Defereggental and the Schober group

by Mark Jolleys

In July 2018 a small mixed group of AAC(UK) members and members of the Rucksack Club met for a week based at the Barmer Haus, a DAV self-catering hut in the village of St Jakob im Defereggental. The group was later joined by two young Austrian lads, Moritz and Matteo, from Innsbruck.

After arriving on the Saturday, the first excursion was to the Deferegger Pfannhorn (2820m) on Sunday. The Seespitze (3021m) was bagged on the Monday and the Grosser Leppleskofel (2811m) the following day. These were relatively easy peaks. As the weather deteriorated, a more sedate valley hike to St Veit with a hike back along the 'culture way' on the northern side of the valley followed.

With better weather forecast I decided to ascend to the higher Barmer Hütte the next day. After refreshment (Gerstlesuppe, my favourite) and leaving the bulk of the pack at the hut, I joined two local ladies for a hike to the Almerhorn (2985m) over rough rocky terrain for superb views. The next day was more serious and took me to the Fenneregg (3123m) and Lenkstein (3236m) where the summit views were savoured with a mother and daughter who had ascended from a different direction. That night I re-joined my colleagues in the Barmer Haus in St Jakob. The next day we all departed in different directions. I had another week, this time in the Schobergruppe, also part of the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern.

After sharing a taxi-bus to Hubern, a small village at the end of the valley, I had to walk and hitch to St Johann im Walde where I had a lengthy Mr Bean episode, arguably the most demanding part of the trip. This involved trying to get into an unmanned, austere looking building, then phoning the lift operator higher up the mountain and operating the two seat, rather old gondola to take me up 500m to an even smaller and remote village. After endless attempts at pressing various buttons in the gondola and on the adjacent platform and phoning the operator in the hamlet above, I finally managed to make contact and speak in my best pigeon German to the lady who lived opposite the lift station. Notwithstanding the difficulties in using the gondola (operated from above), I was grateful for the ascent saved. On arrival, I paid her the lift fee, she locked up and returned to her house.

I ascended to the Hochschoberhü:tte (2322m) and enjoyed a well-earned drink and a foot stomping musical evening. The hut was pleasant but with no Seilbahn, the menu was limited. The next day involved an ascent of the Hochschober at 3242m using wire ropes and scrambling in places.

After a second night at the hut, a hike to the Lienzer Hütte was the aim. Hiding my backpack below the Leibnitztörl, I diverted to the Hoher Prijakt (3064m): the weather was changing, so a quick ascent was called for. On reaching the summit I very briefly enjoyed the views, then descended quickly, crossed the joch and descended to the Lienzer Hütte, arriving just before torrential rain.

A second night was spent at this hut with an ascent of the Keeskopf (3081m). This also required a watchful eye on the weather with clouds scudding over, careful attention to the conditions and limited route markings above icy tarns. I was again lucky with the weather.

On Wednesday, after much deliberation I decided not to do the Glodis (3206m) with a klettersteig on top, so I quickly hiked to the Elberfelder Hütte in three hours over the Gössnitzscharte (2732m). Then I scrambled over 900m up the Roter Knopf (3281m) over snow patches and using hands on occasions with very little way-marking. This was a 'black route', which explained the difficulty. The views were superb, including those of the Großglockner area. I met no-one until I returned to the hut.

The following day was my last big day when I ascended the Böses Weibl (3121m), before a final long descent on to the Glockner circuit. After a slow plod down to a road, I was glad to get a lift to the village of Kals am Großglockner. Böses Weibl had provided even closer and superb views of the Glockner. At a delightful B&B in Kals I reflected on my two weeks, eight 3000m peaks, with lower ones from the Barmer Haus in St Jakob.

View from Fenneregg 3123m Photos Mark Jolleys

Lenkstein 3236m

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