SHORT ROUTE DESCRIPTION:
E. T. Compton Hütte-Padiaursteig-Schaflerhöhe/235-Gailtaler Höhenweg/229-südl. Dristallkofel-Sattelnock-south-west of Kumitschkogel-Napalnalm-Weißbriacher Hütte-north-west of Berggeisthütte-Weißbriach/229-South-west of Kumitschkogel Berggeisthütte-Weißbriach/229-Stofflbauer-Roßmannbühel-St. Lorenzen im Gitschtal/1-Jadersdorfer Ochsenalm-Kohlröslhütte/12/245/229
EXACT ROUTE DESCRIPTION:
1. we initially choose the same route as stage 26, i.e. following path no. 235 to the S, and hike west of the Dristallkofel along the Padiaursteig, which is partly secured by ropes, upwards - at the first fork we meet the Gailtaler Höhenweg (GHW, no. 229) again - we go up to the left to the Schaflerhöhe (1st break, 1 km, 2020 m).
ALTERNATIVE 1: Hike from the Schaflerhöhe to the Kleiner Reißkofel (at the very top, briefly secured by ropes) - duration approx. 40 min (H+R)
2: We hike in an easterly direction, accompanied by the GHW - immediately afterwards we walk a little south of the Dristallkofel and continue to the Sattelnock, which we bypass to the north [or hike up to the summit for the magnificent view] (2nd break, 3.3 km, 2033 m).
3. the GHW leads us further east and turns to the right - passing south-west of the Kumitschkogel and heading down (south) to the Napalnalm - where the self-catering Weissbriacher Hut is located (3rd break, 5.5 km, 1567 m).
4. from the hut we walk via the Napalalm to the edge of the forest - here we leave trail no. 12 and follow the GHW and trail no. 13 into a closed forest area until just before the main village of Weißbriach.
5. we hike north of the Berggeisthütte hut with good signposting - repeatedly crossing main farm tracks (HWW) - and in the last section we walk parallel to the Motschnikgraben ditch and meet the north-western houses of Weißbriach and a little later the B 87 (4th, large break, 9.4 km, 790 m).
ALTERNATIVE 2: A taxi can be chosen for the Weißbriach - St. Lorenzen/Gitschtal route - 5 km saving, approx. 1 hour
6: We leave the village centre and the B 87 and walk past the Löffele inn in a southerly direction and head towards the Protestant church - we are on hiking trail no. 1 to St. Lorenzen in the Gitschtal valley. On the asphalt path we reach the Stoffelbauer snack station, which is unfortunately permanently closed (as of autumn 2023) and after 1.4 km on the HWW the Roßmannbühel - once in St. Lorenzen we cross the European long-distance hiking trail E 10/Rupertiweg (5th break, 14.2 km, 720 m).
7. at the crossroads we turn left, NE, cross the Bistritzbach stream and immediately afterwards walk north-east past the church - this is where trail no. 12 and the HWW (gravel) begin. At the 1st left-hand bend we ignore 2 paths going off to the right - after approx. 3.3 km path no. 245 comes from the right, we take the 6th break, 17.5 km, 1080 m.
8. after approx. 400 m we meet a HWW coming from the right - we walk at an acute angle to the left, NW, in order to choose the HWW to the right, NE, after approx. 300 m at a fork. After approx. 300 m we come across another HWW - we briefly turn right to leave it again heading NW. The well-marked path takes us to the south side of the Jadersdorfer Ochsenalm - here path no. 245 leads us on a path to the south-east to the Kohlröslhütte, the stage destination (20.1 km, 1533 m).
