Verlag GmbH, München, S.192