1953 metres "mountain home of the people of Hallstatt"

Plassen

Starting point for this walk is the small, picturesque World Heritage town of Hallstatt with its wealth of history.

The Facts

You can choose to either take the cable car to the high Hallstatt valley (also for the salt mines), or to follow the path as it zig zags up through the woods. When you reach the summit, you join a steep, wide trail (Marked 640) which leads to the top of the Salzberg. Pass the former miners' huts and the vast face of this huge mountain looms before us.

Bear right along the forest track which curves steeply up towards the Hohen Wasserstollen (tunnels carved out by water). If you prefer, you can stay on the forest track. The route to the summit of the Plassen begins above these "Wasserstollen". The route covers stretches of woodland (mountain pine), grass lands and rubble on your ascent to a small saddle and then there is a rather difficult section. But this made easier and is secured by a metal hand rail. Now you can enjoy those first amazing views of the Dachstein massif!

There is a cross on the summit of the mountain and from here there are breath-taking panoramic views. Admire the rugged Gosaukamm mountain range, and on a clear day you can see the Schafberg above Lake Wolfgang, and even the Bavarian mountains in Germany!

Follow trail number 643 as you make your way down the mountain. This begins to the left of the summit. The route zig zags down through the woods until you reach a rocky outcrop. shortly after here, we keep right and take path number 645 as it leads down through the woods and to the summit of the Salzberg.

Return to Hallstatt via the cable car, or if you have a little energy left, you can walk via the "Schlaipen" through the Echerntal valley back to the town. This is a "diversion" of about 2 hours, but it is really worth it!

Ferienregion Dachstein-Salzkammergut
Tourismusverband Inneres Salzkammergut
Geschäftsstelle Hallstatt

Seestraße 169, 4830 Hallstatt
Tel.: +43 (0)6134 8208

e-Mail: hallstatt@dachstein-salzkammergut.at
Web: http://www.oberoesterreich.at/hallstatt