Unterpirkach - Hochstadel (Dreitörlweg)
Starting point: Unterpirkach (636 m)
Starting point Lat/Lon: 46.7592°N 12.9249°E 
Path name: Dreitörlweg
Time of walking: 6 h 50 min
Difficulty: difficult marked way
Difficulty of skiing: no data
Altitude difference: 2045 m
Altitude difference (by path): 2130 m
Map: Kompass, Lienzer Dolomiten/Lesachtal 1:50.000
Access to starting point:
From Ljubljana through Karawanks Tunnel and then on the highway to Spittal. We continue driving in the direction of Lienz, and drive through the valley Drautal to Oberdrauburg, where we turn left in the direction of Kötschach and mountain pass Plöckenpass. Immediately after the river Drau and railway track we turn right (by the crossroad we notice many signs, among them also for mountain hut Hochstadelhaus), and then on a little narrower road we reach Unterpirkach. Next we drive past a bigger chapel and only few meters ahead through bridge over the stream Pirkner. Immediately after the bridge we turn left and park on a parking lot by the hiking signposts.
Path description:
Follow the narrow dusty road into the woods. After few minutes of walking, the road forks three ways. Choose the middle one, that would be downgraded to a track and that begins to ascend. In the middle of the steep section, a trail forks right. Follow it as it traverses the steep slopes. The trail eventually returns to the track at its very end. The marked trail continues upwards to the right, and then to the left where it connects with a trail exiting a nearby ferrata. Follow the trail upwards, and cross the road. Various markings will show your progress in terms of elevation and walking time distance. The trail crosses the road a few more times along the way. The forest begins to thin eventually, and at times there are marvelous vistas to the Drau valley below. Finally, the trail joins the road which leads to the Hochstadelhaus.
Some huts may organize a shuttle to the alpine pasture.
Follow the road behind the hut, ascend the slope with larch trees to the alpine pasture Unholdenalm, and follow the markings across the pasture to the huts on the other side. The trail joins the road that soon ends. After the road ends, follow the trail for about 50 meters to the well-marked trail fork. The right one goes directly to the Hochstadel, while the left one first circles the mountain and ascends the mountain from the southwest. Take the left trail (know as a Dreitörlweg). The first section of the trail traverses the slopes to the south (the slopes are abundant with larch trees). When it reaches its southernmost point at Raineck, 1968, it turns west and traverses some more slopes with occasional gully along the way (two big ones). After that, it begins to ascend along the south-eastern ridge until a technically difficult trail forks right. Climbing sections are graded A to A/B and equipped with steel ropes in all climbing sections. After 1 hour of easy climbing you will traverse the western slopes of Schneeklamkopf, 2642 and reach the summit of Hochstadel.
A descent is possbile by another easier trail directly to the Unholdenalm.
On the way: Hochstadelhaus (1780m), Planina Unholdenalm (1800m), Raineck (1968m)
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