Mallnitz - Vordere Geislspitze / Vorderer Gesselkopf

Access to starting point:
Arriving by train to Mallnitz is a good option because it allows crossing from the southern side of the Hohe Tauern to the northern side and return by train through the Tauern tunnel, which with 8371 m is the longest railway tunnel through the Hohe Tauern. Between Mallnitz and Bad Gastein through the tunnel also runs a car train. The nearest road connection is 178 kilometres long.

Access by car: Drive on the motorway to Spittal and take the exit for Lienz. Then on the regional road past Lendorf, after which after a few kilometres turn right in the direction of Möllbrücke, Mühldorf and Obervellach. Soon after Obervellach turn right towards Mallnitz. In Mallnitz drive past the railway station (also car train to Bad Gastein through the 8371 m long Tauern tunnel).

Path description:
From the railway station 100 meters along the road towards Mallnitz. Before the stream Seebach turn right and follow the signs for Via Alpina. The path runs along the stream to the first houses in Mallnitz. Here turn left over the bridge, after the bridge right and then reach the main road, where nearby is a crossroads with many green signposts. Turn onto the left road, where the signs for Jamnigalm and Hagener Hütte point.

Follow the road out of the town of Mallnitz to the last houses, where turn right and ascend to the more attractive footpath. Alternatively, the road can also be followed. The path first ascends and then runs about 50 meters above the road, which is rarely seen. The path has many benches and interesting information, stories and fairy tales, so it is very popular in summer for short walks with children. On the path always follow the signs for Jamnigalm, Hagener Hütte or Stockerhütte. At one point there is an unmarked fork and here continue left knowing that the road is crossed again later. The path is then gentle, at times even slightly losing height, until it reaches the road. Cross the road at the parking area, which then runs through the forest. Soon the path to Stockerhütte branches right, the last hut before the road barrier (toll 4 euros). The path becomes steeper from here, but is still wide until the pasture fence. Always follow the signs for Jamnigalm or path number 110. Soon after the barrier the forest thins and the path becomes more scenic and offers increasingly better views over the valley and the town of Mallnitz. After some steeper sections and crossing torrent beds the path flattens and the slopes of the Jamnig pasture appear. The path leads to the road under the pasture, along which it is another 5 minutes to the pasture.

The forest ends with the pasture. To the destination walk constantly on the wide path, which ascends gently and occasionally in serpentine. On the left are clearly visible the mountains Feldseekopf and Vorderer Geißlkopf, on the right rises the slope of Greilkopf. The path forks only five minutes before the hut, where turn left.

From the hut the path descends to the signposts, next to which stands a bell, and continues westwards. The path gently leads to the ground-level spring and then begins to ascend. About 150 elevation meters later the path reaches the saddle, from which to the north rises the 2727 m high Westerfrölkekogel. The path a little below the saddle is somewhat crumbly and requires careful steps. Since to the left of the saddle the ridge rises very steeply, the path crosses it in the right lower part, first descending into a small basin, over which some rock slabs must be crossed and then ascending towards the ridge.

The ridge is then a nice flat plateau world that first ascends gently, then the terrain becomes steeper again. The path then leads over some kind of pre-summit, from which a nice view opens onto the summit of Vorderer Geißlkopf. In early summer - possibly until the beginning of August and in early autumn (e.g. first snow) – snow persists stubbornly on the northern slopes.

The final ascent to the mountain is possible from the eastern direction (somewhat shorter, but slightly steeper) and from the western direction (about 5 to 10 minutes longer path). The technically most demanding part is a few meters below the summit, where a few meters of steel cable help (but it is possible to find an easier passage 10 meters to the side).

At the summit a cross and summit book await the hiker. From the summit numerous three-thousanders are nicely visible. To the west the nearest is Schareck, further away Sonnblick, to the east Ankogel and Hochalmspitze.

Mallnitz - Jamnig pasture (2 h 30 min); Jamnig pasture - Hagener Hütte (2 h 30 min); Hagener Hütte – Vorderer Geißlkopf (2 h).

On the way: Seebach (1191m), Stockerhütte (1290m), Jamnigalm (1750m), Hagener Hütte (2446m)