Hackenköpfe crossing via Scheffauer

We hike on a well-developed, often stepped path through the upper part of the wooded Rehbach Gorge up to the alpine path, which takes us past the Hinterschießlingalm to the Steiner Niederalm and, shortcutting on the hiking trail, to the Steiner Hochalm. Above that on path 814a across alpine meadows, through larch thickets and scree slopes up to the southern faces of the Scheffauer (Veitskirche). Then right to an implied rocky gully, which we follow along the markings 814 (once a rope-secured chimney) up to the east saddle. Then left on the broad ridge to the nearby summit cross of the Scheffauer.

From the east saddle, descend a few meters northwards, then a just visible, unmarked path branches right into the north flank of the first ridge bump. In the following notch, you have to climb up to the ridge on the right over well-stepped steep rock (II°). Short hiking terrain, then a large ridge block is bypassed on the north side in brittle terrain, and the unadorned western Hackenkopf is quickly reached along the ridge. Now it goes along a relatively narrow, rocky ridge with some ups and downs down into the hollow. Behind it, we cross a somewhat exposed scree gorge to the right to a notch in the southern cliffs. We now scramble up beautiful solid I° terrain in the rock on the west flank of the middle Hackenkopf to its summit cairn. The ridge becomes a bit wider. Over a crest, path traces and short climbing steps lead to the last marked ridge elevation, the eastern Hackenkopf.

Now it goes with gentle ups and downs over rocky terrain to the indistinct Wiesberg and over a broad meadow slope with a short counter-ascent to the rocky junction with path 821 from Sonneck. In the steep southern flank of the Kopfkraxen, descend in many switchbacks to the Sonnenstein and around its southern base past the Kaiser Hochalm to the Kaiseralm. You can descend westwards to the Hinterschießlingalm via the Kaiser Niederalm with a significant counter-ascent, or return to the starting point on the alpine path in a wide right curve via the hamlet Schießling.