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Hoher Sonnblick (3106m)

Hoher Sonnblick (Rauriser Sonnblick, Salzburg) Approach: A10 Exit Bischofshofen, B311 to Taxenbach, intersection to Rauris. Drive to the end of the road (parking lot, toll road). Altitude difference:  1500m Walking time:  4-6 hours (ascent), 2-3 hours descent Difficulty: medium, no difficult climbing parts, sometimes exposed.

Equipment:			Profile:
	- Glacier equipment (rope, crampons, ice axe)*  - Snow goggles  - Climbing harness for not so good (insecure) climbers (normally you make Sonnblick without harness) * if you want to go on the glacier
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	Webcam of the Carinthian Power Supply Company Kelag
		View from the Sonnblick Observatory to Großglockner (highest mountain of Austria). In front you can see the 1886 built wind tower of the original observatory. Other webcams at the Sonnblick observatory: Blick zum Wurtenkees (Skigebiet Mölltaler Gletscher) Blick ins Rauriser Tal
	provided by kelag

Hoher Sonnblick (3106m) is one of the most famous mountains of the Austrian Alps. The meteorological observatory at the mountain top and the gold rush in the late 19th century are the reasons for the glory of this mountain.

The Sonnblick is not a very difficult mountain. With some alpine skills and after a 4 to 6 hour walk, you are on the top of the mountain. The classic route starts at the parking lot of Kolm Saigurn (1500m), at the end of the Rauris valley.

At the way to the summit are two mountain huts, where you can sleep and eat. The first hut, the Neubauhütte, is at 2200m. The Rojacher Hütte at 2700m.

From Rojacher Hütte to the summit you can choose to ways. The first way (the marked trail) follows the ridge to the summit. At this trail you have one small rock to climb (there is a ladder). Unless the ridge is quiet steep, you will find every time a rock to grasp.

The second possibility is the way across the glacier. This is an unmarked trail. Short after Rojacher Hütte, you will see a steep snow field with tracks. You have to cross this snowfield, climb the rock behind the snow field (very easy) and you will see the Glacier (unless it is very foggy). Follow the tracks on the glacier parallel to the ridge and they will lead you the summit.
Please note, that you maybe will need crampons and an ice axe for the steep snow field and the lower (steep) parts of the glacier.

At our tour to the Sonnblick, we had bad luck with the weather. The observatory at the Sonnblick reported wind gusts up to nearly 100 miles per hour.

OK - have a nice time with my pictures

Oh yes, the map: The red line represents the Ascent (parking lot - Kolm Saigurn - Neubau - Knappenhaus - end of glacier - unmarked to Rojacherhütte - trail on ridge - Sonnblick) and blue represents the descent (Sonnblick - trail over the glacier - Rojacherhütte - Neubau - Durchgangalm - unmarked to the parking lot).

MAP: (c) BEV 2001, ZI 41044/2001
   

Because of Ignaz Rojacher, the manager of the gold mines, we have today an observatory at the top of Sonnblick. It was him, who built more than 100 years ago this observatory.

Photo: Alois M. Holzer

Photo: Alois M. Holzer

A little bit exhausted we arrived at the mountain hut at Sonnblick (there is a mountain hut and the observatory on the summit).

Photo: Alois M. Holzer

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