Bürgeralm (Panoramastraße) - Hochstein (at Mitteralm) (via Windgrube)

Access to starting point:
From the border crossing Šentilj we continue driving on the highway towards Gradec / Graz and forward towards Linz and Salzburg. We soon leave highway A9 and continue driving slightly right in the direction of Vienna, proceeding along the expressway S35. Near the settlement Bruck an der Mur, we reach highway S16 and follow it in the direction of Vienna. A little further beyond the tunnel, we leave the highway and take the exit for Kapfenberg, then follow the signs for the mentioned town. We soon reach the main road 116, and from the nearby intersection, we turn slightly right toward the settlements Thörl and Mariazzel. In the settlement Thörl we continue on the main road towards the settlement Mariazzel, on the main road we drive to the proximity of the settlement Aflenz Kurort, where we turn left towards the center of the settlement, and at the crossroad there are also signs for the mountain pasture Bürgeralm. Next follows driving through the settlement, from the upper part of the settlement, we follow the signs for Bürgeralm. The road then starts ascending through the ditch Bürgergraben; when we reach the parking lot at the lower station of the cableway for the Aflenzer Bürgeralm ski slope, the road turns left. Further, we drive on a toll road, ascending to an organized parking lot in front of the Bürgeralm mountain pasture.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue a few steps on the road toward the mountain pasture Bürgeralm, then turn left onto a faintly visible footpath marked by blue signs. Next follows a diagonal ascent towards the left, after a few minutes of diagonal ascent we go right on a footpath that starts ascending steeply slightly to the right of the southern ridge and gradually becomes more distinct. The steep path continues slightly to the right of the ridge, which is covered with forest on the left side and surrounded by vast grassy slopes on the right side. Higher up, the ridge turns slightly more to the right, the path flattens a bit, and in a few minutes of additional walking, it brings us to the cottage Schönleitenhaus.
Behind the cottage, we go left and ascend along the fence to the scenic lookout on the top of Windgrube, from where a beautiful view opens up.
From the top, we descend towards the northeast, where we reach a macadam road, and when the road turns right, we leave it and continue straight on a footpath that proceeds over grassy terrain. The small lake or watering place we bypass on the left side, and the path consistently leads to the right of the cliff edge, where, with beautiful views, we cross short stretches of dwarf pines. The path, which mostly descends gently, a little further joins a marked path that bypasses the peak of Windgrube on the right side.
We continue straight and move onto steep slopes, where, during winter conditions, there is a high risk of avalanches or slipping; in snow-free conditions, the path is not particularly demanding, though a bit more caution is needed in two short sections to avoid slipping. After a few minutes of crossing, the slope flattens, and the path splits.
The path towards the plateau Mitteralm and further to the summit Hochschwab continues straight, but we turn right downward in the direction of Hackentörl, Seewiesen, and Jauring. Next follows a descent along a scenic grassy ridge, and the marked path soon turns left onto a slope.
Here, we leave the marked path and continue straight along a well-trodden footpath that leads us to the ridge of the peak Hochstein. The descent soon ends, and after a minute or two of further walking, we reach a rocky peak with a cross.
Bürgeralm - Windgrube 0:50, Windgrube - Hochstein 0:35.
The description and pictures refer to the condition in October 2024.

On the way: Bürgeralm (1550m), Schönleitenhaus (Windgrube) (1809m)