Parkplatz Erichhütte - Hochkönig (Königsjodler)

Access to starting point:
Through the Karawanks Tunnel, we drive to Austria, and then we continue driving 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 Höchkonig and Dienten am Höchkonig. The road starts ascending and brings us to the Dientner Sattel. From the saddle, we continue for another good 100 meters on the road which starts descending, and then we will notice a parking lot on the right side of the road, where we park.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue by following the signs »Erichhütte 30 min« on the mountain road which is closed to traffic. The macadam road on which we ascend leads us by pastures with a nice view towards the High Tauern and on the nearby peaks above the mountain hut Erichhütte. The path then leads us through a short stretch of 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 junction where we continue left in the direction of Hochkönig, and right leads the path towards the summit Taghaube (2159 m).
Further, the path ascends for some time by sparse dwarf pines, and then on a slightly steeper grassy slope brings us to another junction. Right leads a secured climbing path to Granlspitz (2307 m), 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 first cross towards the north. After the crossing, the path turns to the right and ascends towards the notch Hochscharte. On this part, the path is quite crumbly and a shorter ladder helps us, but the path here is not particularly demanding yet. On the notch, we continue left and after a short ascent we are again at a junction. To the right branches off a somewhat easier path no. 432, which leads towards the notch Birgkarscharte and further to Hochkönig or Hoher Kopf. We continue left and the path quickly brings us to the entrance to the secured climbing path Königsjodler.
Before entering the climbing section, we equip ourselves with a helmet and self-belaying device; the use of climbing gloves is also recommended.
In the initial part, the path steeply ascends along the steel cable towards the ridge to the tower named Flower Tower. Then follows the path on a somewhat exposed ridge along which we then ascend more steeply. The path then moves to the left side of the ridge and a crossing of a steep wall towards a narrow notch follows (difficulty C/D). We cross the narrow notch to the other side with the help of the steel cable and a steep ascent towards the tower Teufels Turm follows (difficulty C). From the tower, we then steeply descend (difficulty C/D) and cross the notch below us via a hanging bridge. The bridge is made of three steel cables: we walk on one, and use the other two for holding and self-belaying. A short crossing of steep walls and a steep descent follows, helped by a few pegs (difficulty C).
After the descent, the path brings us to a somewhat less exposed and unsecured section of the path. After a short ascent, the path is secured again and an ascent follows on a still somewhat less sharp ridge upwards, which brings us to the next tower (difficulty B/C). A short descent follows, then with the help of just one steel cable (Flying Fox), which is tensioned to the adjacent tower, we cross the notch below us. If we do not have suitable equipment for such a crossing, we can continue on the path that descends into the notch. For crossing the notch on the steel cable, the use of a double pulley with a rope is recommended. With some caution, however, it can also be crossed with an additional sling. On the other side of the notch, a somewhat less steep ascent along the steel cable follows. The path soon brings us back to the exposed ridge (Teufels Hörndl). After a few short ascents and descents (difficulty C), a somewhat steeper ascent to the sharp extremely exposed ridge follows (difficulty C/D). During the ascent, a few pegs help us. Further, we ascend the ridge for a short time, then a descent into the notch follows. A somewhat less steep path then brings us to a junction, where an emergency exit downwards is possible to the right. The path by which it is possible to descend is technically less demanding, but due to crumbly rock and sparingly placed protections, considerable caution is needed.
At the junction where we are approximately halfway along the secured climbing path, we continue straight and ascend a less steep unsecured slope, which brings us to one of the more difficult sections of the path. A quite long mostly vertical ascent (difficulty D) to the next tower named Kummetstein follows. On this part of the path, there is also a danger of falling rocks. A little below the top of the tower, there is a register box by the path. A short descent along the ridge follows, from which increasingly beautiful views open up, especially towards the summit Hochkönig. The path brings us to the next notch and moves to the left side of the ridge. Another very steep ascent follows (difficulty D), helped by a few pegs. When we reach the ridge again, the path becomes somewhat less demanding for a while (difficulty A/B). The last steeper ascent follows (difficulty C/D), after which the path gradually becomes less demanding and brings us to the summit Hoher Kopf where the secured climbing path ends. On the summit, a beautiful view opens up also to the north side towards the glacier and on the other mountains in the Berchtesgaden Alps, which are located on the German side of the border.
From the summit, we continue right towards the summit Hochkönig, which we see ahead. First, we descend somewhat to the notch Birgkarscharte where there is a junction.
On the notch, we continue straight, to the right downwards leads path no. 432 back towards the starting point. From the notch, the path first ascends slightly then descends slightly again. When we reach below the slopes of the summit Hochkönig, the path starts to ascend more steeply and a view opens up on a larger part of the glacier, which lies below the slopes of Hochkönig. The path, marked with red-white stakes, brings us on a somewhat steeper slope to a junction on the north side of the summit. At the junction, we continue right and only a short easy ascent to the summit follows.
The described path is extremely demanding and is suitable only for experienced mountaineers with mandatory self-belaying and sufficient arm strength. The path is very long, so good physical condition is also required.
We can descend back towards the notch Birgkarscharte and then downwards along path no. 432. During the descent, great caution is needed as the path is very crumbly and quite poorly secured. Lower down, we then slightly ascend towards the notch Hochscharte where the climbing path Königsjodler begins. From there, we descend past the mountain hut Erichhütte back to the starting point.
The descent is also possible via an easier but considerably longer path past the mountain hut Arturhaus.

On the way: Erichhütte (1545m), Hochscharte (2283m), Teufelshörnln (2522m), Kematstein (2772m), Hoher Kopf (2875m), Birgkarscharte (2847m)