Jochbergwald to Hahnenkamm via Kleiner Rettenstein, and Schwarzkogel - Kitzbuhel - Austria 22 Aug 2013.

Jochbergwald to Hahnenkamm via Kleiner Rettenstein, Schwarzkogel and Pengelstein
Austria
Distance 21km Climb 1538m
Thursday 22nd August 2013

Klaus had told me about this route earlier in the week, looking at the weather forecast he had also suggested today may be the best day of the week to do it.  We had discussed the route a few times and agreed that, if I was going to do it, I needed to catch the 09.00am bus to the start.  I was up early for breakfast at the Hotel Edelweiss I could hardly sleep with the excitement.  I made my packed lunch and as I left Klaus stopped me.  He was a little concerned about me walking this route on my own, so he gave me his personal number, to ring if I got into difficulty.

In my enthusiasm I was at the bus stop far too early, so I had a little wait.  I knew the stop where I was getting off the bus, Jochbergwald, 1068m where there was an old church.  I had walked passed here before.  When I got off the bus I took the track down from the main road, the Romerweg, south west.  The Romerweg was the old Roman way that runs the length of the valley.

The road started to climb after about a kilometre.  Every now and then a large lorry would pass, about 3km up the road I saw it had been damaged and the lorries were dropping off stones and sand to repair it.

The more I climbed the views started opening up and I could see for miles, the weather was very warm.  Apart from the few lorries that had passed me on the track, I saw only one other car, and no walkers yet.  It was very quiet.

More climb then the road twisted and I could see the Kleiner Rettenstein ahead, hidden by low cloud.

I walked passed Trattenbachalm at 1628m passed the tree line and carried on climbing, the track twisted north east, south west then north east again.  Looking back I could see the mountains to the south covered in snow.

I continued up to Gauxjoch 1739m which opened up as a pass into another valley.  The path levelled off a little before turning west.  It was here I saw the first walkers.  I could see Kleiner Rettenstein which still had cloud covering the top.

The road took me under one of the cable stations for the Trattenbach before turning right, north, it had turned into a very narrow mountain track crossing a very steep slope.  I was following the way markers, painted red and white lines like the Austrian flag.  At the top of the narrow track, there was a fence with the familiar yellow signs.  The views were stunning, I felt so good.

Looking north east

Looking south west

I crossed the style and the narrow mountain path now headed west, up and down over some rough ground but worth the effort, as the countryside was stunning.

Looking north towards Schwarzkogel

I passed cows washing their feet in the Blaue Lacke, they were not bothered by my passing.  I followed the path heading north west around the lacke.

The track then reached a junction, I turned left and continued climbing again.  This time up the Kleiner Rettenstein proper.  To my right was the Obere Grund valley, where we had walked earlier in the week.  There were a few walkers sitting resting having a break, I just continued on as I was on a tight schedule.

The going was quite good initially on this part, with a few short steep stretches.  I was having to stop occasionally just to get my breath, was it the altitude?  or that I may have been tired as I had not stopped since I started and the route had been up, up and more up.

Looking back the way I had come up I could see the Schwarzkogel with the Pengelstein in the distance.  The Pengelstein, was where I had arranged to meet up with Anne at about 15.00.  If I was on time.

Schwarzkogel and Pengelstein

I still had some going up to cover.  Near the top it was a little blowy with sharp gusts.

I could see the cross and was on a level with it.  However the gusts made me a little cautious about going across the very narrow ridge, to it, especially as I was on my own.  I made the decision to stay safe, took some photos and started back down.  The cross would still be there if we decided to come back to Austria for another holiday, next year.

I could see almost all the way down the Obere Grund, and the route we had walked up the Spiessnagel a few days earlier.

Spiessnagel

Coming down I passed two groups walking up.  I felt disappointed at not reaching the cross, but it is better to be safe.  At the bottom I continued north and climbed up to the Kesselboden at 1828m.

The path followed the fence down into a small lake, so after a little plodding around a mud bath, I climbed back up next to the fence on route 19.  Climbing up to a point shown as 1875m, I passed a family walking down, heading towards the Kleiner Rettenstein.

Kleiner Rettenstein

As I was walking up Schwarzkogel I could see another walker on his own.  He looked as though he knew his way around.  I caught up with him at the top of Schwarzkogel 2030m, we had a chat, neither really understood each other. But enough to learn where we had each started and where we were finishing. We used each of our camera's to take a our photos on the top.  He had walked up and down these hills for years.

Schwarzkogel 2030m

After writing in the book, I set off again, time was moving on.

Pengelstein from Schwarzkogel

From Schwarzkogel the route turned north west, then north east up to a junction on Schwarzkogelscharte 1829m.  The path now had a name, Hohenwanderweg, it was still route 19 and 11.

After approx 1km the narrow path turns into a wide track then tarmac road as it passes a couple of cable car stations on my way to the Pengelstein 1938m.  I arrived on time to meet up with Anne.  Now it was a race to get to the Hahnenkamm in time for the last cable car ride down to Kitzbuhel.

Together we walked along the wide road to the Hahnenkamm, we had walked this way a few times over the last couple of holidays.  Although a little up and down it was straight forward enough leading to the Hahnenkamm.  On the whole a lot easier walking.

St Bernards Chapel

At the Hahnenkamm we took the cable car ride down into Kitzbuhel.

We arrived back at the Hotel Edelweiss in time for tea and cakes.  It had been a long day and a long walk, hard work, although tired I felt very good.  My walk had impressed Klaus and Veronika so much they gave me an extra evening meal and I also got extra schnapps.  All very nice.

Approx 21km with 1538 meters climbed.

More to follow


Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

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