Hike to the Steineck near Scharnstein in the Salzkammergut - adventure in the fog

At the beginning of February, Shaggy and I were in Scharnstein and St. Konrad and wanted to hike to the view from the Steineck summit cross. What awaited us there wasn't a perfect view, but it was still a lovely winter experience with a sporting challenge. 🤩⛰️

Well, as fate would have it sometimes, the weather doesn't always play along. When we arrived at the car park, we were surprised by the rain. However, as the weather forecast didn't report any rain and the sky looked promising, we simply waited in the car until the clouds passed. Caution: Of course, it is important to be able to judge the mountain weather - especially in alpine terrain, the weather can change relatively quickly and become really dangerous. ⚠️

However, this was not the case on this day and even after 30 minutes the rain was history. I accepted the fact that the view would not be perfect. So Shaggy and I set off straight away, as we had already lost half an hour waiting. Of course, we'd packed poles, which was a good thing as it was really icy in places. 🥾❄️

In case you're wondering how I keep fit in bad weather: Running is basically possible in any weather! 😂 But as I also love cycling, cycling is a great option for me. the Wahoo KICKR Core 2 (currently reduced by €150 😳) is exactly the right alternative. In combination with the ZWIFT app, for example, you also have playful and motivating content. A blog post will follow soon. (Advertising)

I've already posted a few reels about it - you can find one of them here:

Directions and parking options for the hike to the Steineck summit cross in Upper Austria

Further down in the Komoot tour you will find my starting point - this is also the car park for the tour. Please note: There are only 8 parking spaces available, so it's worth being early.

If you use Komoot, you can also start the navigation directly in the app by selecting the starting point when travelling to the starting point. The navigation app will then start on your smartphone.

The hike to the Steineck in Scharnstein / St. Konrad in the Salzkammergut

The start was right at the car park, see also my Komoot tour at the end. Most of the time, the path led us through the forest and the trail was very good throughout, but in places it was extremely icy and just before the summit we came across fresh snow, which was quite slippery - you definitely need to be careful here. ⚠️

Once at the top, there was unfortunately no view, as we had feared. The fog and the weather simply didn't play ball. Nevertheless, we had a great trip and at least we got a workout in. 😄

There were no exposed sections and the hike is also suitable for children and dogs, as long as they have a certain level of stamina. You can find the tour I did at the end of the blog post.

Originally, I wanted to do a circular route, but this was not possible due to the steep and icy paths. We'll try that in summer when we extend the tour around the Laudachsee.

Key data for the hike to the Steineck summit cross

If you would like to do the hike yourself, you will find the most important information for orientation here:

✅ approx. 9 km in total
✅ approx. 700 hm
✅ around 3.5 hours
✅ Suitable for children and dogs

⚠️ Very icy in winter - increased caution
⚠️ No refreshments available - it is best to bring your own snacks

⛔️ Not suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs

⚠️ ATTENTION: We expressly point out that we accept no liability for accidents or possibly closed trails. Before hiking, check the availability of the trail and reflect on your own fitness.

Refreshment stops during the hike to the Steineck summit cross

There are no refreshment stops on this hike. It's best to take your own snack with you and enjoy it at the top. 🍎🥖⛰️

Conclusion on the hike to the Steineck summit cross

Despite the poor visibility at the summit and the icy patches in places, it was still a great hike, which is still on my list for this year.

In summer, I look forward to the circular route including Laudachsee and Katzenstein. I can definitely recommend the hike to the Steineck summit cross - a great mountain experience for in-between. 🤗

Komoot tour to follow yourself

Further recommendation

Did you like this post? Then I have another great hiking tip for you! 🤩 Have a read here: Hike to the Großer Schoberstein and the Mahdlgupf on Lake Attersee in the Salzkammergut region