Untere Wolayeralm - Rauchkofel

Access to starting point:
Over the border crossing Korensko sedlo we descend in Austria, and there in first larger crossroad we continue left in the direction of village Podklošter / Arnoldstein. In the mentioned village, we will get to a roundabout, where we continue right in the direction of "Hermagor". Further, we drive on a wide road which leads us through the valley Gailtal. At the settlement Mauthen we continue left in the direction of the mountain pass Plöckenpass, and after few 100 meters right in the direction of valley Lesachtal. Further, we drive on narrower and quite winding road which we follow to the spot, where a road branches off to the left towards the village Wodmaier. The road soon above the village loses an asphalt covering, and in the next crossroads, we follow it in the direction of the lake Wolayer See. This very bad and occasionally quite steep road, we then follow to the parking lot on the mountain pasture Untere Wolayeralm.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on for traffic closed forest road which soon starts ascending steeper. Considerably panoramic and zig zag road higher brings us to a nice waterfall Hildenfall.
After waterfall road passes into a lane of thin forest and a little higher flattens, crosses a grazing fence and after few minutes of additional walking brings us to the mountain pasture Obere Wolayeralm, on which stands a little larger shepherd hut (to here we need 1.5 hours).
From the mountain pasture on which in the summer time livestock is grazing we continue on a little worse mountain road which after a short ascent brings us in nicely high mountain cirque. At the end of the cirque road turns a little to the right and it ascends steeper. This road (higher possible also on a marked path) we then follow to the mountain hut at the lake Wolayer See.
From the mountain hut, we continue left on a marked path in the direction of the summit Rauchkofel. The path which is at first ascending gently, quickly becomes steeper and is then ascending over relatively steep grassy slopes. The path higher flattens and turns slightly towards the left, where then in a moderate ascent brings us on a smaller saddle, where there is a crossing. We continue left on a relatively steep path, which is ascending on grassy slopes of the mountain. The path higher turns slightly to the left and it brings us on the main ridge. We continue slightly right on an increasingly steep path, which is further ascending on very steep grassy slopes. Further, the path brings us to steel cables, with the help of which we then in few minutes of additional walking ascend on a panoramic peak.

On the way: Obere Wolayeralm (1709m), The lake Wolayer See (1951m)