Tauernkopf

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is one of the most impressive pass roads in the world and, in combination with the southern trail descent to Heiligenblut, is a highlight in the Alps for mountain bikers.

Description

The tour starts in the idyllic village of Heiligenblut and first takes you along the old Grossglockner Road, which impresses with its perfect route, historic walls and engineering structures. The route climbs steadily to an altitude of almost 1850 meters above sea level, where it meets the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. This is followed by another pleasant ascent on asphalt towards the Wallackhaus. The view along the south ramp of the Großglockner and the surrounding 3000 m peaks is spectacular and difficult to put into words.

The next uphill section begins at the Hochtor. The path to the Tauernkopf branches off to the left onto the Klagenfurt Jubilee Trail. Shortly before the Tauernkopf, a steeper section awaits before you finally reach the highest point of the tour at over 2600 m above sea level. The panorama here is a real 10/10 experience, especially in autumn, when the larches turn golden and the blossoming vegetation creates an almost surreal ambience.
The descent begins with a mix of difficulty S2 and some S3 key sections. The trail rides with Western Alps flair over sandy ground far above the vegetation line southwards to the Schareck. Towards the end, the trail becomes a little more triable and finally leads into a forest road that rides to the Schareck mountain station.

This is where one of the trail highlights of the tour begins. The trail runs along the ridge with difficulty levels S2-S3, with some hairpin bends on gravel being particularly challenging in the upper section. After the passage through the avalanche barrier, the route becomes increasingly easier and changes into a forest road from the Seppenalm. After a few meters of rolling, you turn left at the natural lake into the next trail section, which leads to the Schareck valley station with difficulty S2.

The last section runs along historic paths and meanders smoothly through meadows and forest areas before the tour finally ends back in Heiligenblut. Incidentally,

the tour is also easily doable with an e-bike, although short pushing and carrying sections are required at the Hochtor.

Note: The route is located on Austrian territory and leads over routes that are not approved for mountain bikers. Riding this route on a mountain bike is the responsibility of each individual, in full awareness of the legal situation.

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