Unterpirkach - Hochstadelhaus (ÖTK - Klettersteig Pirknerklamm)

Access to the starting point:
From Ljubljana, through the Karavanke Tunnel and then along the motorway to Spittal. We continue driving towards Lienz, and we follow the Drava Valley to Oberdrauburg, where we turn left towards Kötschach and the Plöckenpass. Just after the River Drava and the railway line, turn right (at the crossroads there are a number of signs, including for the Hochstadelhaus) and we follow a slightly narrower road to Unterpirkach. Here, just 10 metres before the larger chapel on your right, turn left (here you can see the first signs for the climbing route) and follow the tarmac road for another 100 metres before the signs "OTK-Klettersteig Pirknerklamm" direct you right onto a dirt road, which quickly leads you to the parking lot.

Path description:
From the parking lot, continue along the macadam road, which takes you past the house and into the forest. Continue along the forest path, which runs along the left side of the Pirkner Bach stream. The path soon leads to a crossroads where the signs "Einstieg ÖTK Klettersteig" direct you right down to the stream where the climbing route begins.
The climbing route runs along the stream and climbs vertically over a boulder at the very beginning with the help of a number of pegs. The path then crosses the rocky slopes just above the stream and then leads to a small steel road which leads across the stream to the right side. After a short crossing, the path ascends vertically with the help of wedges and leads us to the next bridge, which crosses the stream again on the left side. Above the bridge, there is a vertical wall to the left and then a short climb up to a boulder on which there is a registration box. Climb over a few boulders, then cross a short bridge that runs right next to a waterfall. Again, the bridge is made of just two cables. One is for walking and the other for holding on and self-belaying. Continue climbing from boulder to boulder for a while, and then the stream gorge turns slightly to the left. Here we climb up the rocky slope on the left side of the stream and soon we see a dam in front of us over which the Regenbogen Wasserfall falls. Use the pegs to climb almost vertically upwards along the waterfall.
Above the waterfall, the stream bed becomes flatter and there is some walking along the stream. Then cross the stream to the right and continue walking along the stream. The trail then leads to the last climbing section, where you first cross the vertical rock slope above the stream and then climb up alongside the dam to the right using a number of scrambles.
Here the climbing route ends and there is a climb in keys through the forest. At first the path is still protected by a steel belay, but then a gentler slope leads to a crossroads. To the right the path leads back to the starting point, to the left the path leads to the Hochstadelhaus hut.
If you continue towards the Hochstadelhaus, you continue up a narrow path through the forest and soon join the normal path towards the hut. Continue on the well-trodden path, which crosses the road at a higher level (the road is closed to public traffic), then returns to the forest and leads us past Hilda's smoking bench, back to the forest road. The marked path crosses the road a few more times, or continues on it for a short time. Higher up, the forest thins out, opening up beautiful views to the east, where you can see the River Drava and part of the Zilj Alps. Higher up, the trail returns to the road, which is then followed all the way to the Hochstadelhaus mountain hut.

On the way: Regenbogen Wasserfall (730m)

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