Schneeberg with the summit Klosterwappen is the highest mountain of Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) and the most eastward 2000m mountain of the alps. Nearly the whole region is a water protection area (1 st Vienna water supply)
Near Fischerhütte is the summit Kaiserstein - named after emperor Franz I sucessful ascent in 1805 and 1807.
Schneeberg is often underestimated (rapid weather changes - with snow, heavy rain, fog, strong winds) - orientation might be very difficult.
This YouTube video shows some strong wind near Fischerhütte strong wind near Fischerhütte
Schneeberg from Puchberg/Schneeberg
In summer (May to November) the rack railway (starting in Puchberg am Schneeberg) is the easiest ascent (about 1 hour walk to the summit).
near Damböckhaus
South side - Climbing
very nice climbs in Höllental (near Reichenau an der Rax)
Stadelwand
Stadelwandgrat
Vordere Stadelwand
Grossofen
North Side - Skitouring
in spring time several nice steep ski descents.
In winter ski touring starts usually at Losenheim (near Puchberg am Schneeberg).
by car: Form Vienna on the highway (Südautobahn - A1) to Wiener Neustadt - continue via Ternitz to Puchberg am Schneeberg
or (for the south side of Schneeberg) from Ternitz (continue an Semmeringschnellstraße - S6) to Gloggnitz to Reichenau an der Rax
by train: from Vienna (Südbahnhof) via Wiener Neustadt (you have to change the trains) to Puchberg or to Reichenau.
Puchberg and Reichenau bus transfer to the mountains (sometimes!!!)
Rack Railway
The rack railway was built between 1985 and 1897. The line is 9.85 km long and climbs 1.218m to its final destination at 1,795m. The line has a rail gauge of 1.000 mm and uses the Abt rack systems.
Opertion of the rack railway started in 1897 with coal powered steam locomotives, which have been in use until 1999. The steam locomotives are still in use for nostalgia trains. In 1999 new diesel operated Multiple Units called Salamander, which meet strict environment protection regulations, have been introduced.
After World War II until 1996 the rack railway was operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). Since 1997 the rack railway is operated by the Niederösterreichischen Schneebergbahn GmbH (Lower Austrian Schneeberg Railway Company Ltd.) - 50% held by the ÖBB and 50% held by the federal state of Lower Austria
old steam locomotive
new diesel MU
Youtube Video - trainride with the rack railway in 1910:
Red Tape
more or less the whole area is a water protection area (first Vienna Water Supply)
Krummbachgraben (near Kaiserbrunn) strictly no trespassing!!
When To Climb - Winter + Spring
Ski Touring
the steep descents on the north side in spring
westward descents:
Schneegraben: starts directly at Klosterwappen summit
Wurzengraben: starts at Fischerhütte
Salvisgraben: near Schauerstein to Dreibrunnekessel
Hoyosgraben: starts near Vestenkogel to Dreibrunnenkessel
Fadengraben: starts near P. 1723 (Fadensteig)
In Hoyosgraben (also in Salvisgraben) is a cuesta/cliff (skiing around is usually possible)
Wurzengraben (Feb. 2008)
Info to "Breite Ries": descents from left to right:
Neuer Zimmerweg first climb in Stadelwandgraben (first climbed 1906) - "reopened" (cleaned, straightened, bolts etc.) in Oct. 2005
Bruderherz - a new route (first climbed in 2004) near Richterkante
Richterkante - this climbing route (first climbed in 1929) has been cleaned, straightened in 2002 (also a lot of bolts now)
Climbing in Stadelwandgraben - Daham is Daham
Huts (+ Camping)
no camp sites - camping is forbidden due to water protection
all huts except Edelweisshütte are closed in winter (on weekends a team of mountain rescue members are at Heinrich Krempel Hütte)
Edelweißhütte: 1235m
(closed in November)
Sparbacherhütte: 1248m has been sold and is no longer open
both huts near Losenheim (45 minutes walk) www.alpenverein.at - Edelweißhütte
Edelweisshütte
Kienthaler Hütte: 1380m
usually open from beginning of May to end of October on the weekend
2,5 - 3 hours from Losenheim, 2,5 hours from Weichtalhaus www.kienthaler.at
Heinrich Krempel Hütte: 1561m
hut of the Austrian Mountain Rescue (Bergrettung) - the hut is not open to the public (no sleeping facilities, no food - in winter ski tourist may get a hot tea)
2 hours from Losenheim
The hut is named after Heinrich Krempel (1880 - 1935) - a cofounder of the Austrian Mountain Rescue Service.
Krempelhütte (May)
Krempelhütte (Mar)
Weichtalhaus: 563m
near Reichenau near the road
starting point for climbs in the Höllental www.weichtalhaus.at
Fischerhütte: 2049m
near the summit of Kaiserstein
open from beginning of May to end of October
1 hour from the top station of the rack railway
2,5 hours from Losenheim (on Fadensteig)
3,5 hours from Losenheim (via Heinrich Krempel Hütte)
Fischerhütte is named after Fischer von Röslerstamm, who wrote the first guidebook of Schneeberg.
Fischerhütte
Damböckhaus: 1810m
15 minutes from rack railway station
closed in winter
Damböckhaus
Friedrich Haller Haus: 1250 m
closed in Winter
2 hours from Reichenau
3 hours from Kaiserbrunn
