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Dobratsch

britof21. 03. 2023 17:59:48

19.03.23. Kuhriegel, which has taken the name Dobrač or Dobratsch in German. Cross on top, just a few meters below it a Slovenian church. Dobrač has two almost equally high peaks, only about 30m apart. On the eastern of these two peaks is Europe's highest church.
Just a few dozen meters below both peaks is the mountain hut (Ludwig-Walter-Hütte) near which stands a 160m TV tower visible from afar. Didn't go the marked path because too deep snow, but the road which was compacted, smoothed and frozen in the morning, so crampons came in handy. Lots of hikers especially ski tourers. Weather acceptable for walking, morning clouds which were breaking up and sun warmed us on descent. Villach mountain road supposed to be paid, but at entrance, barrier and hut wrapped in transparent foil (protected from weather) this time no attendant. Nice easy tour with wonderful views.

(+2)

turbo21. 03. 2023 18:39:05

That's not correct!
Kuhriegel is just the name of a section of the path leading to the top. Main summit is Dobrač or Dobratsch, no other name for the peak. But in the massif there are peaks Zehnernock, Elfnernock and Zwolfernock, all 2000ers along the path from highest parking, other side Gruennock 2000er.

(+3)

britof21. 03. 2023 19:09:06

Dobrač Dobratsch is a massive mountain range west of Villach. Its highest peak is 2166m Kuhriegel, which is known as Dobrač. That's how it's described, I didn't make it up. Regards!

(+1)

turbo21. 03. 2023 19:20:16

Where is that written, if I may ask? Neither on our nor Austrian sites is there another name for the main peak than Dobratsch or Dobrač. Also on signposts wherever you start to the summit, no trace of any Kuhriegel.
Kuhriegel is the name of the path section on the west side leading to Dobratsch summit:
https://www.komoot.de/highlight/2607001

(+6)

tulipan22. 03. 2023 07:26:26

The highest-altitude church in Europe is on Rocciamelone 3538 m velik nasmeh

Chiesa vetta Rocciamelone nasmeh

lingo22. 03. 2023 07:45:21

@tulipan, not every chapel is a church, even if they occasionally hold a mass there

(+1)

turbo22. 03. 2023 07:50:55

tulipan,
unfortunately that doesn't hold either velik nasmeh

Highest-altitude yes, highest no, surely there's higher, probably already in our country velik nasmeh

Well, it was corrected or "ležeča" added, so my comment is now superfluous nasmeh

(+2)

britof22. 03. 2023 09:37:17

Then this misleading entry on Hribi.net (mountain description) needs to be corrected.

turbo22. 03. 2023 11:35:28

Corrected, thanks Tadej!

https://www.hribi.net/gora/dobrac___dobratsch/31/810

britof,
thanks also to you for mentioning Kuhriegel and pointing out where you read it. It actually bothered me, since I had never seen the name before. If I were heading to the mountain for the first time and didn't know Dobratsch yet, I would very likely take that name on hribi.net "seriously" too. Well, at least I know a new path now, as soon as it's snow-free, sooner or later I'll go up over that darn Kuhriegel to see what it looks like nasmeh

(+1)

britof23. 03. 2023 13:06:00

Well, good that we sorted it out, safe steps! LP!

turbo16. 06. 2023 12:20:47

Saturday 10.6.2023, cycling outing (around Dobratsch, without summit)

Maybe useful for someone as an idea for a pleasant bike trip. The summit or hut just below will come later, today I just circled the Dobratsch massif. Started near ITA/AUT border, in Vrata Megvarjih (Thörl Maglern) and rode through Bistrica on Gail to Čajna, where the steep long climb to Plajberk above Villach began. Asphalt went smoothly under the wheels, pedaled easily and happily, so in Plajberk I decided to continue to the other side. Descent to Villach was breakneck, no matter how hard I tried, couldn't exceed seventy, always a km or two slower, even through villages. If a radar caught me where limit is fifty, they saw only helmet, sunglasses and grinning face, nothing else for a ticket, no plates on bike of course. Navigation helped through Villach, then took bike path along Gail back to car. Quite some gravel in between, also climbs, luckily short but not gentle. Sixty km and change in distance, around nearly 1000m elevation, decent for Saturday outing. nasmeh

-> track of the route

https://tubojan.blogspot.com/2023/06/s-kolesom-okoli-dobraca-vrata-megvarje.html

(+7)

voluhar16. 11. 2023 07:06:22

https://tomazsarc.blogspot.com/2023/10/drobrac-z-juga-29-10-2023.html

(+2)

2061alessio16. 11. 2023 18:09:20

Nice, huh, that hunting path? Markings faded over years but... doable; at Almgasthof Schutt (few mins further on path to Rotwand) there's one "direttissima" unofficially marked "Aloisi steig" as it goes steeply then across to Rosstratte plain where road/path to Dobratsch starts, if I remember right someone described it years ago; nice also path from Bad Bleiberg no.295 then loop 296 and 297 over Wurzach and Bleiberg Notsch. On the summit always "fresh" wind all year, without once being in short sleeves. nasmeh

(+5)

keti117. 11. 2023 11:21:39

Hi, anyone been to Dobratsch last few days? Conditions?

DVas11. 01. 2024 11:20:09

I'm also interested in the conditions nasmeh

(+1)

DVas13. 01. 2024 17:49:09

Conditions wonderful today. Not a cloud. Highway to the top.

(+4)

Trobec1. 02. 2024 22:25:56

Saturday more "touristy" velik nasmeh

Still, unlike most others we parked at least a bit lower. Snow isn't exactly abundant here either. But visitors are in abundance.

https://trobec.blogspot.com/2024/02/dobrac-2166m-2712024.html

bagi17. 10. 2024 13:41:26

Dobratsch this time a bit differently. We've long been interested in the access via the southwest ridge, which we've observed mainly in winter. Then together with the Slovenian church it's an unmistakable part of the winter scenery, when on nice days you see deep into the Gail Valley. In snow conditions the ridge is impassable, but completely different when dry. A marked path runs along it, leading to the summit from Čajna (Nötsch) or Plajberk near Beljak (Bad Bleiberg). We also started from here due to logistics.

From the parking lot in front of the shopping center we first headed west. To Wurzach we followed the *Weg des Buches* path, shortly after the village turned left into the forest. There we met the first sign for Dobratsch, path number 297. It joins higher up path 296, leading all the way to the summit. All well laid out, nowhere too steep, nowhere exposed. Some fallen trees occasionally obstructed passage, windthrow very fresh and not cleared yet. But given the well-trodden path it'll probably be tidy soon.

From Dobratsch we descended path 294, along the south side of the long ridge. After some descents and re-ascents it took us to Zehnernock summit and further to the service road. There we spotted the first sign for our start Bad Bleiberg, so continued that way. At all following junctions kept left and via paths 291 and 290 reached the valley. Then some walk along the main road to start and loop closed.

Coordinates start (Bad Bleiberg): 46°37'33.6"N 13°40'34.1"E

Parking in Plajberk near Beljak at the Špar store parking lot.

For good morning, we have less than a kilometer of warm-up along an empty road.

Then the path directs us to the edge. There is frost and the sun quickly lifts the autumn mists.

Along narrow asphalt roads we reach the last houses, then we will turn left into the forest.

These areas lived from mining. Here is lead ore, as indicated by the place names.

First sign for Dobrač. There are two paths here, we choose the left one.

We don't know it, but it is well trodden and not too steep.

Box with stamp and first aid, everything empty...

We follow the unmistakable path. The salt has already laid down the grass, moisture remains.

Not for the first time nor the last, especially very fresh.

Slowly it turns to the southern slopes and for the first time wider views open up to us.

Exercise is definitely taken care of on this path :)

Characteristic veduta of Dobrač from a completely different angle :)

Perhaps remains of the original Slovenian church ???

A bit higher stands the current one from the 16th century, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary

Above the door is a depiction of the Black Madonna, the fresco dates from 1972

The interior is simple, traces of moisture are visible everywhere

The church stands at an altitude of 2155 m. They called it Windische Kapelle because at that time they did not recognize Slovenes

Follows the ascent to the top and visit to yet another church

Dobrač. We were alone the whole way, here there are understandably many more visitors

View into the valley at the morning starting point

165 m high telecommunications tower, next to it the Gipfelhaus hut

Probably the highest-lying pilgrimage church in Europe ….

They dedicated it to the miners, but named it German as contra Slovenian

Descent towards the hut. It is in private ownership and has been in a completely new form since 2010

We continue along hiking trail 294. We could have gone along the road too, but this time we decide differently

View ahead to Zehnernock, our next target. To there follows a substantial descent and then an ascent to the opposite slope

View back at the huge tower and the tiny church as complete opposites

At the signpost we turn left uphill. Straight ahead is the hunting trail, which is exposed in places

Of course we have to make up all the lost altitude :)

On the ridge, direction signs visible from afar await us. We turn right onto Zehnernock.

Our goal is getting closer. Until the ski resort closure, there was a cable car station here at 1956 m altitude.

Now the mountain rescuers use the building, or as they call it *Erste Hilfe Station*.

Next is a descent along the slope to the junction with the service road.

Here is a trail junction. Ours goes directly across the road and descends the steep slope.

View of the highest parking lot, as usual full of cars.

We touch the road only for a moment, then descend past the alpine pastures into the valley.

There are enough markers everywhere and nowhere is there special need to follow with GPS.

Oops … it will still do for us, but not for something wider and heavier :)

No problem, there are already barriers placed across the road :)

We still just have a little more to descend …

And we are already in Plajberk, officially Bad Bleiberg.

Large mosaic of St. Barbara as patron saint of miners on one of the buildings.

At the end it is much warmer than it was in the morning :)

GPS track of the hiked route. It added up to 20 km and 1400 m elevation gain.

(+5)

silvo19526. 04. 2025 10:37:15

After two years back to Dobratsch. From parking crossed the road and already on skis. Ascent along numerous tracks of predecessors. Met fewer people than expected. Morning frozen snow later turned into ideal corn snow. Cold wind cooled us but didn't bother much. From top skied a bit differently than before. Descended inter alia to forest line southwards. Alternated skiing and walking, climbed peaks with ideal skiing conditions. Above all enjoyed the snow.

2025.04.05.89 Church of the Assumption of Mary on the western summit

2025.04.05.176 towards the top of Zwoelfernocka

2025.04.05.215 will need to go up once more

2025.04.05.218 two ways of ascent to Zehnernock

2025.04.05.230 view over the precipitous edge

(+4)

bagi12. 04. 2025 16:06:26

Dobratsch via former ski slope route from Heiligengeist or Holy Spirit - alt approx 900m

No snow up to 1500m, just enough that cows don't graze velik nasmeh

. From there compact snow base to the top, which in early morning firmly frozen. Later sun does its work. Summit track on Dobratsch quite narrow and icy this time.

(+2)

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