Plassen 1953m from Gosausee

We start cycling at the Gosaukamm cable car station on the northern shore of the Vorderer Gosausee with a fantastic view of the Gosau Glacier and Dachstein. After 800 meters, a wide gravel road branches off to the left, which overcomes the steep section to the Ebenalm in a few switchbacks and with a moderate incline. We reach a forested plateau. After a short descent to the Vorderen Grubenalm, it continues with short descents and a pleasant ascent to the small, managed Rossalm.

We now hike on a pale red-white-red marked, quite overgrown path, crossing a forest ridge, going up and down without gaining altitude to the Schreieralm. This place is also accessible on foot or by MTB (ascent + descent) via the forest road. A wide alpine meadow hollow, followed by a rooty path through a forest band and above it a flatter raised bog (with a wooden plank path), brings us up to the Schiechlingsattel. Here we turn right and hike over karst and larch corridors on the west side of the wooded rock ridge to the steep ascent. In front of the rocks, we now go left over a steep mountain meadow chute in many switchbacks past two rock towers quite steeply up to a flattening. Left around a broad rock band leads the rock path to a flat larch ridge, which we follow in wide corridors up to a basin. Here we join the ascent path coming up from Hallstatt. A short rock band is overcome on scree and rock ledges before we reach the summit of Plassen with a cross and bench over the simple scree slope.

Descent along the ascent path. Alternatively, you can turn right from the basin onto the Hallstatt descent. After a short opposing ascent, it goes quite steeply down the east flank with a beautiful view of Lake Hallstatt. Two steep rock steps are abseiled in a larch corridor supported by a fixed rope. A scree field is descended in short switchbacks. At the fork, we choose the left path, which gently ascends north to a swampy meadow. Here, turn left. Above the meadow, it goes moderately steep through larch corridors up to a flat ridge. With slight ascents and descents, we soon reach the Schiechlingsattel on it. Down over raised bog, forest belt, and alpine meadow hollow to the Schreieralm, further along the hiking trail or the forest road to the Roßalm. Descent with two longer, mild opposing ascents back to the Gosausee.