Großer Buchstein
2,224 m
Austria
- Elevation
- 2,224 m
- Prominence
- 1,366 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Approximate line — not for navigation
An automated check found that parts of this line could not be matched to mapped trails, so it may stray far from the real route. Use it for planning only, with a map and a guidebook.
Why? 4 check notes
- danger scan: Parkplatz Buchsteinhaus → Brucksattel: connector line 214 m (limit 200 m)
- summit reached only via terrain-checked gaps (183 m past mapped ground)
- Buchsteinhaus → Großer Buchstein: corridor (detour; 216 m of gaps, 1.6 km)
- unresolved waypoints: Westschlucht
Sources differ: II- (bergsteigen.com ('Schwierigkeit 1 bzw. 2-'))
The normal route: from the Enns bridge at Gstatterboden (about 590 m) on trail 641 over the Brucksattel to the Buchsteinhaus (1,571 m), then up dwarf-pine zigzags and scree to the north side and the Westschlucht, a bouldery gully with many cables and UIAA I steps, onto the summit plateau and south to the cross. About 1,650–1,700 m of ascent; a long day or two days.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- ≈ 8.2 km
- one way
- Ascent
- ≈ +1,681 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 2,224 m
- Time Up
- ≈ 6h 42m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- ≈ 4h 31m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the car park by the Enns bridge at Gstatterboden, cross the bridge and turn left onto trail 641. It follows a forest road, then climbs through beech forest, crossing the forest road several times and the dry Kuhgraben stream bed, to the Brucksattel (1,117 m), where the Buchstein comes into view, and finally about 20 zigzags to the Buchsteinhaus (1,571 m). Allow 2½–3 hours. There is no water on the way. From the hut the normal route passes the turn-offs for the Südwand via ferrata and the Wenger Weg and climbs steep, partly loose zigzags through dwarf pine to a shoulder, over a small rock step and along a narrow path across shattered ground on the west side. The route swings from the south to the north side; cables start at about 1,900 m. At a small north saddle the Wenger Weg (II) branches off; the normal route enters the Westschlucht, where the climbing begins at about 2,100 m: big blocks, stepped passages of UIAA I and many cables lead onto the summit plateau. A path then follows the broad summit ridge south to the cross. Allow 2–2½ hours from the hut. Descend the same way (3–4 hours to Gstatterboden). Some parties descend the Südwand via ferrata (B/C), which is short but only for those used to via ferratas. The scree is loose and slippery; keep spacing in groups because of stonefall, and expect ice in the Westschlucht in spring and late autumn.
Start
Parkplatz Buchsteinhaus580 m
- Postbus line 912 or train (trains stop at Gstatterboden at weekends only) to Gstatterboden; the trailhead is a short walk from the station.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parkplatz Buchsteinhaus → Buchsteinhaus | 6.7 | 1,005 | 36 | 4h 16m |
| 2 | Buchsteinhaus → Großer Buchstein | 1.5 | 676 | 0 | 2h 26m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Parkplatz Buchsteinhaus580 m
- Col: Brucksattel1,126 m
- Hut: Buchsteinhaus1,551 m
- Summit: Großer Buchstein2,224 m
Key Passages
- Loose dwarf-pine zigzags above the Buchsteinhaus
- Traverse from the south to the north side (cables from about 1,900 m)
- Westschlucht: big blocks, UIAA I steps and cables
- Broad summit ridge south to the cross
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
The massive limestone block on the north side of the Gesäuse, facing the Hochtor across the Enns. The normal route is a long climb from Gstatterboden via the Buchsteinhaus and a cabled scrambling gully (UIAA I), with about 1,650 m of ascent.
The Großer Buchstein (2,224 m) is the highest point of the Buchstein group, which forms the northern wall of the Gesäuse above the Enns between Admont and Hieflau. From the south it presents a broad, steep limestone face crossed by a via ferrata; its summit is a wide plateau with a cross at the southern end. With over 1,350 m of prominence it is a mountain in its own right rather than a satellite of the Hochtor, 6 km away across the valley.
All routes start low. From Gstatterboden station at under 600 m, a forest path leads to the Naturfreunde Buchsteinhaus on the south side, and from there the normal route winds round to the north-west side and up the Westschlucht, a bouldery gully with many cables and grade I steps. The Wenger Weg (II), the Südwand via ferrata (B/C) and the classic West Ridge (II–III+, first climbed in winter 1898 by Heinrich Pfannl and Thomas Maischberger) are harder alternatives.
Even the normal route is no stroll: loose scree, stonefall and around 1,650 m of ascent make it a serious day, and many split it with a night at the hut. In return it gives a close view of the Hochtor north faces and is quieter than the Gesäuse's southern peaks.
Climbing Notes
Absolute sure-footedness on loose limestone, a head for heights and very good fitness are required; the Westschlucht involves UIAA I (some say 2-) moves, mostly cable-protected. A helmet is advisable, and less experienced members of a party may want a short rope. Carry all your water: there is none on the route and water at the hut is scarce.
Typical plan: walk up to the Buchsteinhaus in the afternoon (2½–3 hours), climb the summit early next morning (2–2½ hours) and descend to Gstatterboden (3–4 hours). As a single day, allow about 8 hours. In spring and late autumn the Westschlucht can be icy and the days are short; several reports describe finishing in the dark.
History
Hunters used the line of today's normal route early on, according to climbing guides. The West Ridge was first climbed on 16 January 1898 by Heinrich Pfannl and Thomas Maischberger, two of the leading Gesäuse climbers of the time. The Buchsteinhaus was first built in 1924 by the Naturfreunde of Steyr; the present hut was rebuilt on the same site and reopened in 2010, and has been run by the Naturfreunde Bad Ischl since 2021.
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: Possible
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; serious mountaineering terrain
- Feb
- Winter conditions
- Mar
- Winter conditions
- Apr
- Snow and ice in the Westschlucht
- May
- Hut opens mid-May to early June depending on snow; ice possible in the gully
- Jun
- Snow patches on the plateau possible
- Jul
- Main season; hot on the approach; thunderstorms
- Aug
- Main season
- Sep
- Often stable and cooler
- Oct
- Possible in dry weather; short days; hut closing date not published
- Nov
- Ice in the Westschlucht and snow likely; hut closed
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Buchsteinhaus: online via pretix.eu/buchsteinhaus, by phone (+43 6132 26991 320) or e-mail (buchsteinhaus@naturfreunde-badischl.at). Dogs must be announced by phone.
- Fees
- Buchsteinhaus overnight (2026): EUR 18.50 members, EUR 25 non-members, plus EUR 1.50 overnight tax; half board EUR 45
- Rules
- The Gesäuse valley floor and the Buchstein lie in Gesäuse National Park; stay on marked paths
- No parking along the B146 road near the trailhead; use the car park by the Enns bridge
- Getting There
Gstatterboden and Admont (Styria)
Graz (GRZ); Linz (LNZ)
- By car: A9 to Admont, then B146 through the Gesäuse to Gstatterboden; car park by the Enns bridge
- Postbus line 912 to 'Bahnhof Gstatterboden'; trains stop at Gstatterboden at weekends
- Alternative approach from St. Gallen (Eisenzieher) on trail 641, about 5 hours to the hut
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,571 m
BuchsteinhausHutStaffed
50 beds · From mid-May or early June (depending on snow) into the autumn; small emergency winter room below the terrace