Gauerstall

The Gauerstall is a mountain 1,129 metres above sea level in the Wimitzer range of the Austrian Alps. It stands entirely within the municipality of Frauenstein in Carinthia. The slopes rise from wooded valleys where small farms and meadows alternate with scree.

The peak is famous as one of the four hills visited during the Vierbergelauf, a traditional pilgrimage walk held every year. On the south-east ridge lies Lorenziberg, a hamlet whose little church is a stopping point on the route. Nearby, the ruined walls of Burg Nussberg cling to the north-east flank, offering a reminder of the area’s medieval past.

A clear path leaves the Lorenziberg church and climbs to the summit plateau. Along the way it crosses two long ramparts, each several hundred metres long, built to guard the approach. From the wooded top a short scramble of 250 metres northwestward ends at a rocky ledge. From there the ground falls away steeply, giving a deep view down to Schaumboden village far below.