Pension Camping Holzmeister - Plankogel (via Kerscbaumalm)

Access to starting point:
From the border crossing Šentilj, we continue driving on the highway towards Gradec/Graz and further towards Linz and Salzburg. We soon leave Highway A9 and continue driving slightly to the right in the direction of Vienna/Wien on the highway S35. We exit the highway at the Frohnleiten exit, then follow the signs for Weiz and Rechberg. After the settlement Tulwitz, we turn left towards Teichalm. The road ascends through a few more settlements, then flattens as we reach the Teichalm plateau. We drive to the inn Almgashof Angerwirt, where we turn right towards the settlement Sommeralm. At the inn Holzmeister, the described path begins. The parking lot by the inn is intended for guests.
We leave Highway A2 Graz-Vienna/Wien at the Gleisdorf West exit, then follow the signs for Hartberg and Weiz, and later only for Weiz. Through Weiz, we follow the signs for Passail. For the gorge Weizklamm, we turn right from the main road towards Sommeralm and surrounding settlements (straight for Passail). The road gradually starts ascending significantly, and we follow the signs for Sommeralm. After the settlement Sommeralm, we begin descending and drive to the inn Holzmeister, where the described path begins. The parking lot by the inn is intended for guests.

Path description:
By the main road we notice signs for Sommeralm and Straßegg, which point us to the path that initially continues along the main road. Immediately after passing the crossroad, where the path branches off to the left toward the mountain hut Stoahandhütte, we continue on the road to yellow mountain signposts, where signs for Sommeralm and Straßegg guide us slightly left onto the path that begins ascending diagonally through a spacious pasture. Higher up, the path follows the edge of the pasture for a while, and when we look back, a beautiful view opens up toward Osser. Further on, we cross the ski track of the ski slope Sommeralm - Holzmeisterlifte, where signs for the ski slope lead left into a forest lane. In the forest, the path turns back to the right, and upon exiting the forest, we follow another diagonal ascent across an increasingly panoramic grassy slope. Higher up, the path levels out and, passing a small cross, brings us to a crossing where a more worn path branches off slightly to the left toward the inn Straßegwirt. Here we continue straight, walking mostly eastward, until we reach a wide saddle, from which a view opens up to the north, and from the left, the path from the mountain pass Straßegg or the inn Straßegwirt joins.
We continue following the Sommeralm markers, and on the other side of the saddle, the path splits again.
We continue slightly right (slightly left to Stoakogelhütte cottage), then follows a diagonal ascent through a strip of forest. When the forest ends at a few crossings, we continue straight, or follow the signs for Sommeralm; a wind power plant can also aid in orientation.
From the crossing at the wind power plant, we continue left towards the summit of Plankogel and the cottage Stoakogelhütte (right Sommeralm) and bypass the wind power plant on the left side. Next follows a shorter crossing, then we leave the marked path leading towards the cottage Stoakogelhütte and turn left onto an unmarked but well-trodden path that starts ascending a grassy slope upwards. Higher up, we cross a grazing fence, followed by a few minutes of moderate ascent to the cross at the mountain's summit.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in November 2023.