Hohenwart, Breiteckkoppe, and Moarsee from/to Hainzl
This tour particularly highlights the diversity of the Niedere Tauern:
While the summit of Hohenwart rises steeply and its slopes often still gleam with white firn late into spring, the cirque below the Pölseckjoch is characterized by charming small lakes and glacier tarns, among which cattle graze in the summer.
The Wildsee below Eiskarspitz lies above 2100 meters altitude, and accordingly, its emerald-green waters remain frozen for many months of the year.
On the ridge trail over Schönfeldspitz, past Pustereckjoch, and over Gangkogel to Breiteckkoppe, you spend most of the time on a gentle grassy ridge, but not everywhere. There is also a rocky section that reminds you that even the "Niedere" Tauern are a mountain range.
Even few visitors to Breiteckkoppe know about the Moarsee, as it is not visible from the summit, although it lies just slightly lower in a quiet grassy cirque. Its surroundings radiate a special peace and dignity.
The descent to the Moarsee hut has rather an adventurous character, as you have to follow the now very faint traces of an old alpine path that leads back down to the valley across several steep stages and deeply incised watercourses. Once at the bottom looking back towards the lake, this path almost appears invisible, and one wonders exactly where they have descended…
Author’s recommendation
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Safety information
This route presents no particular safety risks. The high route from Eiskarspitz to Breiteckkoppe is considered marked, though the markings are rather sparse and faint. Moreover, this path is rarely used. Therefore, orientation and navigation skills are required. The same applies even more to the unmarked descent from Breiteckkoppe or from Moarsee to the Moaralmhütte.Tips and suggestions
Highly recommended and not far away is also a circular route over Kleinhansl and Großhansl.Roadbook
From the car park, follow the signpost towards Pölsenhütte, which is reached via a forest road. Behind the Pölsenhütte, the marked ascent begins over the Pölseckjoch to the Hohenwart.
From the Hohenwart, continue marked towards Glattjoch to the Eiskarspitz.
At the summit of the Eiskarspitz, turn north to find the (formerly) marked descent into the Glattschartl. Basically, it goes just along the edge of the escarpment down to the saddle, where the trail traces become clearer again.
Stay on the edge, ascend towards Schönfeldspitz, following yellow-marked boundary stones. The path of the former crossing below Schönfeldspitz has largely disappeared; due to the steep terrain, it is safer to continue up to Schönfeldspitz and descend to the next saddle on its eastern ridge, where a path becomes visible again. However, this trail leads into a traverse west below the next rise and then gets lost in the slope. If you choose this traverse, do not descend down to the left but continue on the same elevation until reaching the other side where old markings appear again. The marked route itself follows the edge directly over the ridge and down into the following saddle below the Pustereck. Here, keep more to the left (west), where the trail is clearly visible again on the ascent towards Gangkogel. Partly it now leads through dense underbrush and along the west flank; a short section is rocky and steep directly on the ridge.
Finally, the last saddle below Breiteckkoppe is reached. From there, ascend north to the summit roughly following the fall line along the ridge.
From the summit of Breiteckkoppe, descend directly south along the broad ridge and after a few meters catch your first view of the Moarsee in the cirque below. Reach the lake at its western end and continue hiking east along its southern shore, crossing its outflow and some swampy passages. On the east side of Moarsee, a clear path runs almost horizontally into the mountain slope. After about 100 m, turn at the lowest point of this path to the right and thus downhill to start the descent. The old path ramp is now hardly visible; however, the terrain here is unproblematic, though somewhat damp and slippery. Initially, orient yourself towards a large wooden hut located at the outer edge of the next lower plateau and head for this hut. From here, you can see below a southern escarpment a distinct path leading right (west), which is the next intermediate goal.
At first, at the hut, you must sharply turn left to bypass a ditch and descend east of it to a group of individual spruces. Below the spruces, turn right and reach the previously mentioned path behind a small brook, which leads west, to soon cross a pronounced water channel that further down becomes almost a gorge. On the other side of the brook, the path runs downhill left through dense alder bushes and soon reaches a prominent rock platform. To the right, it descends steeply and in tight switchbacks where the path is very wet. Further down, the brook is crossed again. Then you enter a large pasture where it is difficult to make out the path’s further course. Diagonally down to the right (west) and thus valleyward, tracks lead downhill until a path appears again at the western edge of the pasture where you cross another brook. After leaving the brook bed, you stand on a pasture again and follow the path valleyward a little further until it starts to ascend again. Here, turn left and descend pathless through light, tall alder bushes to where a forest road is already visible. The terrain in the lower alder section is swampy, and you need to watch your steps carefully. Across a meadow, you finally reach the forest road and follow it to the left (downvalley) until the main path above the Moaralmhütte bends sharply right. Stay straight on the meadow path and follow it until it meets a forest road farther down, which you follow back to the starting point.
Public transport
No public transport connectionDirections
From Pöls or Trieben to Möderbrugg and on to Pusterwald; after the village, continue for about 10 km alongside the Pusterwaldbach, the last stretch on a gravel road until the driving ban at Hainzl.Parking
Public parking lot before the driving ban at the end of the Pusterwaldgraben (near Hainzl).Coordinates
Equipment
Hiking equipment.
Every backpack should include: rain, cold, sun protection, first aid kit, sufficient fluids, and a hiking map of the region.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

User Questions