Over the Sattelberge to the Gösserwand
The Sattelberge Mountains are located south of Passail and shield the Passail basin from Weiz. The highest peak in the Sattelberge is the Gösser, with its“wall” that drops steeply toward the Raab Gorge. This karst mountain range is home to over 200 caves; the most famous tourist caves are the Grasslhöhle (Austria’s oldest tourist cave!) and the Katerloch. Until the mid-20th century, a small alpine dairy with an alpine hut and an inn operated at the Gössersattel, but it was eventually abandoned due to the poor water supply.
On this hike, you’ll circle around the Gösser River via Trail No. 18b; this section of the trail offers the most beautiful views but also requires sure-footedness. Please be careful—the cliff drops off steeply here! Otherwise, the trail follows easy-to-walk farm and access roads and is suitable for the whole family.
Variant:
From the Dürntalkreuz, head down to the Dürntalwirt and follow the well-marked Trail No. 764 all the way to the district capital of Weiz; the return trip to Passail is then by bus.
