Geißstein
2,363 m
Austria
Also known as GaissteinAlso known as
Gaisstein
- Elevation
- 2,363 m
- Prominence
- 1,085 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The short southern route from the Bürglhütte (1,700 m) above Stuhlfelden: pasture paths to the Sintersbachscharte (2,035 m), then a steepening grass and rock flank and the last 200 m along the west ridge to the summit. About 670 m of ascent, 2 hours up; the steep, partly exposed grass near the top is the only difficulty.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 3.6 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +662 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 2,363 m
- Time Up
- 2h 40m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 1h 47m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Drive from Stuhlfelden in the Salzach valley up the Sonnberg road into the Mühltal to the Bürglhütte (1,700 m), about 11 km; the last part is a gravel alp road, single-track with few passing places once the hut is in sight. Park at the hut or at the roadside before the narrow section. Without a car, walk up from Stuhlfelden in 2–3 hours or take a taxi. From behind the hut follow the alp road briefly, then turn left onto the path signed for the Sintersbachscharte, which climbs through alpine pasture and alpenrose to the saddle (2,035 m) with the first views of the Hohe Tauern. Turn right (north-east) towards the summit; the path crosses pasture below prominent rocks and steepens markedly under the top. The last roughly 200 m follow the west ridge, where sure-footedness and a head for heights are needed and a fall would be serious, especially on wet grass. The summit cross looks south across the Salzach valley to the Großvenediger and Großglockner groups. Descend south along the broad back of the mountain directly towards the Bürglhütte, which stays in sight for most of the way; the loop takes 3–4½ hours in total. Longer approaches come from Jochberg through the Sintersbach valley (about 1,400 m, 8 hours round trip) and from Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
Start
Bürglhütte1,701 m
- Pinzgauer Lokalbahn or Postbus to Stuhlfelden, then taxi to the Bürglhütte or a 2–3 hour walk up the Mühltal.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bürglhütte → Geißstein | 3.6 | 662 | 0 | 2h 40m |
Waypoints
- Hut: Bürglhütte1,701 m
Car park at the hut; end of the Mühltal alp road
- Col: Sintersbachscharte2,035 m
- Summit: Geißstein2,363 m
Key Passages
- Sintersbachscharte
- Steep pasture below the summit rocks
- Final 200 m on the west ridge
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
A steep, grassy pyramid of 2,363 m on the Tyrol–Salzburg border between Jochberg, Saalbach and Stuhlfelden, often called one of the highest grass mountains in the Alps. From the Bürglhütte it is a two-hour climb, with a short exposed finish on the west ridge.
The Geißstein (also spelled Gaisstein) is one of the highest summits of the Kitzbühel Alps, on the border between Tyrol and Salzburg. It stands where the Sintersbach valley above Jochberg, the head of the Glemm valley and the Mühltal above Stuhlfelden meet, with the long grassy ridges of the Pinzgau Ridgeway running east from it. Its south and west sides are steep grass and broken schist, rising well above the rounded pastures around it, while the north side shows a rockier, 'wild' face.
The usual climb starts at the Bürglhütte, a privately run alp inn at 1,700 m reached by a narrow road from Stuhlfelden. From there it is a short half-day: pasture paths to the Sintersbachscharte and a steep final flank and ridge. Longer and quieter routes come up from Jochberg through the Sintersbach valley and from Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
The main reason to come is the view: the whole chain of the Hohe Tauern from the Großvenediger to the Großglockner fills the southern horizon across the Salzach valley, with the Wilder Kaiser and the Steinernes Meer to the north and east.
Climbing Notes
From the Bürglhütte the climb is about 670 m and 2 hours, 3–4½ hours for the round trip; it is graded T3. The ground is not technical, but the summit flank is steep grass and the final 200 m of the west ridge are narrow and exposed, so sure-footedness and a head for heights are required. Wet grass, early-season snow or frozen ground make the upper part markedly more dangerous; avoid it in those conditions.
The approach road to the Bürglhütte is narrow and partly unsurfaced; drive carefully or walk up from Stuhlfelden (2–3 hours). The longer approach from Jochberg through the Sintersbach valley (about 1,400 m, 8 hours round trip) can be combined with a descent over the Schusterscharte and Hochtor. The Bürglhütte offers food and simple overnight accommodation in summer and is a stage on the Pinzgau Ridgeway.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Not advisable
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; ski tours in the area for experienced parties only
- Feb
- Winter
- Mar
- Winter; steep summit flank prone to avalanches
- Apr
- Snowmelt
- May
- Snow on the upper slopes; hut not yet open
- Jun
- Bürglhütte opens around the start of June; alpenrose in bloom
- Jul
- Main season; afternoon thunderstorms
- Aug
- Main season
- Sep
- Often stable weather
- Oct
- Hut closes late September or early October; frost and early snow make the steep grass dangerous
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Bürglhütte: privately run; contact the hut directly for overnight stays.
- Rules
- The Mühltal alp road to the Bürglhütte is narrow and single-track in its upper part, with few passing places
- Getting There
Stuhlfelden (also Mittersill and Jochberg)
Salzburg Airport (SZG)
- Pinzgauer Lokalbahn (Zell am See–Krimml) or Postbus to Stuhlfelden, then taxi or a 2–3 hour walk to the Bürglhütte
- Car: B168 through the Salzach valley to Stuhlfelden, then the Sonnberg road and Mühltal alp road to the Bürglhütte (about 11 km)
- Alternative start: Jochberg (B161 Kitzbühel–Mittersill), car park at the Sintersbach valley entrance
Hazards
- Exposure
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,700 m
BürglhütteHutStaffed
Summer, roughly June to late September or early October (sources differ)