Schladminger Tauern High Trail (Ignaz-Mattis Hütte)

The Schladminger Tauern High Trail follows the high ridges of the Schladminger Tauern above the Enns valley in Styria, four nights strung hut to hut from the Ignaz-Mattis-Hütte through the Keinprecht-Hütte and Gollinghütte to the Preintalerhütte. The Niedere Tauern here are lower and greener than the glaciated giants further west, but the ridge walking is airy and exposed, with wide views over the Schladming ski slopes on one side and the quieter Enns valley on the other.

This is graded difficult for good reason: several stretches cross steep grass and scree slopes, and a handful of short sections are secured with fixed cables where sure footing and a head for exposure matter more than technical climbing skill. Each night ends at a staffed hut, so packs stay light. The route is typically walked between late June and late September, once the last snow patches have cleared from the higher passes.