Challenging 3-peak mountaineering tour via the Detmolder Steig to the Säuleck in the Hohe Tauern National Park in Austria
- Wibke Helfrich
- Jul 31
- 3 min read
The mountaineering tour along the Detmolder Steig to the 3,000-meter-high Säuleck has everything a challenging alpine tour should have: exposed ridges, via ferratas, deep views, and a magnificent panorama of the other mountains in Austria's Hohe Tauern National Park. Here's everything you need to know beforehand.
Challenging mountaineering tour Detmolder Steig Säuleck Hohe Tauern Austria
I had actually asked an acquaintance – admittedly a very alpine one – about an introductory tour that would prepare us for the ascent of Triglav in Slovenia . It was supposed to be alpine, but not too difficult.
“There’s something near the Gießener Hütte,” he told me, “to the Schneewinkelspitze and then further to the Säuleck.”
I dutifully planned the tour in an app and showed it to the hut warden at the Gießener Hütte. He looked at me scrutinizingly and said:
“It’s okay if you’re fit.”
The next morning, we set off shortly after sunrise and were on the trail for a total of 10.5 hours. This included many photo stops for me and, for my sister, many stops to dip my feet in the stream .
Afterwards we agreed that this tour with the Watzmann crossing was the most challenging mountain tour we had ever done.
So be warned. On the plus side, the tour is relatively unknown and by no means crowded. It leads through the beautiful valley basin above the Gießerhütte, through which numerous waterfalls and streams flow into the valley. We found the Detmolder Steig to be of a reasonable difficulty, and the views were magnificent . The return journey was longer and more strenuous than expected, as it included another steep climb to the Mallnitzer Scharte . We did the tour at the end of July, and even then there were still plenty of snowfields, which were by far the most difficult part of the tour . Crampons are a good idea here.
Click on first picture to start the photo story
Key facts about the challenging 3-peak mountain tour via the Detmolder Steig to the Säuleck in the Hohe Tauern National Park in Austria
♡ Factor: ♡♡♡♡♡
Walking time : 9:00 h
Altitude : 1,039 m up and 1,059 m down
Length : 10.2 km
Accessible by public transport?
The hut is not directly accessible by public transport. You can take the bus to the Malta, Gasthaus Zirmhof, or Pflüglhof bus stops and then hike 16 km to the hut.
Directions: From the Maltatal Valley, there's an excellent left-hand climb to the Göß Falls, up to the Thomanbaueralm/Gößkar reservoir. This is followed by a 3 km approach to the hut. The ascent and descent to the hut are not included in the tour details. If you plan to do the tour in one day, you'll need to allow at least another two hours and six kilometers.
My tip: I would definitely sleep in the Gießener Hütte the night before the tour.
GPS data: I have uploaded the GPS data for the hike to the Outdoor Active website
Starting and ending point: Thomanbaueralm/Gößkarspeicher
Safety note: This is a very long and physically demanding tour due to its high alpine location, with corresponding hazards (sudden weather, snowfields, and ice). The Detmolder Grat is not a fully secured via ferrata. Even in midsummer, snowfields can still be found here.
The ascent and descent to the Gießener Hütte are not included in the tour data.
Equipment: In addition to the usual via ferrata equipment, including a harness, via ferrata set, and helmet, crampons are also useful for crossing snowfields. Appropriate clothing with rain and cold protection is a given!
Further information and links: The Gießener Hütte Open from the end of June to the end of September, it is the ideal starting point for this tour and can be reached via a 3 km climb from the parking lot at the Gößkar reservoir.
Here a short video which I did during our hike:
