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The Full Story
Bergsteigergrab Tour
Info about the hike
Route:
Wochenbrunneralm - Bergsteigergrab - Ackerlalm - Wochenbrunneralm
Distance:
Ca. 10.2 km (around 6.5 miles)
Metres/feet in altitude:
Up 670m / down 670m (ca. 2200 feet each)
For children:
Yes (but it is a rather long tour)
For dogs:
Yes (but there are some tricky passages)
Suitable for winter:
No
Spatlahnerklamm - Countless motifs
From the car park of the Wochenbrunneralm, head towards the Spatlahnerklamm gorge. Here you will find idyllic motifs such as streams, beautiful rock formations and also beautiful forest landscapes right from the start.
In contrast to the Gruttenhütten hike, I chose a slightly different route. After the Annagrotte, I went right through the forest, which I had wanted to explore for a long time.
In the forest itself, you find great fern fields and especially moss-covered stones that make the picture beautifully green.
After you come out of the forest, you continue towards the Gaudeamushütte, where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the valley.
Here you can sit down and have a drink. A cosy mountain pasture with many natural seating areas such as stones help you digest the first small stage.
Large tour with a lot of variety
I have to say: This hike was really special. I started early and never expected the experiences I had on this round.
An enormous variety of nature in the Wilder Kaiser region, fabulous views, a very active fauna and a lot of motifs - these are the impressions I took with me on this hike.
The weather was not ideal and my legs were still heavy from sport, but I rarely had this feeling of remoteness in the high season. The trump card here was clearly that the early bird catches the worm.
A map with all the photo spots can be found at the end of this post.
Alone in the animal kingdom
Now continue in the direction of Ellmauer Tor. After a short ascent, however, you then turn right through a small forest hiking trail. Here you pass small pastures with cows, beautiful rock formations and a small piece of forest.
Then it becomes really beautiful. Apart from small bushes and the occasional tree, everything opens up a bit more. Here you should also be quite early, because near the feeding station you will always find chamois. If you're lucky like me, the wind is favourable so that the chamois don't notice you for a long time.
You can also see lonely mountain huts, beautiful rock formations and sometimes even capercaillie hens. I particularly liked this part because it is so unique in its flora and fauna.
The Bergsteigergrab plateau and a small detour
It is not far to the mountaineer's grave. When you get there, you have a fabulous view of the valley and also of the Gruttenhütte, which can be photographed well from here with a telephoto lens.
You can sit on the wooden bench with your camera and take photos in all directions. There are motifs all around.
Then we continue, although I have to admit that I briefly strayed from the route. However, it was really worth it as I got further up and found two really great photo spots.
One stone stood so well that you could put it in the foreground and the Wilder Kaiser in the background. The composition makes for an idyllic picture that literally screams mountain life.
When I found my way back to the actual path, I walked along the Wilder Kaiser across a boulder field where goats were grazing with their very young kids. I stopped almost every 50 metres to take a photo. This path is so idyllic, especially when clouds occasionally wrap themselves around the Wilder Kaiser.
The Ackerlhütte and the Alpine Club
A little further up the hill and then you come to the Ackerlhütte, which belongs to the Alpine Club. But please don't mistake it for a restaurant. You can buy drinks here, but nothing more.
Instead, while looking for water, I met the three boys who were with the Alpine Club and spent the night there. I talked to them for three and a half hours about photography and all kinds of things.
They also explained to me that you can join the Alpine Club for a small fee and thus on the one hand you are insured for mountain rescue and on the other hand you can spend the night in the mountain huts.
This is definitely a motivation for me, as I would like to spend the night on the mountain and photograph the stars from here. The Ackerlhütte itself is dreamlike for this kind of photography!
Back to the Gaudeamushütte
Unfortunately, I had to move on at some point, which is not too bad considering the beautiful route. The trail descends through the forest to get back to the Gaudeamushütte below the mountaineers' grave.
There are again numerous photo motifs along the way. From trees on the slope, to deer and squirrels in the forest, as well as a long and straight mountain road with a view of the Kaiser, you are sure to find something to photograph here.
With one last small climb, you will then return to the Gaudeamushütte. From there it's all downhill.
Final part and conclusion
From the Gaudeamus Hut I also no longer took the path through the Spatlahnerklamm gorge, but walked back to the car park via the path above it.
On the way you will find a cow pasture with many cows, most of which lie down by the side of the path and enjoy the cow life. That's how it should be!
Arriving at the car park, I was already feeling the legs quite a bit, but all in all I have to say that this hike simply contains almost everything you are looking for as a photographer in the mountains. The landscape is diverse, you find many animals in the wild, the Wilder Kaiser shows its most impressive side and you enjoy a view that you rarely find anywhere else.
Personally, I can heartily recommend this hike. But I would like to end this article with a request: Even though it is wonderful to see so many animals in the wild, it would be great if you don't disturb them too much in their lives. Respect nature and enjoy the spectacle.
All photo spots for you at a glance
If you are planning to visit this wonderful place with all the photo spots I heartily recommend, I have marked all the points on the map for you.
If you have found other beautiful places to photograph, please feel free to send them to me via the contact form and I will add them to the map (with a mention, of course).
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