Leibnitzbachbrücke - Gartlsee

Access to starting point:
Through the Karawanks Tunnel, we drive to Austria, and then we continue driving towards Spittal and forward towards Lienz (a little after Spittal highway ends). Further, we drive on a relatively nice and wide road through Drau valley. In the center of Lienz, at the roundabout, we continue right towards the settlement Matrei. From the roundabout we are driving for approximately 8 km through the valley by the river Isel, we then turn right towards the settlement Oberleibnig. On an ascending road we then all the time follow the signs for mountain hut Hochschoberhütte. The road is otherwise most of the time ascending on steep slopes and is quite narrow. In the last part, the asphalt ends and we continue few more kilometers on a macadam road to the parking lot by a bridge over the stream Leibnitzbach.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue few more meters on a macadam road which is further closed for traffic, and then signposts point us to the right on a footpath. At first, we are ascending through the forest by the left side of the stream Leibnitzbach. Later, the path named Eduard Jordan Weg brings us on a little less steep grassy terrain where we cross the bridge. Further, the path again ascends a little steeper by the stream and brings us on the mountain pasture Leibnitzalm.
On the mountain pasture path crosses a stream and then joins the mountain road. Further, we for some time walk on a macadam road along the stream and then we get to a crossing, where a macadam road turns left.
At the crossing, we continue straight where signposts by the path point us to. From the crossing, we at first walk on a wide cart track which after the crossing a stream soon passes into a footpath. The path here again starts ascending a little steeper and leads us through a short lane of a forest. The path continues to run along the stream and from the left side soon joins also a footpath from the end of the road. Further, the path turns a little to the right and increasingly beautiful views start to open up on surrounding peaks. After that, the path runs on grassy slopes past a cross, and by the path, there are also quite a few benches. When we come on little steeper slopes, the path turns to the left and then in ascent crosses slopes all the way to the mountain hut Hochschoberhütte.
From the mountain hut, we follow the signs for lake Gartlsee and at first, we slightly descend on ample meadows. We quickly come to a crossing where the path towards the summit Hochschober branches off to the left, and we continue straight on a wide grassy valley.
Further, the path is for some time gentle and still runs on a wide valley towards the east along the high mountain stream. The path further again starts ascending and gradually becomes more rocky. In the last part towards the saddle Leibnitztörl, the path turns a little to the right and it ascends on a steeper slope. A little before the saddle, we also get help from some fixed safety gear, and then we quickly reach the saddle Leibnitztörl by which there is a high mountain lake Gartlsee.

On the way: Leibnitzalm (1908m), Hochschoberhütte (2322m), Leibnitztörl (2591m)