Feistritzsattel - Hochwechsel (via Schöberlriegel and Umschussriegel)

Access to starting point:
Highway A2 Graz - Vienna / Wien we leave at the exit for Gleisdorf West, and then we follow the signs for Hartberg and Weiz, and later only Weiz. At the beginning of Weiz, we go from the roundabout in the direction of the exit for the settlement Birkfeld and then we follow the road all the way to the mentioned settlement, from where we follow the signs for Rettenegg. The mentioned settlement we bypass on the right side, and then we ascend to the mountain pass Feistritzsattel, where we park.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we follow the path that continues from the east side of the mountain pass towards the north, marked with signs for the settlement Mönichkirchen, the cottage Wetterkoglerhaus, and the peak Hochwechsel. The path initially follows a grassy cart track with a gentle ascent; after crossing a macadam road, we climb slightly steeper on a cart track that enters the forest. A little further, we cross another macadam road, then at several consecutive junctions, we follow the signs for the cottage Kranichberger Schwaig or the peak Hochwechsel. The path continues for some time along forest roads, where we follow the aforementioned signs, and higher up, we transition to a cart track, which, with a moderate ascent, leads to pastures where the path levels out. Next, we encounter a few more sections of mostly easy walking, and we quickly reach the shepherd cottage on the mountain pasture Kranichberger Schwaig, passing the pond Bärenlacke.
We bypass the cottage on the right and continue towards the summit Hochwechsel (to the left, downwards, lie the settlement Trattenbach and ski lift Arabichl Lift). Further through a strip of forest we reach a macadam road, which we only cross (left Arabichl), and a few dozen steps ahead we join a path that branches off from the saddle Dreiländereck (Dreiländereck is a saddle; if we continued left on the road).
Here we continue right and start ascending diagonally, such a path after a few minutes brings us to an unmarked crossing, where we continue on the slightly right unmarked path (the slightly left marked path leads to Hochwechsel), which continues through a strip of young spruce forest. A little further, we go from the grassy path diagonally to the right, so that we continue walking among spruces, and the forest, winding, starts to thin out. The relatively easy to follow but unmarked path then, in a few minutes of further walking, brings us to an indistinct peak, where a larger cairn stands.
Next follows some easy walking, initially without significant changes in altitude, and then we moderately descend through a sparse spruce forest. When we leave the forest, a path joins from the left, which bypasses the peak Schöberlriegel on the left side, and then we ascend on an increasingly panoramic grassy slope to the ample peak Umschussriegel.
Next follows a descent towards the south; when we reach the saddle lower down between the peaks Umschussriegel and Hochwechsel, we return to the marked path, which bypassed both peaks on the left, eastern side.
Here we continue straight, at first gently and then moderately ascending on an indistinct and wide, mostly northern ridge of the peak Hochwechsel. Higher up, the footpath splits into several smaller paths, but we follow the blazes and, with increasingly stunning views, reach the scenic peak, beside which stands the mountain hut Wetterkoglerhaus.
The starting point - Kranichberger Schwaig 1:00, Kranichberger Schwaig - Schöberlriegel 0:40, Schöberlriegel - Umschussriegel 0:20, Umschussriegel - Hochwechsel 0:45.
Description and pictures refer to conditions in September 2023.

On the way: Kranichberger Schwaig (1530m), Dreiländereck (1561m), Schöberlriegel (1704m), Umschussriegel (1720m)