Hoher Hengst 31.10.2015

Having been on the Hoher Hengst twice, I know about the lots of Larches growing up there. Now it´s time for their needles to get yellow, so this is my choice for today´s cloudless weather.

This time, I circle the mountain starting and nding in the Schneebergdörfl. As the slope down to the Schneebergdörfl is in shadow in the morning, and by sure it will not be too hot, I choose the southeastern side near the rack railway for my ascent and the northwestern side for the descent.

Ten minutes past seven in the morning. First sunlight on the small hamlet of Hengstberg and on Schneeberg.

View to the other side of the valley to Größenberg.

Staring my walk in the shadow.

I failed the right way which branches off the wide mountain road, although the direction seems to be right. But, finally, I find the way to the  ...

 ... "small saddle".

Now a short descent, and I walk up the road along the rack railway.

The first train having left Puchberg at 9 a.m. which (till end of November) only goes to the Baumgartner, afterwards there is the winter closure..

Having now branched off from the main road and following the gravel road to the summit. Once more, the map is incorrect, because there is a road up to the summit from the south, which is a great advantage in this steep terrain.

The road is winding up the mountain.

First yellow larches ...

 ... along the road.

View back to the Northeast.

The high forest is ending here and some kind of mountain pasture takes place - with countless larch trees.

View to the Gahns massive ...

 ... and down to the Rohrbach valley.

Hohe Wand. Still dense ground fog down in Winzendorf.

More free view now with many larches.

Not so far to the summit now.

The view to the Semmering. The small cloud is the high mist covering the Mürz valley spilling down over the Semmering. Here, in the sun, it is dissolved quickly.

The mist over the Steinfeld is much deeper and completely dissolves till 10 a.m.

First glimpse of the Schneeberg with the small church.

Glorious larch forest besides the way.

Last curve of the way.

Behind the Krumbach saddle you get a first glimpse ...

 ... of the Rax.

The summit cross is a bit mingy.

From now on, I am accompanied by the gorgeous view to Schneeberg.

Panoramic view from Hoher Hengst to Schneeberg and over the Puchberg valley. Far left Krumbachstein and Rax. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.

The new snow having been fallen two weeks or so ago has disappeared, except at the summit cornice. Fischerhütte is already closed for a week.

I´m now walking along the flat summit area of the Hoher Hengst.

The fog in the plain has dissolved now.

Still a bit of fog at the Semmering.

Another panorama taken from the summit area of Hoher Hengst, a  few minutes down the true summit. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.

This path leads up to the summit from Northeast.

Many of the larch needles are already down on this colder, northwestern side of the mountain.

Schneeberg.

Another panorama. The way leads down the slope to the Mieseltal in several serpentines. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.

At the beginning of the high forest there is a small hunting lodge.

First view down to the Schneebergdörfl as the slope gets steeper, I´ve left the summit plateau.

Click here or into the picture for a larger display.

Click here or into the picture for a larger display

A very short detour to the "Big saddle"

Panoramic picture taken on the "Großer Sattel" of the Hengst. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.

Zooming in to Schneeberg with the big scree of "Breite Ries".

Panoramic picture, taken at the "Großer Sattel" of the Hengst. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.

At the "big saddle".

Now resuming the descent.

Click here or into the picture for a larger display.

View to the Mieseltal (that is the valley between the Schneeberg and the Hoher Hengst).

Schneebergdörfl has come closer now.

Heading for the next serpentine.

Shortly before ...

 ... the Mieseltal.

View from the Mieseltal back up the slopes of Hoher Hengst.

Another view from a bit more down.

Schneebergdörfl is in sight.

A last view back to Schneeberg.

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