Hohe Student

The Hohe Student is a 1 539-metre peak in the Mürzsteger Alps of Styria. It stands on the main chain of the Alps, with the Freinsattel pass to the east and the Fallenstein ridge to the south. The summit area is a broad, multi-summit high plateau dotted with smaller tops such as the Haselspitz and the Studentleiten. Below lies the abandoned Studentalm, a high-altitude pasture that once fed cattle. The village of Halltal in the Salzatal valley serves as the usual trailhead for ascents.

The mountain draws walkers for its wide, unobstructed views across the Alps and for the colourful alpine flora that carpets the plateau in summer. Two well-marked routes reach the top in about two and a half hours. One leaves Halltal and passes the Kampltörl notch, while the other starts at the Aunbauer farm and crosses the Freinsattel. Both paths climb through forests and open meadows before opening onto the open summit zone.

On the high plateau visitors find open grassland, low shrubs and scattered limestone outcrops. The Haselspitz offers a fine view north over the Salzatal, and the Studentleiten ridge extends the horizon southwards. The Studentalm, though no longer farmed, still shows traces of its past use. From the summit the Alps stretch away in every direction, from the Hochschwab in the west to the Schneealpe in the east.