Hebalm (Gasthaus Zur Rehbockhütte) - Handalm

Access to starting point:
a) Highway MP Šentilj - Graz we leave at exit Lebring, and then we follow the signs for Lonč / Deutschlandsberg. When we arrive in Lonč, we follow the signs for Hebalm, and then we start visibly ascending towards the Hebalm ski slope. When we reach the Kluglifte Hebalm ski lift, on the right by the inn Gasthaus Zur Rehbockhütte, we park on a larger macadam parking lot, or we can also park on the parking lot on the other side of the road.
b) From the highway Klagenfurt am Wörthersee - Graz, we take the exit Packsattel, and then we follow the signs for Klagenfurt, Deutschlandsberg, and Preitenegg. Next follows some descent, and then we turn left from the main road towards Lonč and Hebalm. Further on, we start ascending again and higher up we reach the Hebalm ski slope, but we continue driving a little further, so we already start descending towards Lonč. When we arrive at the inn Gasthaus Zur Rehbockhütte, we turn right or left and park on a large parking lot opposite the inn or by the inn.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue for a short time on the asphalt road ascending towards the northwest, then soon turn left onto the marked footpath number 551. Initially, we ascend through the forest, then cross a macadam road, and a little further, we reach the cross-country ski trail, which we follow briefly. Blazes then lead us back into the forest, where, after a small saddle, we arrive at a marked crossing, where a path from the starting point at the Hebalm ski slope joins us.
Here, we continue straight towards the Weinebene mountain pass, initially ascending gently, then reaching a rougher road, along which we begin to descend lightly.
At the See-Eben saddle, we reach a wider macadam road, and from the crossroad, we continue towards the Weinebene mountain pass and the Barofen peak.
The path ahead leads us along a macadam road, from which we soon turn right onto a marked cart track. Next follows a light to moderate ascent, and we arrive at the next marked crossing, from which we continue left (right Theissenegg and Twimberg).
The path ahead initially leads partly through the forest, then we walk for some time alongside a longer grassy terrain surrounded by forest.
When we return into the forest, the path once again splits, and we continue straight in the direction of the mountain pass Weinebene (right Barofen).
The path ahead leads us for some time in a moderate ascent through the forest; after crossing the grazing fence, we first reach the grassy slopes of the peak Renneiskogel, then cross the forested slopes on its eastern side. Next follows the crossing of a larger meadow, then we return to the forest, where we gradually start descending. Before the saddle Wildbachsattel the forest ends, and in the middle of the saddle, we reach a marked crossing, from which we continue straight toward the mountain pass Weinebene. Before the path enters the forest, it splits once again, and we continue in the same direction (left Osterwitz). Next follows an ascent through a strip of forest, and when the forest ends, we ascend alongside a wire fence. Higher up, we reach informative and warning signs indicating that we are entering the area of the wind farm Windpark Handalm.
Before reaching the wind farm, we notice on the right a small hill with a cairn and a small cross, standing on the indistinct summit of Weberkogel.
We continue along the grazing fence, lightly descending with beautiful views towards the nearby Golica / Koralpe, and in good visibility, the view extends all the way to the Julian Alps. When we start ascending again, we reach the first wind turbines, and we follow the marked path for a few minutes. When the marked path begins to veer slightly to the right from the indistinct ridge, we leave it and continue on easier pathless terrain to the highest point of the Handalm peak.
The starting point - Wildbachsattel 2:00, Wildbachsattel - Weberkogel 0:35, Weberkogel - Handalm 0:35.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in November and December 2023.

On the way: See-Eben (1424m), Wildbachsattel (1605m), Weberkogel (1805m)