The 4 Summit Experience
The Kragenjoch
A gentle start: the Kragenjoch rewards you on the very first day with a surprisingly wide panorama for a summit that at first glance appears rather inconspicuous. Moderately steep paths past lush green alpine meadows and flowering slopes of the limestone mountain make this summit the perfect introductory tour. Along the way, you will have plenty of opportunities to familiarize yourself with the Wildschönau mountains and the view far into the valley. From the summit cross on the Kragenjoch, you can already see your next three peaks.
The Kragenjoch is a fascinating sunrise mountain and the perfect starting point for a hike into the rising sunlight.
Our tip: Guided sunrise hike every Tuesday
Another highlight: Take a look at the Georg Chapel and pay a culinary visit to the Achentalalm. This rustic alpine hut is known for its specialties. The Tyrolean Schmalznudeln (savory with bean soup or sweet with apple sauce, cranberries, and sugar) are particularly popular.
Or simply enjoy the view again from the bench on the hill near the Achentalalm.
The Rosskopf
Our second tour takes you to the local mountain of Oberau and Niederau. You could also say that it is “the” panoramic mountain, which is prominently located in the Wildschönau and is appreciated by locals and guests alike. As a typical Tyrolean grass mountain, gentle, not too rocky meadows and alpine pastures still dominate here. The reason for the rich vegetation is hidden inside the Rosskopf, which, incidentally, can be accessed from two sides.
Tour to the RoßkopfIts enormous water reservoir provides abundance, feeds the landscape, and makes cheese-making possible on the second-largest alpine pasture. The breathtaking 360° panoramic view crowns the second day on the summit!
Our tip: The Holzalm is the second-largest alpine pasture in the Wildschönau and is known for its delicious cheese products from its own production.
The Gratlspitze
The striking, rocky border mountain to the Alpbachtal valley is your first encounter with alpine terrain. The path becomes steeper, the terrain rougher, more striking and rocky. The ascent requires a little stamina, but when you reach the top, you know that the effort was worth it.
You are now standing on the border to the Alpbachtal valley. The Gratlspitze was once a center of mining in the region. Silver and copper were mined here as early as the Middle Ages, and traces of this era can still be found today, such as old tunnels, spoil heaps, and the occasional remains of miners' houses. Information boards along the way point this out. Attentive hikers will not overlook the green-turquoise shimmering rock around the Gratlspitze.
Tip: Treat yourself to a break at the scenic “Erna's Rast” bench and gather a little strength for the climb to the summit.
Tour to the Gratlspitze
It is the highest point in Wildschönau – and standing up there feels like it too. The Große Beil is the alpine finale of your four stages. Here you can look back on the last three days. First you hike across beautiful mountain meadows and the idyllic alpine pastures of the Gressensteinalm before you get to know the rough and wild part of Wildschönau. On the way to the summit, the green of the alpine pastures blends with the gray and yellow of the lichen-covered, rugged rocks.
Our tip: Be sure to make a detour to the Gressenstein waterfall and take a look at the Glockhausstein, where, according to legend, the devil's claws are visible.
Our tip for a stop: Gasthof Schönanger Alm & next door, visit the Schönanger-Alm show dairy and reward yourself with a stop where you can stock up on cheese. The next hike is sure to come.
