Saualpen northern loop

SHORT ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

PP Weissbergerhütte-Weissbergeralmsiedlung-Breitofnerhütte/344-west of Petutschnigghütte-Kirchberger Alpe-north of Schumetzkogel-northwest of Guttaringer Alm-Steinerne Hochzeit-Forstalpe-Hafeneck-Kienberg-Eisernes Kreuz/LHW/308/334-Gertrusk-Eisernes Kreuz-Weissbergerhütte/343

DETAILED ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

1. From the Weissbergerhütte parking lot (1607 m) we go north to the Weissbergeralmsiedlung and follow the trail sign to the Breitofnerhütte with trail no. 344 – crossing the Weissbergerbach and a main forestry road (HWW) to the Sonnwendhütte (1st, short break, 1.5 km, 1515 m).

2. We continue hiking the HWW northwards and after about 300 m at a fork leave trail no. 344 half-right, northeast. The slightly ascending HWW (without trail markings) leads us after about 2 km, crossing the Greierbach, to the Petutschnigghütte – at a spring and small hut we take the 2nd break, 3.7 km, 1575 m.

3. We continue following the HWW north to the Kirchberger Alm (municipal boundary) and at the summit and trail crossing turn right, east. The faint, neglected trail after about 300 m changes to pathless terrain – we follow about 900 m with the GPS northwest of a fenced area and meet a HWW. This leads us southwest in an S-shape north of Schumetzkogel - after about 3 km, slightly ascending, we reach a water-rich spot for the 3rd break, 8.9 km, 1817 m.

ALTERNATIVE 1: After the summit continue for about 400 m on the HWW northeast, at the crossing go straight and after about 1.2 km at a large trail crossing go half-right south to wait at the next crossing after about 500 m (route extension on HWW: about 1 km).

4. We cross pathless northwest of the Guttaringer Alm the "Steinerne Hochzeit," still surrounded by trees, and after about 200 vertical meters on the Forstalpe reach the Lavanttal high trail (LHW), Eisenwurzen trail 308 (EWW), and trail no. 334 and take the 4th break at the large rock, 10.1 km, 2034 m.

5. We turn right, south, and after about 300 m northwest of the Forstalpe reach Hafeneck. The LHW and trails no. 308/334 bring us further south, nestled between the Guttaringer Alm and the southeast Forstalpe, to the highest point of the northern loop, Kienberg (5th break, 12.3 km, 2050 m).

6. Passing the "Three Ovens," continuing downhill, we reach the trail crossing at the "Eisernes Kreuz" (1960 m) – here we leave the long-distance trails and turn sharply right, northwest, following trail no. 343 to reach after about 3 km, partly steep descending, the starting point Weissbergerhütte (17.5 km, 1607 m). 

ALTERNATIVE 2: We continue hiking south and at the trail crossing keep half-left, remaining on LHW – after about 400 m we reach, initially steadily ascending, later steeply the iron cross at Gertrusk (2044 m) and take the 6th, short break with wonderful views.