Lenzanger - Goldzechkopf

Access to starting point:
Through the Karawanks Tunnel, we drive to Austria, and then we continue driving on the Tauern highway. Further, we drive through the Katschberg Tunnel and later also the Tauerntunnel; we follow the highway towards Salzburg only to the exit for Bischofshofen, from where we continue driving on a four-lane road towards the already mentioned town. From Bischofshofen, we follow the signs for Zell am See through the valley by the river Salzach. At the end of Taxenbach, we turn towards Rauris. Further, we drive through the Raurisertal valley through Rauris and Wörth. We then follow the ascending road all the way to the large parking lot Lenzanger. In the last part, the road is payable (9€ - August 2013).

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue following the signs »Naturfreundehaus« on the road, which is further closed to traffic. The road, which immediately after the gate becomes a macadam road, first leads us through the forest and brings us to a crossroads. To the right, slightly downhill, the road leads towards the mountain pasture Grießwiesalm, while we continue slightly left on the road towards the hut Naturfreundehaus.
The road then soon brings us out of the forest and leads us along the stream Scheidbach with beautiful views towards the summit Hoher Sonnblick. Here we soon come to a junction where we continue right over the bridge on footpath 123 towards the notch Goldzechscharte and the summit Hocharn. Further along the road, the path leads towards the hut Naturfreundehaus.
After crossing the bridge, the path leads us for a short time over slightly swampy terrain, then along meadows towards the southwest. Further on, we walk for some time on the path that runs along bushes and brings us again near the stream. Here the path turns right and begins to ascend more steeply. At the very beginning, a steel cable assists us. The path then mostly ascends in zigzags over grassy and occasionally bush-covered terrain. Higher up, the bushes end and an ascent follows on grassy slopes from which we have a beautiful view all the time towards the Raurisertal valley and nearby peaks. We have an especially beautiful view of the north face of the nearby Hoher Sonnblick. On the grassy slopes, the path turns slightly left and then crosses a few smaller streams. When we approach steeper slopes over which numerous streams and smaller waterfalls flow in the summer months, the path turns right and ascends somewhat more steeply. Here we ascend on rocky terrain towards the northwest; the trail is not very visible, so we must pay even more attention to the blazes. Higher up, the path then turns slightly left and crosses some snowfields that persist late into summer. The use of an ice axe and crampons is recommended for crossing. Further on, the path turns a bit more left and crosses the slopes towards the west in a gentle ascent. Such a path then brings us to the ridge near the notch Nördliche Goldzechscharte, where there is also a junction.
At the junction, where a view opens towards the west, we continue left and descend slightly along the ridge; to the right upwards, the path leads towards the summit Hocharn. The path leads us past the notches Nördliche Goldzechscharte and Südliche Goldzechscharte, then begins to ascend towards the summit Goldzechkopf. Here the path becomes somewhat more demanding and quite steep. During the ascent, fixed safety gear assists us at a few spots. Such a path then continues all the way to the summit Goldzechkopf.
We descend along the ascent path or continue over the glacier to the summit Hoher Sonnblick and from there descend back to the starting point. The path from the summit towards the glacier is very demanding and self-belaying is also recommended.

On the way: Nördliche Goldzechscharte (2900m), Südliche Goldzechscharte (2859m)

Trip can be extended to: Hoher Sonnblick (1 h 20 min) , Hocharn (2 h 35 min)