Parking Erichhütte - Hoher Kopf (path 432)

Access to starting point:
Through the Karawanks Tunnel, we drive to Austria, and then we continue driving on Tauern highway. Further, we drive through the tunnel Katschberg and later also Tauerntunnel, we follow the highway towards Salzburg only to 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 Höchkonig and Dienten am Höchkonig. The road starts ascending and brings us on a saddle Dientner sattel. From the saddle, we continue good 100 meters on the road which starts descending, and then we will on the right side of the road notice a parking lot on which we park.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue by following the signs »Erichhütte 30min« on the mountain road which is closed for traffic. Macadam road on which we are ascending leads us by pastures with a nice view towards High Tauern and on the nearby peaks above the mountain hut Erichhütte. The path then leads us through a short lane of a forest where we also cross a smaller stream. Further, the path again runs by pastures all the way to the mountain hut Erichhütte on the mountain pasture Schönbergalm.
From the mountain hut, we continue right following the signs »Königsjodler Klettersteig, Hochkönig« and we start slightly ascending on grassy slopes towards the northeast. The path soon brings us to a crossing where we continue left in the direction of Hochkönig, and right leads the path towards the summit Taghaube (2159 meters).
The further path is for some time ascending by rare dwarf pines, and then on a slightly steeper grassy slope brings us to another crossing. Right secured climbing path on Granlspitz (2307 meters), and we continue left towards the notch Hochscharte.
The path here turns slightly to the left and from grassy slopes brings us on steeper rocky slopes, which we at first cross towards the north. After the crossing, the path turns to the right and it ascends towards the notch Hochscharte. On this part, the path is quite crumbly and we also get help from shorter ladder. On the notch, we continue left and after a short ascent, we are again at the crossing.
Left is only a short ascent to the entrance in extremely demanding path Königsjodler, and we continue right and we descend through the gully on the eastern side of the ridge. At the crossing is also a warning sign because of the danger of falling stones on the path. The path into a gully is quite crumbly and is secured with a steel cable. Lower path from the gully turns to the left and then follows unsecured crossing, which brings us to a crossing.
We continue left on the path 432 following the signs Hochkönig, right leads the path towards the mountain pasture Stegmoosalm. Further, the path starts ascending on quite steep and a slightly crumbly slope. Fixed safety gear on the path are very rare, therefore even more caution is needed. The path is then for quite some time ascending on a relatively steep slope, which is also dangerous for slipping. From the path, a nice view starts opening up towards Hochkönig, and all the time we also have a nice view towards »devils horns« over which leads the path Königsjodler. The path later becomes even a little more crumbly, and we also get help from some iron spikes or steel cable. Higher, the slope becomes slightly less steep but full of gravel and that is why still caution is needed. To notch Birgkarscharte follows a diagonal ascent on slippery scree.
On the notch where nice views open up towards the north, we continue left, right leads the path on Hochkönig, which is the highest peak of Berchtesgaden Alps. Further less demanding path leads by north side of panoramic ridge and soon brings us to the summit.

On the way: Birgkarscharte (2847m), Hochscharte (2283m), Erichhütte (1545m)

Trip can be extended to: Hochkönig (3 h)