Leibnitzbachbrücke - Barrenlesee

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.
At the mountain hut where there is a crossing, we go right following the signs »Barrenlesee 1.5h« and we continue on a relatively gentle grassy terrain in the direction towards the south. Panoramic path then starts ascending a little and still runs towards the slopes of the peak Hoher and Niederer Prijakt. When we get a little closer to the walls of the mentioned peaks, the slope flattens and the path brings us to a marked crossing.
At the crossing, we continue left towards the summit Hoher Prijakt and lake Barrenlesee, right leads the path towards the notch Mirschachscharte over which leads the western path towards the summit Niederer Prijakt. Further, the terrain is becoming more and more rocky and the path leads us through a small valley in the direction towards the east. The path then brings us in the cirque named Kleiner Barren where there is also a smaller unnamed lake. A little before the mentioned lake, the path brings us to a marked crossing.
Here we leave the path towards the notch Mirnitzscharte and we go right towards the lake Barrenlesee and summit Hoher Prijakt. The path from the crossing is a little less beaten but well-marked and at first runs on rough scree upwards. Higher, the slope becomes steeper and on some spots at the ascent, we also have to use hands. Later, the slope becomes again less steep and the path through an indistinct rocky small valley soon brings us to high mountain lake Barrenlesee at an altitude 2727 meters.
We descend on the ascent route.

On the way: Leibnitzalm (1908m), Hochschoberhütte (2322m), Kleiner Barren (2520m)

Trip can be extended to: Hoher Prijakt ( 45 min)