Travel with Manfred

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Copyright © 1998 by Manfred P.. All rights reserved.

Oct 17, 1998

Entering the Dead Zone

Hiking in Austria's Dead Mountain Range

by

Manfred P.

Keywords: Austria, the Alps, Totes Gebirge, Dead Mountains Range, Großer Priel, Grosser Priel, Hinterstoder, tourist, travel trip report, travel log, travelogue.

Another weekend. What to do to stay in shape and to avoid getting bored? Answer: Climb another mountain. We selected a peak called Großer Priel, the highest point in Totes Gebirge. Totes Gebirge literally translates into Dead Mountain Range.

The weather forecast suggested sunshine and no clouds and a special wind called Föhn that brings warm air into the Alpine region and makes the thermometer climb to 82 degrees (25 C). The worst part of climbing a mountain is that you need to get up early. The alarm clock rang at 5:15 and at 6 a.m. we, my brother Gerhard and I, were on our way.

Großer Priel is not particularly high, 2515m (7500 ft) but the elevation difference is significant. The hike starts in Hinterstoder at 610m. Hence, 1900 meters (5700ft) need to be climbed. That is more than on Austria’s highest peak Großglockner or any other mountain I climbed this year. The official hiking time is accordingly long: 6 hours for ascent; 5 hours descent.

When we pulled up in the parking lot just outside Hinterstoder a dozen cars were already here. Gerhard and I had already agreed that we would walk a bit faster than usual. Since the mountain isn’t high or technically difficult, we needed some challenge. Gerhard came up with a suitable one. He suggested we should be the first on top. Good idea.

We started with the according speed. Initially the path runs next to a river with crystal clear drinking-quality water. Then the path started winding its way upward, the ground covered with red brown leaves. We even saw a group of chamois feeding next to the rocky trail. By the time we reached the first Alpine refuge Prielschutzhaus, we have left a dozen hikers in the dust. The refuge is at 1400m and to our surprise was not yet closed for the winter.

Above the refuge the vegetation diminished. The surroundings turned into a gray world of rocks. This lonely world of rocks which at first superficial sight seems to be void of fauna and flora most likely gives the mountain range its name: Totes Gebirge, Dead Mountain Range.

The panorama was excellent from here. To the left Spitzmauer (2400m) dominates the view. It can only be climbed with rock climbing gear and the appropriate skill. In the center, Kleiner Priel captures the attention. It is also rather difficult. On the right, Großer Priel grabs mindshare from you. From here the cross on the peak is already visible. It has an easy way up and a serious climbing trail that requires helmet and rock climbing gear. We took the easy trail up.

Again we spotted a few more chamois hopping around on the rocks and passed a few more hikers. Slowly we reached the snowline. After crossing small patches of snow, we eventually reached a snowfield. Here the snow was up to knee-deep and rather wet and heavy. The temperature was high making the snow awkward and unpleasant. Beyond the snowfield the trail got really steep and on certain spots secured with fixed rope. We climbed to a plateau. Here two trails merge. Both lead to the summit. The merging trail originates at Almsee, a lake 5 to 6 hours of hiking from here. On this plateau it is possible to cross all of Totes Gebirge Mountain Range which is a 3 to 7 day undertaking.

Close to the summit the trail starts following the ridge. Up here the snow is hard and icy. The signposts remind us of the people that died here. Such signs are quite common on Austrian Alpine trails. A couple died just 2 years ago. The signs usually read something like this "Due to a tragic accident, our beloved father/brother/friend died here on xxx". The older the sign the more elaborate and eloquent is the text. We continue carefully on the snow to the cross.

The cross is made of iron, painted in red, and some 6m (18ft) high. It was erected here in 1870. I was impressed that 120 years ago they put such a big cross up here. The local priest from Hinterstoder got funding from Austrian royalty including the Emperor Franz Joseph I and realized this endeavor. The sign on the cross, also made in 1870, tells a long story about who was involved in placing this cross here and even says where it was manufactured. The funniest part of the sign is that it also reads "... erected here on the highest spot of Upper Austria ..." The funny part is that this is by far not the highest summit in Upper Austria. Dachstein, some 450m (1350ft) higher, has claim to this fame. What happened? I don’t know but only two explanations come to my mind. The more likely one is that in 1870 they thought Großer Priel to be the highest peak and their measurements were so inaccurate that they thought Dachstein to be lower. The second possible explanation, which I don’t believe in, is that the border of Upper Austria has changed and that in 1870 Dachstein was not part of the Upper Austrian territory. I leave it up to the historians to come with the definite answer.

The view was undisturbed by clouds. The sun was shining and we could see Dachstein and the rest of Totes Gebirge Mountain Range from here. In the valleys we could see Lake Almsee and in some other valleys a layer of fog. The wind was blowing strong on the summit and an extra two layers of clothing didn’t keep us warm. We turned around and as quickly as we ascended we descended. With just a quick break to take off some clothing at the snowfield we rushed back to the Alpine refuge.

Business was good here at the Prielschutzhaus. It was just after noontime and people were up here at 1400m bathing in the sunshine and having blackforest cake. It was actually crowded with nearly all benches taken. From here we looked back at the peak and the cross. Next time we have to try one of the more difficult peaks.

With the sun at the zenith it started to get really warm. From the rock landscape we moved into the fall forest. Red leaves and waterfalls enriched our visual delights. Every now and then we turned around to look back at the peak and it always looked different. From the valley floor we have a postcard-perfect picture: in the foreground was green grassland, above it a fall forest in the wonderful colors of red, yellow and brown, behind it the snow covered mountain peaks of which we had just climbed the highest one.

Back at the car we checked the time: 2 p.m. We had done the whole trip including breaks in 6.5 hours. Given that the official hiking time is 11 hours, we had done really well. We also had achieved our goal to be first on the summit. Actually we were second on the peak, but the guy in front of us had a full day headstart; he had spent the night halfway up in the Alpine refuge.

So, all in all "Dead Zone," the Dead Mountain Range, can be charming on a nice fall day.