Eisenhut
2,441 m
Austria
Also known as Айзенхут, Άισενχουτ, +1Also known as
Айзенхут · Άισενχουτ · Эйзенгут
- Elevation
- 2,441 m
- Prominence
- 800 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2The shortest marked route: trail 129 from the old forester's house (Hannebauer) on the Turrach road, up the Minibach valley past the Pernerhütte to the Dieslingsee (1,818 m), then a steepening narrow path with a few rocky steps to the summit cross. About 1,300 m of ascent and 16.5 km return.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 8.3 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,292 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 2,441 m
- Time Up
- 5h 22m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 40m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start at the Altes Forsthaus (Hannebauer) on the Turracher Straße, 9.4 km up from Predlitz. Opposite the farmstead a forest road leads about 300 m to a barrier, where there is parking. Follow trail 129 south-east along the forest road above the Minibach for about 2 km, then a path through woodland past the Pernerhütte (Perner Alm, about 1,640 m) to the Dieslingsee (1,818 m), a cirque lake between the Eisenhut and the Wintertaler Nock, about 5.5 km and 550 m of ascent from the start. The path passes the lake on its right-hand side and climbs west through larch and dwarf pine, gently at first and then steeper on a narrow path with a few rocky steps and some boulders to step over, to the summit cross (2,441 m). The signpost gives 4 hours from the start; fit walkers report a little under 3 hours. Descend the same way (total 6–7 hours on foot). The route is well marked but the upper slope is steep and slippery when wet or snow-covered; the summit is open to wind and storms with no shelter.
Start
Forsthaus Hannebauer1,160 m
- No confirmed bus service to the Hannebauer trailhead (9.4 km up the Turracher Straße from Predlitz in the Mur valley); check regional timetables or arrange a taxi.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forsthaus Hannebauer → Eisenhut | 8.3 | 1,292 | 11 | 5h 22m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Forsthaus Hannebauer1,160 m
Parking at a barrier about 300 m along the forest road opposite the farmstead
- Waypoint: Pernerhütte1,642 m
- Feature: Dieslingsee1,817 m
- Summit: Eisenhut2,441 m
Key Passages
- Forest road along the Minibach
- Dieslingsee
- Steep narrow path with rocky steps above the lake
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
The highest summit of the Nock Mountains and of the whole Gurktal Alps (2,441 m), a broad, grassy-and-rocky dome north-east of the Turracher Höhe. A long but non-technical day hike on marked paths, with about 1,300–1,500 m of ascent from either the Turrach valley or the Turracher Höhe pass.
The Eisenhut stands in Styria close to the Carinthian border, north-east of the Turracher Höhe pass. It tops the neighbouring Rosennock by a single metre, which makes it the highest point of the rounded, mostly grass-covered Nock Mountains. South of it rise the three tops of the Wintertaler Nock (up to 2,404 m at the Straßburger Spitz); to the north it falls towards the Turrach stream and the Mur valley. In a cirque between the Eisenhut and the Wintertaler Nock lies the Dieslingsee, the main landmark on the shortest route.
The mountain is built of weakly metamorphosed Palaeozoic slates and phyllites rather than limestone, so the terrain is mostly meadow, dwarf pine and blocky slopes rather than cliffs. Marked paths reach the summit from every side: from the Turrach valley via the Dieslingsee, from the Turracher Höhe via the Rapitzsattel or along the ridge, and from the Flattnitz in the east.
What makes it a serious day is length rather than difficulty. The shortest route still has about 1,300 m of ascent, and the approaches from the Turracher Höhe involve many counter-climbs over 20–24 km. The upper slopes and ridges are open and shelterless, so fog, wind and summer thunderstorms are the main hazards.
Climbing Notes
Requires good fitness for a 6–8 hour day and sure-footedness on steep, narrow paths; no climbing, glacier or rope skills are needed in summer. The direct route from the Altes Forsthaus (Hannebauer) on the Turrach road is the most efficient: about 4 hours up by the signpost, 6–7 hours return. Approaches from the Turracher Höhe are longer (7½ hours return or more) but start higher.
There is no staffed hut on the normal route, so carry enough food and water. Start early in summer to be off the open slopes before afternoon thunderstorms, and avoid the ridges in fog, as waymarks can be far apart. Snow lingers on the north side into June. In winter the mountain is a ski-touring objective, with the usual avalanche precautions.
History
The name refers to the iron mining once carried out in the area, commemorated by the mining museum in Turrach; anthracite was mined at the northern foot of the mountain until 1964. A description of an ascent of the 'großen Eisenhut' from the Gurktal was published as early as 1815. The mountain also features in the second verse of the Carinthian state anthem (Kärntner Heimatlied) as the northern counterpart to the Karawanks, although the summit itself lies in Styria.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Possible
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; ski-touring only, avalanche risk
- Feb
- Winter; ski-touring only, avalanche risk
- Mar
- Ski-touring season
- Apr
- Spring snow on the upper slopes
- May
- Snow remains on the north side and above the Dieslingsee
- Jun
- Hiking season starts; possible snow patches early in the month
- Jul
- Main season; afternoon thunderstorms
- Aug
- Main season
- Sep
- Often stable weather
- Oct
- Shorter days; first snow possible
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Getting There
Predlitz (Turrach valley); Turracher Höhe (pass resort)
Klagenfurt Airport (KLU)
- Car to the Altes Forsthaus (Hannebauer): from Predlitz in the Mur valley take the Turracher Straße 9.4 km south; park at the barrier about 300 m along the forest road opposite the farmstead
- Car to the Turracher Höhe from Predlitz (north) or from Feldkirchen/Radenthein via Ebene Reichenau (south); car parks by the Turrachsee
- The drive between the Altes Forsthaus and the Turracher Höhe takes about 20 minutes, useful for a one-way traverse
- Public transport to the trailheads was not confirmed; check regional bus timetables
Hazards
- Weather