Kalkalpen Trail Stage 2

Description:
Behind the Ennser Hut, the Danzersteig starts to the right towards Gamsstein. It leads very steeply for about 15 minutes of walking in switchbacks down to a forest road next to the material cable car. You follow the forest road to the left for about 150 m to its end. On a beautiful forest path, it goes slightly downhill to a clearing where there is a small panoramic view towards the Hintergebirge. Then it continues along the ridge behind a small hill, over the so-called Blaulucke.

Below the Gamsstein-Köpfl, the first ascent of the day begins. It goes steeply uphill through the forest in switchbacks. After about half an hour, you have made it and are rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view of the National Park and the Haller Mauern. Before that, surefootedness is briefly required – a few meters go over a rock, but this section is secured with a rope.

At the top, you finally arrive at the Gamsstein Köpfl (1,278 m), the highest point of today's hike, besides the starting point at Ennserhütte. From here, it is just a few steps to the Gamsstein (1,275 m) with a special panoramic view into the Reichraminger Hintergebirge, Sengsengebirge, Haller Mauern, Gesäuse Mountains and on the other side to the Schieferstein, into the Alpine foothills and far into Lower Austria.

Over the pasture, it finally goes down to a hunting hut and then left down a small ditch. Through the forest, you walk along the slope to the alpine pasture. In the middle of the pasture lies the 300-year-old alpine building of the Gschwendtalm (954 m). Not far from the Gschwendtalm, you can find many fossilized corals and brachiopods next to the forest road, which were exposed during excavation.

The dumplings and roast pork from the wood oven at the Gschwendtalm are especially recommended. Strengthened, you walk from the alpine pasture levelly over the meadow into the forest. On the former alpine path, it goes downhill for a few minutes to a junction. Here you turn left into the track and after a few steps finally reach a forest road. Follow the forest road steadily downhill to a crossing, where you keep right. Along the Brunnbach, it now goes comfortably and gently downhill into the small village of Brunnbach. Passing the National Park education center Brunnbachschule, after a few steps you reach the intersection at the Brunnbachstadel. On the large panorama map, you can inform yourself again about the further route. At the Brunnbachstadel, there are also public toilets and rest areas.

The further path leads from the Brunnbachschule, at the Brunnbachstadel junction to the left, about 100 meters along the asphalt road and then turns right over the meadow. Past a barn and over a small bridge, it goes to the other side of the stream. For the first meters, the path now follows the stream and then to the right steeper up the mountain. After a few minutes, you reach a clearing and then through a short wooded area to the Kronsteineralm. There is always a beautiful view of the Almkogel and parts of the Brunnbach valley. The dilapidated alpine building still shows a little of the former alpine life here on the Kronsteineralm. At the end of the pasture, you take the forest road, which you follow to the left.

After a few minutes on the forest road (always a beautiful view of the Almkogel towards the Haller Mauern), the path leads in a sharp right turn straight off the forest road and over a pasture onto an asphalt road. On the right curve, there is a hunting stand and beehives on the left. Now follow the asphalt road for a few minutes until you reach the farmhouse Rauchgrabner at the top. At the farmhouse, the path branches onto a cart track and leads left over the pasture. After about 200 m right at a barn over the meadow up until the path finally merges into the forest at a crossing. After a few meters in the forest, you reach a forest road, which you cross and then continue along the forest path. After only a few minutes, you reach a crossroads. To the right is the Große Klause (trail no. 489) and to the left, the path continues to the Anlaufalm.

On a beautiful forest path, it now goes slightly uphill. On the ridge, you finally reach a small panoramic spot. Not far from there, it goes around a curve and continues on a tractor path that leads into a forest road. You follow this for a few minutes to a junction at the Ortbauernalm (hunting hut). To the right, it goes over the forest road via the Stiegelboden to the Anlaufalm or to the Annerlsteg or also to the Keixen and the Großer Bach. To the left it goes on the forest path or over the Hochkogel to the Anlaufalm.

We follow the path left towards Hochkogel. The first meters still go on the forest road until the hiking trail finally branches left into a forest path. This goes a bit steeper uphill through the forest. After it becomes briefly flatter again, the path to the Hochkogel branches left. Straight ahead you would also continue to the Anlaufalm on trail no. 488, this path is relatively flat and recommended for those who are already a bit tired. To the left, you hike towards Hochkogel on a beautiful forest path uphill to a small meadow and then in steep switchbacks up the forest. Further up it goes along the ridge. At a junction, the path branches down to the Anlaufalm on one side, and on the other up to the summit of Hochkogel. From here it's not far to today's stage goal, but before that, we still walk the 10 minutes to the summit of Hochkogel (1,157 m). This short effort is rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view over the Kalkalpen National Park to the Haller Mauern, Gesäuse Mountains and far north into the Alpine foothills. The Hochkogel is also the border to the Kalkalpen National Park.

From Hochkogel, we take the same path back to the junction, a short piece through the forest and you reach the alpine meadow of Anlaufalm. At the beginning, the view on the right is still limited by trees but after a few steps over the alpine meadow, you already have a beautiful view of the National Park on the right. Straight ahead, you see the Haller Mauern or the Ennstal Alps with Buchstein and Hochtor. Further ahead on a small hill stands a small summit cross. From here it is only a few steps to the stage goal, the Anlaufalm (982 m).