Graukogel 2492m crossing

The first steep forest level corresponds to the normal route. We turn right onto the first (overgrown) forest road and follow it to the Schachenhof with a chapel above the Windischkrätzhöhe inn. Now we follow the marked alpine path to the Palfner Heimalm. Beyond this, after crossing the stream, a partially well-staged hiking trail leads through a steep forest level and a grassy meadow hollow past the dilapidated Palfner Hochalm, finally in a flat traverse up to the Palfnersee. In a few terrain stages, we hike up to the already visible Palfnerscharte. The marked hiking trail leads beyond to Reedsee and down into the Kötschach valley, but we ascend left to the foot of the striking rock tower of the south ridge. The tower is bypassed on a slabby ramp on the right; behind it, a rocky gully is climbed to the ridge edge. Partly easy scrambling over rough rock blocks, partly on rocky-sandy path, it now goes moderately steep along the ridge with a short descent into a small ridge saddle, quite entertainingly up to the summit cross of the Graukogel. Wonderful summit panorama!

The normal descent leads quite steeply just below the west ridge edge to a forepeak and then in the slabby face left of the north ridge with a short counter-ascent to the large summit cross of the Hüttenkogel. Several paths now lead westwards down to the Graukogel hut at the mountain station. With the cable car or via the piste and forest path past the mid station back down to the starting point at the valley station.