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Today, 11.02.2026
Light rain shower
Wind speed2,4 km/h
From Rauher Kamm down to the deepest gorges
Hiking tour Starting from Annaberg; Nature park entrance Trübenbach
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Distance: 27,26 km
- Duration: 11:50 h
- Ascent: 1471 m elevation gain
- Descent: 1470 m elevation gain
A route that shows the full splendour of the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park. First, it goes over the "Rauher Kamm," a climbing passage considered the most challenging in the Eastern Alps, before entering the gorge landscape of the Ötschergräben. This is known as the "Grand Canyon of Austria" and is still considered a hidden gem.
- Starting point of the tour
- Annaberg; Nature park entrance Trübenbach
- Tour destination
- Annaberg; Nature park entrance Trübenbach
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Distance: 27,26 km
- Duration: 11:50 h
- Ascent: 1471 m elevation gain
- Descent: 1470 m elevation gain
- Fitness level required:6/6
- Overall experience:6/6
- Scenery:6/6
- Lowest point517 m
- Highest point1869 m
- Round tour
- Nice views
- With refreshment stops
Description
Considered the most beautiful but also the most strenuous route to the Ötscher
- Route description From the Trübenbach nature park entrance, along the left side of the Erlauf on a dirt road to the junction with a signpost. Here, left between spruce forest through the Sulzgraben. After the last house, turn right onto a narrow path over the ravine and through reforested areas, a short stretch through the remnants of the former high forest, partly quite steep uphill. The marking leads slightly right uphill to a forest road and leads above overgrown terrain to the saddle of the Bärenlacken. Next to a small natural monument, a narrow path branches off south and initially ascends gently. Later, in many short switchbacks mostly through forest, up the extremely steep slope and through krummholz to a level spot on the ridge. On the ridge height, right through larch corridors to the start of the Rauher Kamm. Left turn possible to the Ötscher caves. To avoid the rock blocks on the north side, cross on grass bands beneath the cliff-high, vertical walls to the west, take a very steep scree step in switchbacks and only quite high up reach the ridge edge again. Now it goes very steeply (keep left) on narrow bands to a striking ridge ledge. Descend a few meters, then horizontally along the ridge fairly exposed to the top steep rise, which is overcome on airy grass bands and over a rugged rock step in the steep southern flank (absolute sure-footedness required, good climbers can also follow the ridge edge). Just before the exit is the summit register. From the fore summit, walk almost flat in a westerly direction past the "Herrenstand" and over the small summit plateau to the Kreuzkogel. From here approx. 1 hour downhill to the Ötscher shelter. Now marked in red, the path goes downhill to the Riffelsattel, turn right over the saddle meadow with erosion areas overlooked by a rock needle ("Kaspar"), marked yellow, first in partly deeply eroded steep switchbacks, then on a forest path and a forest road to the former guesthouse Spielbichler. Follow the yellow marking along the Ötscher road to the junction on the right, partly on boardwalks (heavily swampy) into the Ötschergräben. Past Schleierfall and Mirafall to the snack station Ötscherhias. From here along the stream in the high alpine-looking gorge terrain on partly narrow paths, past the opposite Kraftwerk Wienerbruck (Stierwaschboden) and through the Hintere Tormäuer along the Erlauf to Erlaufboden and Trübenbach.
- Getting there A1 exit 59 St.Pölten South - B20 towards Mariazell - Annaberg - Reith - Trübenbach or:A1 exit 59 St.Pölten South - B39 towards Pielachtal - Puchenstuben - right towards Sulzbichl - Trübenbach
Recommended period
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Current weather on site
2° to 5°
1° to 6°
Tomorrow, 12.02.2026
Light rain shower
Wind speed2,2 km/h
Tourism community Annaberg
Annarotte 14
3222 Annaberg
Tel. 02728/82 45
Fax 02728/822 99
www.annaberg.info