Debanttal - Keeskopf (Nossberger Weg)

Access to starting point:
From the Karawanks Tunnel, we continue on the Tauern highway past Beljak to Spittal, where we turn in the direction of Lienz. At the entrance to Lienz at the roundabout, we follow the signs for the Debanttal valley and mountain hut Lienzerhütte. On a road rough in parts we continue to a large parking lot at the cargo cableway (for the mountain hut by the lake Wangenitz), where a gate prevents further driving.

Path description:
On a macadam road, and soon also on a marked footpath which runs parallel with it, we ascend to the mountain hut Lienzerhütte 1974m, (1h). The comfortable mountain hut has a real zoo carved from wood, children's playground, forma viva, bathrooms and shoe dryers. Right in front of the mountain hut we head onto a marked footpath towards the mountain pass Niedere Gradenscharte, which leads to the mountain hut Adolf Nossberger by the lake Graden. First, we descend a little, cross the stream and follow the footpath left across the slope full of blueberries. We reach a well-visible cross by the path in a good half an hour. A little further at the marked junction we turn right (straight ahead the footpath leads towards the notch Gossnitz). The comfortable path wraps around the south ridge of Keeskopf and becomes a little steeper. The next excellently marked junction leads right to the better path to the mountain hut by the lake Wangenitz, but we continue straight upwards. The blazes lead us through the loose terrain of granite scree to the notch. A few meters of steel cables assist us to the notch. From the mountain hut to the 2796 m high notch we (in a group) needed around 3 hours. Here we are surprised by some glacial tarns, one literally right upon arrival at the notch. From the tarns we spot a cross on the conical summit. Around the tarns we walk another 15 minutes to the moraine with a large cairn, where we leave the marked path and turn left towards the summit. Cairns somewhat ease orientation on the broken terrain, but the footpath is well-trodden in places. Right below the summit one must be a bit more careful, as a few meters of the steep path are crumbly and muddy. For the less experienced, belaying is recommended here at least on the return, while the experienced can bypass this spot (I). On the summit there is a large cross with a summit logbook, but little space around. The view is phenomenal: from the Lienz Dolomites to Hochalmspitze, only Grossglockner shyly hides behind the nearby Klammerkopf.
Parking lot - mountain hut 1 hour; mountain hut - saddle 3 hours, saddle - peak 1 hour.

On the way: koča Lienzerhütte (1974m), sedlo Niedere Gradenscharte (2796m)