Lienzer Dolomitenhütte - Große Gamswiesenspitze (Madonnen Klettersteig)

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. Few kilometers before Lienz (near the settlement Unterdorf), we will notice signs for mountain hut Lienzer Dolomitenhütte, which point us to the left on a local road. The road then over a bridge crosses the river Drava / Drau and then it brings us in the village Lavant, where we continue right in the direction of village Tristach. Between village Lavant and Tristach we will come to the next crossroad, where we continue left in the direction of "Lienzer Dolomitenhütte". This road which starts ascending steeper we then follow to a large parking lot near mentioned mountain hut. The road is payable (July 2009 7€).
To Lienz we can also come, if instead of through the valley Dravska dolina we drive through the valley Gailtal (Korensko sedlo, Hermagor, mountain pass Ziljsko sedlo/Gailbergsattel), in this case, we get to valley Dravska dolina at settlement Oberdrauburg.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the road, on which in 2 minutes we get to the mountain hut Lienzer Dolomitenhütte.
From the mountain hut, we cross the fence and we continue the ascent on a panoramic road (a nice view towards serrated ridge - highest is Spitzkofel 2717 meters), which is in the initial part exposed to falling stones. The road then crosses a short lane of a forest and then it brings us on an indistinct saddle Premstall (1625 meters), where there is a smaller crossing.
We continue straight past a trough with water (left upwards Weißtein Alm) on the road which after few minutes of additional walking brings us to a smaller mountain pasture Instein Alm, on which we notice a smaller wooden cottage and a little above it chapel.
We still continue on the road, and it quickly brings us to a marked crossing, where we leave it.
We continue the ascent on a wide mountain path which starts ascending a little steeper, through a thinner forest. The path from which very nice views opening up, few times crosses a mountain road and higher brings us to a smaller wooden cottage.
At the cottage, we again leave the road and short time we walk on a footpath towards the mountain hut Karlsbader Hütte, and then we go on a footpath which leads sharply right towards the saddle Kerschbaumer Törl. At first, we still walk through a grassy valley and then we start ascending on the scree towards the saddle. When we come below the mountain walls of the peak Törlkopf, from the left joins the path from the mountain hut Karlsbader Hütte. After that, the path turns slightly to the left and then follows a shorter ascent to a saddle Kerschbaumer Törl. At the saddle where there is a crossing, we continue right slightly downwards following the signs “Madonnen Klettersteig”. After a short descent, we come again to a crossing where we continue right and still in descent we cross slopes below Kleine Gamswiesenspitze. When the path brings us into dwarf pines soon signposts “gr. Gamswiesenspitze” point us to the right upward. The path is then ascending on a partly grassy slope and soon brings us to another crossing and with that to the entry of a climbing part of the path.
We continue left on extremely demanding path “Madonnen Kletersteig”. The path already at the beginning starts ascending by the steel cable on a steep slope. Further, the path few times crosses a slope slightly to the left, otherwise it is all the time ascending towards the north steeply upwards. Later, the path turns left and crosses a steep exposed wall, which brings us to hanging bridge. After the crossing of the bridge, the path turns again right upward and by the steel cable brings us to the inscription box, which is situated before the entrance in hardest part of the path.
From the inscription box, we continue left upwards and then few times we almost vertically ascend by the steel cable. Such a path brings us on the west side of the mountain. Here we will in front of us notice interesting rock, to which they added “halo”, so that from far looks lilke statue of virgin Mary. After that, the path turns slightly to the right, so that it goes around mentioned rock, and then turns to the left and few times vertically ascends by the steel cable. This part of the path is extremely demanding and is marked with difficulty level C. Towards the summit path becomes less steep and after a short ascent on a ridge from the right side joins easier path. From here follows only a short ascent on a panoramic ridge to the top.
The described path is extremely demanding and it is appropriate only for most skilled mountaineers with enough strength in arms and with mandatory self belaying. The ascent is especially demanding because entire path is secured only with a steel cable, and it is often placed the way that we can use it only for belaying, and not as help for climbing.
The descent is recommended on an easier path (Normalweg) over notch between Große Gamswiesenspitze and Kleine Gamswiesenspitze.

On the way: Instein Alm (1669m), Kerschbaumer Törl (2285m)