Hiking in the Salzburger Land

Karseggalm & Kitzsteingabel – Großarltal

A hike on the Salzburger Almenweg through colorful Alpine meadows and through forests, past romantic mountain lakes and waterfalls, a break at the chapels and crossroads, that makes the Salzburg summer to an unique experience.

Karseggalm

The Karseggalm lies at 1,603 m – a popular hiking destination for people of all ages, reachable in about 1 ¼ h. Mountain bikers are also welcome. As is the case with many huts in Grossarltal, the Karseggalm lies on the Salzburger Almenweg, a multi-stage hiking tour through the Pongau district of Salzburg.

400 years old, it is the oldest mountain hut in Grossarltal. There is no electricity, the floor of the hut is still made of clay. At the Karseggalm, as you gaze on the open fire and experience how everything is still done by hand, you feel as if you have been transported back decades in time. In fact, they still make sour cheese – a cheese for which Grossarltal is famous – in a copper kettle over that open fire. Yet another specialty is actually smoked here – so-called “Knetkäse” cheese. Once a week you can watch as they make the sour cheese (dates are posted in the weekly events calendar). Then sample the cheese, along with other homemade products, while you enjoy their delicious “Brettljause” meals. In the meantime, your children will be having a great time on the playground or petting the animals.

If you happen to arrive here later in the day, the sunsets at the Karseggalm are highly recommended.

After the refreshment in the Karseggalm we go to the summit “Kitzsteingabel”

The “Kitzstein”, 2,037 m (we natives call it however “Gabel” – thus [Gobbi]) is one of the most northerly border mountain between Grossarl and Kleinarltal. Its summit including “Vorgipfel” adorn a total of 3 crosses. On the one hand, at the summit, the small commemorative cross for Rupert Wallner, who died here in 1955 due to an avalanche accident. Immediately next to it was recently set up by the family Gschwandtl (Maurachbauer, Grossarl) another cross – a “natural cross”, made from an old larch tree. Yes, and then there is the actual main cross right at the top of the main summit, which was the destination of my hikes in the Grossarl Valley at sunset early on the evening of 4 August. A wonderful evening – full of beauty and transience. At the same time full of lasting memories, captured in a small series of pictures.