Seichenbrunn - Petzeck

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. A little before Lienz at the roundabout, we continue right towards the settlement Iselsberg and Winklern. The road starts ascending, and then we have to pay attention because the road soon branches off to the left towards the valley Debanttal (green sign). The road towards the valley Debanttal becomes a macadam, and later joins a bit nicer road from the settlement Nußdorf-Debant. When driving through the valley Debanttal we then follow the signs for mountain hut Lienzer Hütte and Wangenitzseehütte. We follow the road all the way to a gate where we park on a large parking lot (Parkplatz Seichenbrunn).

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on a macadam road which is closed for traffic. Already after few ten meters, we come to a marked crossing where we continue right over a bridge following the signs »Wangenitzseehütte«. Straight on a macadam road leads the path towards the mountain hut Linzer Hütte.
Our path then turns right and it ascends on a grassy slope and brings us into the forest. For some time we then walk on a wide path which runs towards the east, and then signposts point us to the left and the path starts ascending steeper. The path here runs mostly on grassy slopes by thinner forest. Higher, we then cross the fence and the path brings us on the mountain pasture where in the summer months livestock is grazing.
The path here becomes less steep and crosses grassy slopes below the cargo cableway towards the northwest. From the path, we have here nice view mainly on mountains above the valley Debanttal. The path from the mountain pasture then turns slightly to the right and again starts ascending steeper and it brings us to a marked crossing.
Left leads the path towards the mountain hut Linzer Hütte, and we continue right towards the mountain hut Wangenitzseehütte. The path from the crossing then crosses little steeper slopes below the summit Feldkopf towards the east, and then follows again a little steeper ascent to the notch Untere Seescharte.
On the notch where a view opens up towards the east path slightly descends and past high mountain lakes Kreuzsee and Wangenitzsee brings us to the hut Wangenitzseehütte.
At the mountain hut, we continue towards the northeast following the signs »Petzeck«. After a short ascent, we come to a marked crossing where the path towards the summit Kruckelkopf branches off to the left.
We continue straight and then we cross little steeper slopes. On this part at the crossing also some caution is needed, and we also get help from a steel cable. Further, the path turns left and is then for quite some time ascending towards the north. Higher, the path turns right on little steeper slopes, and straight through the valley leads unmarked path over notch Petzeckscharte. Unmarked path is otherwise less steep but there are also in late summer possible snow fields. And marked path is further steeply ascending and from the path, we have increasingly beautiful views on surrounding peaks, and by the path, we will also notice a smaller waterfall. Higher, when joins the path through notch Petzeckscharte, the path turns right and it ascends on a rocky slope to point 3136 meters from which a view opens up towards the summit Petzeck. Here the path becomes less steep and leads us over snow fields towards the north. In the last part, the path becomes again a little steeper and follows the last ascent to a panoramic summit.

On the way: Untere Seescharte (2533m), Kreuzsee (2483m), Wangenitzsee (2465m), Wangenitzseehütte (2508m)