Julius Kugy three-country trail in 30 stages - E 28

Level of difficulty: Difficult

23.9 km

Distance
10 h

Duration
869 vm

Lowest elevation
2117 vm

Highest elevation
1710 vm
2370 vm

Julius Kugy three-country trail in 30 stages - E 28

The mountains challenge us on this demanding route: Spitzegel, Vellacher Egel and Graslitzen - with views to the south into the Gitsch and Lower Gailtal valleys.

Suggestion

At the Laudinzenhütte, ask the hut warden for advice on whether to take the Alpine Trail or one of the 3 alternatives

Equipment

sturdy footwear, especially mountain boots and all-weather clothing + drinks + food

Directions

Stage tour

A first glimpse

Some impressions of the tour

Directions

SHORT ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

Kohlröslhütte-Gailtaler Höhenweg/229-St. Lorenzer Kuhalm-Sattelköpfe-Golz-Radniger Alm/245/25-Möschacher Alm-Obervellacher Alm/247-Laudinzenhütte-Spitzegel-Kriebhöhe-Vellacher Egel-Vellacher Sattel-südl. Plerscha-Graslitzen-Geißrücken-Georgikapelle-Schwarzwald-Windische Höhe/229-St. Stefan im Gailtal/Matschiedl/naturgut

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

1. we walk - accompanied by the Gailtaler Höhenweg (GHW 229) and path no. 245 or 25 - from the hut (1533m) on a natural path steadily uphill in an easterly direction until we meet a main farm track (HWW) after approx. 500m. Now we hike to the right, NE to the Lorenzer Hochalm and north past the Sattelköpfen - at the beginning of the path up to the Golz we take the 1st break, 2 km, 1694 m.

2. the partly natural path and trail leads us partly steeply to the panoramic mountain Golz (2nd break, 2.8 km, 2004 m).

3. we now take paths no. 245 and 25 down to the Radniger Alm or Radniger Sattel - we pass north of the Radniger Hütte, crossing a HWW [possibly visit the hut for the variety of designs] and choose the path leading upwards (no. 247) to the Möschacher Alm - ( 3rd break, 4.6 km, 1665 m).

4. hike in a southerly direction across meadows into a forest - the path takes us east of the Obervellacher Alm on trail no. 247 - a detour to the serviced Laudinzenhütte (trail no. 248) enables the 4th, longer break, 6.3 km, 1680 m).

ALTERNATIVE 1: Obervellacher Alm-Obervellacher Stand-north-west Hohe Wand-Obervellach/ÖBB (hourly on weekdays)/taxi

ALTERNATIVE 2: Obervellacher Alm-Obervellacher Stand-north-west Hohe Wand-Obervellach-south-west Kühnburg-north-west Presseggen (Seewirt-Schluga-Zuchen)-north-west Förolach-Siebenbrünn-north-west Köstendorf-Gatterer-north-west Sussawitsch-Rauter-Kreuzener Landesstraße-Matschiedl/naturgut

[other ÖBB stations: Vellach-Kühnburg, Seewirt, Förolach and Köstendorf]

ALTERNATIVE 3: Obervellacher Alm-Obervellacher Stand-northwest Hohe Wand-Obervellach-south Kühnburg-north Presseggen (Seewirt-Schluga-Zuchen)-north Förolach-Siebenbrünn-north Köstendorf-Kalvarienberg/chapel/cemetery-Schmölzing/Gh. Sonnenhof-east Kalvarienberg-Sussawitsch-Rauter-Kreuzener Landesstraße-Matschiedl/naturgut

[other ÖBB stops: Vellach-Kühnburg, Seewirt, Förolach, Köstendorf and Bach]

[compared to the "Alpinweg" you gain 1 hour, walk 6 km further and have 550 metres less ascent and 800 metres less descent - WITHOUT using ÖBB or taxi]

5. from the Laudinzenhütte we take the HWW back in a NE direction (path no. 248) and turn right, SE with the same path no. and the GHW 229 and reach a clearing after a longer stretch of forest - after crossing it, the uphill path/climb to the Spitzegel begins (5th break, 7.8 km, 2119 m).

6. the path/trail leads with the GHW 229 (without no. 248) partly past the ridge south of the Kriebhöhe - east of it we meet a hiking trail coming from the left. We head half-right over ridge sections up to the Vellacher Egel (6th break, 9.6 km, 2108 m).

7. the path down to the Vellacher Sattel is again interspersed with ridge sections - at the saddle we meet hiking trail no. 249 coming from the right - we go straight ahead. We walk south of the Plerscha, partly rocky, and after approx. 1.1 km we come to a crossroads at the Förolacher Sattel. We turn half right heading SE - after approx. 300 m we cross another hiking trail and the GHW 229 leads us up to Graslitzen (7th break, 12.8 km, 2044 m).

8. on the path to the Köstendorfer Alm we pass the Schnabelhütte just before it to the north - on the Alm we ignore a hiking trail to the left and turn south to reach a hiking crossroads after approx. 650 m. We now head east and keep straight ahead at the next fork - we pass the Geißrücken and after approx. 400 m we come to a HWW, which we follow to the SE - after approx. 400 m we reach the Georgikapelle (8th break, 17 km, 1466 m).

9. after approx. 250 m we take the GHW 229 at a fork to the half-left and after a right turn meet a hiking trail coming from the right. Shortly afterwards a HWW comes from the left - it joins at the crossroads. The GHW crosses this to the half-left and then turns to the right, SE and leads downwards until it meets a HWW again - we walk along this to the NE/E for approx. 1 km.

10. towards the end of the Black Forest, the HWW meets a hiking trail coming from the left, which we follow with the GHW 229 downwards - crossing the HWW 4 times - to the Windische Höhe or to the L 33. Passing the Alpengasthof zum Enzian (heading SW), we walk (or contact a taxi or the Gailtalerhof in Matschiedl) downhill along the L 33, walk through the village of Pölland and reach the stage destination of St. Stefan im Gailtal/Matschiedl/naturgut (23.5 km, 870 m).

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