Overview
Detailed topographic map of the Pack Alps Pack Alps inside the Eastern Alps Pack
Alps (Packalpe) Mountains are 30 km (19 miles)
long and just over 10 km wide mountain range in the Lavanttal Alps.
The
highest peak is Ameringkogel (2187 m).
Together with
the adjacent Stubalpe, The Pack Alps form the only part of
the Lavanttal Alps
which spans in the direction
north-south rather then west to east.
This
small ridge of the Eastern Alps has moderately steep slopes with grassy
tops,
a cross and a register coffer on all main
summits.
It is also the frontier ridge between two Austrian
provinces, Styria and Carinthia.
All paths are
clearly marked with white-red dabs of paint,
and common yellow
waymarks.
It is chiefly hiking area,
with
the exception of Rappoldkogel southern ridge,
which
offers short 15 minutes easy scramble over the rocks.
Austrian
long distance trail #05 (Weitwanderweg 05)
runs through the
Pack Alps from north to the south
(Lärchkogel -
Speikkogel - Gleinalpenhaus - Gaberl - Hirschegger Alpe - Pack portion).
Whole
range is highly esteemed as winter ski tour area
- main ski tour paths are marked with long iron poles.
Pack Alps
boundaries:
- Packalpe valley bordering the Lavant river
valley (Lavanttal)
and Obdacher passes in the west
-
the Mura River in the north
- Gleinalpe on the north-east
and the the Packsattel pass in the south.
Main
trailheads:
Pack (saddle)
Located at 1169 m above
sea level, The Pack or Pack Saddle Pass
is a transition from
Lavanttal valley in Carinthia into southern Styria.
Hirschegger
saddle - an old mountain pass, that once upon a time
served
as stage during the transport of saltfrom the Salzkammergut
region.
These days, this is is where Salzstieglhaus hut is
located.
From here, Speikkogel and Rappoldkogel summits are
reached with short hikes.
Remaining main summits of Pack Alps
are, basically,
ridge continuation from Speikkogel to
Großenberg.
Main Summits
Pack Alps main
summits, following the range span (NW to SE)
Panorama
Getting There
Most convinient and exercised trailheads are Hirschegg and Pack.
The Southern Motorway (A2),
is one of the largest infrastructures in Austria
(Klagenfurt - Graz - Vienna).
In snowy winters or in peak summer one may expect traffic jams and congestion.Road map Panoramic overview map
- getting
there by car:
From Vienna, Graz or Klagenfurt,
motorway A2 exit Modriach,
follow the roadsigns for Hirschegg
and Salzstiegl. (Hirschegger saddle).
Last portion of the road
to Salzstiegl is dirt road, about to be paved in near future.
Coming
down the Semmering highway S36 From
Vienna, Graz or Klagenfurt,
drive via
Zeltweg and Möbersdorf.
For Pack, from Vienna, Graz
or Klagenfurt A2 motorway exit Pack.
- by coach/bus:
Linie 12
Koflach-(Hirschegg)-(Modriach)-Pack-Koflach - Verbund linie
722
- by train:
With
ÖBB one can get as far as Zeltweg,
Austrian Railways query
- by plain:
Nearest airport is Graz
international.
Serving low-cost carriers as well.
Huts
Bernstein hut with routes Salzsttiegl hut with routes Main
huts in the area:
- Bernsteinhütte
1559 m
warden: Kurt
Ziry
phone: +43 (0)
0676/6739497
- Knödelhütte
1416 m
warden: Adolf Schratter
phone: +43 (0)3142/22532
- Petererhütte
1.590 m
warden: Peter Fehberger
phone:
+43 (0)664/2386438
- Alpengasthof
Salzstiegel 1543
m
warden: Waltraud Köckf
fax: 03141/20037
eMail: salzstiegel.haus@onemail.at
Most
of the huts are open from early June to September 20th,
with the notable exception of Salzstieglhaus,
which is open year round.
Hut distance short overview:
Segment / Walking time / Distance)
Pack > Knödelhütte 90 min/ 4.4 km
Knödelhütte > Bernsteinhütte 40 min/ 2.4 km
Bernsteinhütte > Hirschegger Alm 45 min/ 2.4 km
Hirschegger Alm > Peterer Sattel 90 min/ 6.3 km
Peterer Sattel > Salzstiegelhaus 60 min 3.6 km
Weather