Salzstiegelhaus - Wölkerkogel

Access to starting point:
a) Highway A2 Klagenfurt - Graz we leave at the exit Packsattel, and then we follow the signs for Graz and Pack. At the settlement Stampf we leave the old road towards Graz and continue driving in the direction of the settlement Hirschegg, and from there follow the signs for the ski slope Salzstiegel and the mountain hut Salzstiegelhaus. In the last part, we follow the macadam road to the parking lot at the mountain hut Salzstiegelhaus, which is situated by the mountain pass Hirscheggersattel.
b) Highway A2 Graz - Klagenfurt we leave at the exit Modriach, and then we follow the signs for the lake Packer Stausee and the settlement Hirschegg. From the settlement Hirschegg we follow the signs for the ski slope Salzstiegel and the mountain hut Salzstiegelhaus. In the last part, we follow the macadam road to the parking lot at the mountain hut Salzstiegelhaus, which is situated by the mountain pass Hirscheggersattel.

Path description:
Signposts at the cottage Salzstiegelhaus direct us over the road pass to the eastern side, where we follow the signs for Rappoldkogel, Altes Almhaus, and Gaberl. We initially walk on a fairly gentle, rough macadam road, which, after a few minutes of walking, leads us to a crossroads by a grazing fence.
Here we continue slightly right on a grassy cart track in the direction of the mountain hut Altes Almhaus (slightly left Rappoldkogel) and after a minute of further walking, we reach a macadam road which we follow to the left. Next follows a longer crossing on the slopes of the mountain Rappoldkogel, where we cross a short avalanche gully, which we cross at a time when there is no danger of a snow avalanche. Later we leave the forest, and at a small crossing, we choose the slightly right lower road, which after further crossing brings us to a saddle separating Rappoldkogel and Schwarzkogel.
Here a path joins sharply from the left, leading over the peak of Rappoldkogel, but we continue slightly left in the direction of the mountain hut Altes Almhaus (slightly right Großebenhütte), where we begin moderately ascending on the macadam road. Higher, we leave the forest, and the road turns slightly to the left. At this point, at the fenced source, we leave the road and head slightly right onto an unmarked path that leads to the right of the source and then turns slightly to the left, where it begins to moderately ascend on mostly southwestern slopes of the peak Wölkerkogel. We then follow the traceable but unmarked footpath, enjoying beautiful views, to the statue of Mary on the panoramic summit, which is located above the cottage Altes Almhaus.
The description and pictures refer to the condition in October 2024.