Unterpirkach - Hochstadel (ÖTK - Klettersteig Pirknerklamm)

Access to starting point:
From Ljubljana through the Karawanks Tunnel and then on the highway to Spittal. We continue driving in the direction of Lienz, but drive along the Drava Valley to Oberdrauburg, where we turn left in the direction of Kötschach and Plöcken Pass. Immediately after the Drava River and railway track we turn right (at the intersection we notice many signs, among them also for the Hochstadelhaus mountain hut), and then on a somewhat narrower road we reach Unterpirkach. Here only a few dozen meters before the bigger chapel, which we notice on the right side, we turn left (here we already see the first signs for the climbing path) and on an asphalt road we drive only another 100 meters, then the signs "OTK-Klettersteig Pirknerklamm" direct us to the right onto a macadam road, along which we quickly reach the parking lot.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on a macadam road which past the house brings us into the forest. We continue on a forest path which runs on the left side of the stream Pirkner Bach. The path soon brings us to a junction, where signs »Einstieg ÖTK Klettersteig« point us to the right downwards towards the stream where the climbing path starts.
The climbing path all the time runs by the stream and already at the beginning with the help of numerous pegs vertically climbs over the boulder. Further, the path crosses rocky slopes just above the stream and then brings us to a steel cable along which we cross the stream to the right side. After a short crossing the path vertically ascends with the help of pegs and brings us to the next bridge, which crosses the stream again to the left side. Above the bridge a crossing of the vertical wall to the left follows, and then a short ascent to the boulder on which there is a logbook box. Next follows an ascent over a few boulders, then we cross a short bridge that runs right by the waterfall. This time as well the bridge is made only of two steel cables. One is for walking, the other for holding and self-belaying. Further, we climb for some time from boulder to boulder, then the stream gorge turns slightly to the left. Here we ascend on a rocky slope on the left side of the stream and soon before us we see a dam over which falls the Regenbogen Wasserfall waterfall. With the help of pegs we ascend beside the waterfall almost vertically upwards.
Above the waterfall the streambed becomes gentler and some walking by the stream follows. We then cross the stream to the right side and continue walking by the stream. The path then brings us to the last climbing section, where first we cross a vertical rocky slope above the stream, then with the help of numerous stirrups we ascend beside the dam to the right upwards.
Here the climbing path ends and a zigzag ascent through the forest follows. At first the path is still secured with a steel cable, then on a less steep slope it brings us to a junction. To the right the path leads back to the start, to the left towards the Hochstadelhaus hut.
If we continue towards the Hochstadelhaus hut, we ascend on a narrow path through the forest and soon join the normal path to the hut.
We continue on a well-trodden path which higher crosses a road (the road is closed to public traffic), then returns to the forest and past Hilda's smoking bench brings us again to a forest road. We leave the road immediately, the marked path higher crosses it a few more times or follows it briefly. Higher the forest thins out, offering nice views to the east where we clearly see the Drava River and part of the Gailtal Alps. The path higher returns to the road, which we follow all the way to the Hochstadelhaus mountain hut.
From the mountain hut we continue slightly right (direction Hochstadel) and through a short stretch of forest ascend to the Unholdenalm pasture. Here we walk to the right side of the pasture, where at a few huts we step back onto the road. A short gentle ascent follows on an increasingly poor road, then we arrive at a marked junction.
We continue slightly right in the direction "Hochstadel - path no. 218, 3 h" and continue the ascent on a moderately rising path. The path, which further runs across extensive pastures, higher turns right and steeply ascends briefly. The path soon turns left and almost completely flattens. A gentle traversing ascent follows under the walls of the 2283 m high Rudnigkofel. When the traverse ends, the path turns right and ascends in a few zigzags over steep slopes that are especially slippery when wet. After a shorter steep ascent we step onto a scenic ridge, where the path turns sharply left and flattens again. A short crossing of the exposed ridge follows, then the path goes onto less steep slopes. Further we ascend on an increasingly scenic path which leads us across a series of smaller basins. Higher the path becomes somewhat steeper and just below the summit slightly exposed in places. We follow this very scenic path, which in the final section runs only a few meters from the mighty precipice, all the way to the summit of Hochstadel.

On the way: Regenbogen Wasserfall (730m), Hochstadelhaus (1780m), Planina Unholdenalm (1800m)