Lenzanger - Goldzechkopf (via Hoher Sonnblick)

Access to starting point:
Through the Karawanks Tunnel we drive into Austria, then we continue our drive on the Tauern motorway. Further, we drive through the Katschberg Tunnel and later also the Tauerntunnel; we follow the motorway towards Salzburg (also Solnograd) 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 along 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 further on is closed to traffic. The road, which immediately after the barrier becomes a macadam road, first leads us through the forest and brings us to a junction. Right slightly downwards leads the road towards the alpine pasture Grießwiesalm, 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 right over a bridge the footpath 123 branches off towards the notch Goldzechscharte and the summit Hocharn.
We continue on the road and soon we are again at a junction. Left leads the road towards the hut Ammerhof, we continue right and on the flat road soon arrive at the hut Naturfreundehaus.
At the hut we continue following the signs »Hoher Sonnblick, Schutzhaus Neubau«. The path takes us into the forest through which we ascend for some time towards the south. Further on, the path leads past the Barbarafall waterfall and from the path increasingly beautiful views open up on the nearby summits and the Raurisertal valley.
Out of the forest we then come to grassy slopes where livestock grazes in the summer months. Here the signposts direct us right and a traverse towards the west follows. When we reach near the stream, the path turns left upwards again and then ascends for quite some time on mostly grassy slopes.
Shortly before the hut we come to a junction where left the path to the hut Niedersachsenhaus branches off. At the junction we continue right and only a short ascent remains to the hut Neubau, which we already see ahead.
From the hut we continue westwards following the signs »Hoher Sonnblick«. Right then the circular path Tauerngold-Rundwanderweg branches off, along which we can see sights connected with gold mines in this area. The path then soon crosses the stream and brings us to a marked junction. Left the path Tauerngold-Rundwanderweg continues towards the glacier, we continue slightly right towards the hut Rojacherhütte and the summit Hoher Sonnblick.
From the junction the path then ascends for some time on the slopes on the eastern side of the summit Hoher Sonnblick. Higher up the path turns slightly left towards the south and soon a view opens onto the glacier Goldbergkees. Here then left the path towards the notch Niedere Scharte branches off, we continue slightly right and a few more ascents on the rocky slope to the hut Rojacher Hütte follow.
At the hut we continue northwestwards following the signs »Hoher Sonnblick«. The path leads us on a rocky slope and brings us to an initially still wide ridge. From the left a somewhat less visible path over the glacier then joins us, the ridge then becomes narrower and quite steep, at some points also somewhat exposed so some caution is required. During the ascent on the ridge we are occasionally aided by a steel cable and a few brackets and pegs. In the last part towards the summit Hoher Sonnblick the path on the ridge becomes somewhat more demanding, but on this section we have the option to bypass the steep ridge via the glacier. In case of ice or hard snow we will need an ice axe and crampons. The path on the ridge then steeply ascends for a short time with the aid of a few brackets and pegs. The ridge soon becomes less steep and an easy ascent follows on a very panoramic path to the summit.
From the summit we descend to the glacier and continue northwestwards following the signs »Alter Pocher, Heiligenblut«. Further on we gently descend on the glacier in a northwesterly direction, for walking on the glacier we will need an ice axe and crampons. It is also recommended to walk roped, especially when the path is not beaten.
When we pass the notch Pilatusscharte, we leave the path towards the hut Alter Pocher and head slightly right, beginning to ascend diagonally below the slopes of the summit Goldzechkopf. The glacier then becomes somewhat steeper and an ascent to the rocky slope on the south side of the summit Goldzechkopf follows.
Here the glacier ends and a very steep ascent follows with the aid of a steel cable and a few brackets. For the less experienced belaying is highly recommended. When we reach the ridge we continue left and a few more ascents along the steel cable follow. Later the ridge becomes less demanding and only a short ascent on the panoramic ridge to the summit Goldzechkopf remains.
We can descend by the ascent path or continue along the ridge past the notches Goldzechscharte and then descend on path 123 back to the start.

On the way: Naturfreundehaus Kolm Saigurn (1598m), Schutzhaus Neubau (2175m), Rojacher Hütte (2718m), Hoher Sonnblick (3106m)

Trip can be extended to: Hocharn (1 h 35 min)