Brunnkogel im Höllengebirge

The impressive 14 metre high summit cross and an impressive view down into the valley to the Vorderer and Hinterer Langbathsee lakes make the Brunnkogel a popular hiking destination for sure-footed hikers with a head for heights.
It's unbelievable what remote areas were once used as alpine pastures: An exposed cattle track has even been built up to the Schafalm below the Brunnkogel - the serpentines were carved directly out of the 400 metre high rock base of the "Schaflucken". From the former sports hotel, we walk either to the right or left of the Vorderer Langbathsee lake to the Hinterer Langbathsee lake. The Schafluckensteig trail, marked no. 828, branches off on its southern shore. It leads through rough forest terrain up to the foot of the wall. The belays begin above a wooden gate: A secured scree ramp leads to an artificially widened ledge, then steep switchbacks and another ledge take you up to the eastern precipices of the Spielberg. Through a wooded hollow and a gully filled with scree, you reach the upper, somewhat less exposed wall step (belays). Above this you walk through the forest and past the ruined Schafalm (hunting lodge). At a cairn, branch off to the right and climb through the wide meadow flank to the ridge and briefly to the 14 m high summit cross on the Brunnkogel. Return along the same route.