Parkplatz Innerfragant - Schareck

Access to starting point:
From the Karawanks Tunnel, we follow the highway towards Salzburg to a highway junction where we turn left towards Spittal. From Spittal we drive towards Lienz. A little after that when highway ends, at the settlement Möllbrücke, we turn right towards the settlement Mallnitz and Alpine road Großglockner. We follow this road to the settlement Kleindorf (little after the settlement Flattach) where signs „Mölltaler Gletscher“ point us to the right on an ascending road towards the bottom station of funicular. We follow this road all the way to a large parking lots at the bottom station of funicular.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the asphalt road which is closed for traffic. After a short ascent on the road signposts point us to the right on a footpath „Richard Helfer Weg“. On the footpath we also avoid the tunnels on the road through which is forbidden to walk.
From the crossing, we start ascending a little steeper through the forest on a relatively poorly beaten footpath. Higher for a short time, we join the road and then we again turn right on a footpath which is marked with Knafelc blazes. The path is mostly ascending through the forest and crosses few shorter clearings. Later, the path brings us on little steeper slopes from which occasionally a view opens up on waterfalls of the stream Astrombach on the other side of steep valley. On shorter crossing where the slope is very steep we also have a rope for help. The path here isn't too demanding, but we have to pay attention because due to bushes and high grass we might not notice, that by the narrow path the slope is very steep. After that, the path from the steep slopes turns to the left and starts ascending a little steeper. On such path through the forest we then soon reach the mountain road.
We continue right on the road which is slightly descending and it brings us to a marked crossing near the lake Wurtenspeicher. We go left on a cart track and after a short ascent, we come to the lake. Near the lake are also benches and table.
Cart track that runs by the lake soon ends, and we go left on a footpath. The path further mostly in a gentle ascent crosses a slope above the lake towards the north, and in doing so, we cross also few smaller streams. Later, the path turns a little to the left and is for a short time ascending in zig-zags. Next follows traversing of little steeper slopes, where we bypass smaller rockfall. Here also some caution is needed. Later increasingly panoramic path becomes less steep and runs towards the north. We still have to be pay attention where we walk because by footpath there is quite a few deep holes. The path then slightly descends and brings us near the lake Mernigsee.
Here the path turns slightly to the right and crosses a stream and then starts ascending on a slope above the lake. We again walk towards the north and we soon cross the slope below the chairlift, which runs towards the mountain hut Weißseehaus. After that, the path turns left and then follows a short ascent on a slope left from the ski slope. Later, the path runs on a ski slope and it brings us to mountain road where there is a crossing.
To the right slightly downwards, there is only few ten meters to the midway cableway station (Mittelstation), left leads the road towards the mountain hut Weißseehaus, and we cross the road and we continue straight on a ski slope. The path on a ski slope starts ascending a little steeper and also a view starting to open up towards the lake Weißsee. The path is slowly turning to the right and brings us on a little less steep part of the ski slope. From the left quite unnoticeably joins the path from the road which runs by the lake Hochwurtenspeicher. Here the path from the ski slope turns to the right on a footpath which brings us near the cable car. Further, the path runs slightly left from the cableway and only the last ascent to the mountain hut Duisburger Hütte follows from where there is a very nice view towards the surrounding peaks and lake.
At the mountain hut, we continue right on a footpath where signs „Bergstation Eissee, Schareck“ point us to. The path is still ascending near the cableway and runs towards the north. Higher, we join narrower macadam road which is made for the purpose of the ski slope. On panoramic road we then soon reach the mountain hut Eisseehaus, where a view opens up towards the glacier Wurtenkees and summit Schareck. At the mountain hut is also an upper station of the cable car.
We continue past the mountain hut in the direction towards the lake Eissee and then we turn left towards the ski slope. Further, we are ascending by the right edge of the ski slope, which is open also in the summer months. In case if the snow is frozen it is recommended also the use ice axe and crampons. When we get closer to the ridge ski slope turns to the left, and we still walk by the edge of the ski slope and we soon reach the upper station of the chairlift.
From here follows only few meters of ascent to the ridge. Right on the ridge leads the path towards the summit Baumbachspitze, and we go left. The path at first leads past a smaller weather station with a camera. On this part, the path is also secured with a rope. Ridge for some time becomes a little wider and then the path brings us to steel cables. Here we ascend a little steeper and we also get help from a stemple. The steepness soon decreases and also steel cables end. In the last part, the path is not that steep, and ridge on which runs the path is still slightly exposed, so some caution is still needed. On such path we then soon reach the peak.
We descend on the ascent route, in doing so we can greatly shorten the path with the help of cableways. Or we can also continue on the ridge and over the notch Fraganter Scharte return towards the midway station of a cableway (Mittelstation).

On the way: Wurtenspeicher (1695m), Mernigsee (2040m), Mittelstation (Mölltaler Gletscher) (2234m), Duisburger Hütte (2572m), Eisseehaus (2795m)