Schneeherrgott, Kruckenbrettl and Hochbuchberg

In the Upper Austrian Prealps, between the rivers Enns and Steyr, there is a worthwhile hiking area with inviting huts before the rocky regions of the Sengsengebirge. This region can be reached quickly from the central area. We were on our way on a varied tour, which, spiced with wide views, always tempted us to take a break. From the Roda Valley, first follow the signs towards Schneeherrgott.

From the Enns valley to the Steyr valley

On a forest road, the route climbs gently up to the commemorative cross with rest bench in a meadow. The name Schneeherrgott is meant to commemorate a man who lost his bearings here in a snowstorm a long time ago and froze to death. “Kruckenbrettl 40 min, Weg 409” is on the signpost, so from here you follow the path, which becomes steeper, up to the forest summit, which is crowned with a wayside shrine and a stone pyramid. It goes downhill again, the path leads into an alpine meadow with a great view and soon after dives back into the forest region.

Follow the signs towards Hochbuchberg. Slightly sloping down to the Messerer Gscheid, the historic transition from the Enns to the Steyr valley. From there the path climbs again up to the Sulzboden with blooming meadows below the summit of the Hochbuchberg. From there you follow the increasingly steeper but not too long path in the forest, which winds its way up to the summit cross. The Grünburger Hütte lies far below, the peaks of Dürrem Eck and Gaisberg are almost within reach, and further back are the peaks of the Sengsengebirge. Noise from the work in the quarry comes up from the Pfaffenboden. A storage power plant is being planned there.

For the descent, we followed the ridge path, which soon leads into a forest road, and with a view down towards Sulzboden, we hike down to a hairpin bend. From there, straight ahead into the forest, you reach the ascent path again and follow it down to the Grünburger Hütte. You can sit comfortably on the large terrace and let yourself be pampered with a view of the nearby peaks. Many mountain bikers also come up, with the e-bikes there have been more. György, the landlord, is cautiously optimistic: “Corona has already changed a lot. People look more at money and there are even some who simply disappear without paying”.

Well catered for, we contentedly set out on path no. 16, which leads down through the forest in a fairly straight line to the Seebacher, where this entertaining loop ends.

• Arrival & starting point: Arrival via Grünburg in the direction of Molln, at the Haunoldmühle you cross the Steyr and shortly thereafter turn left into the Roda Valley. Ascent to the Seebachergut. Parking along the street. Please do not hinder anyone. The starting point is not publicly accessible.
• Characteristic: Varied hike on paths and forest climbs without difficulty. The ascent to the Kruckenbrettl and the descent into the Roda Valley have some steeper sections. As a variant, you can also climb directly from Rodatal to Messerer Gscheid. The Kruckenbrettl is left on the left.

Information about the tour

walking time: 4 hours

Length: 11 kilometers

Altitude: 840 meters of altitude

Route: Rodatal (580 m) – Schneeherrgott (740 m) – Kruckenbrettl (1020 m) – Messerer Gscheid (948 m) – Hochbuchberg (1273 m) – Grünburger Hütte (1080 m)

Internet: gruenburgerhuette.or.at, steyr-nationalpark.at

By the wayside

contemplation: The Grünburger Hütte of the Grünburg Alpine Club has been on the Brettmaisalm with its great views since 1927. It has been managed by György Dávid and his family since 2019. The dishes like lentil stew, Hungarian goulash, roast pork and others are all homemade. The ginger-lemon lemonade is refreshing, and the Somloer dumplings are especially recommended as the perfect dessert.
Open daily until October 31st (gruenburgerhuette.or.at).

Book tip: “Adventure Hiking with Children Salzkammergut” was published in 2022 by Bergverlag Rother. A total of 42 hiking tours lead to ravines and gorges, waterfalls, caves, lakes and to the alpine pastures and peaks in the Salzkammergut and the adjacent Salzburg Lake District. Supplemented with leisure tips, interesting facts about the destinations, hiking maps and GPS data as well as great pictures, you have a perfect planning basis for excursions with the kids. (Price: 17.40 euros)