Großer Bösenstein

The Großer Bösenstein stands 2 448 metres high in the Lower Tauern range of the Austrian Alps. It belongs to the Rottenmann and Wölz Tauern subgroup, where it is the third highest summit. The village of Hohentauern at its northern foot serves as the usual starting point for climbers. From the top a wide arc of the Eastern Alps unfolds, taking in the pyramid of Grimming and the plateau of the Totes Gebirge. The mountain is climbed mainly in summer by hikers who follow marked routes from Hohentauern. The final section to the summit crosses steep grass and rock, but no technical climbing is needed. On clear days the view stretches more than a hundred kilometres, from the Dachstein glacier in the west to the Hochschwab in the east. The ascent rewards walkers with open meadows and high alpine pastures along the way. Near the top the ground becomes stonier and the gradient increases. The summit itself is a narrow ridge with room for only a few people at once. On the descent most parties choose the same route, but a circuit can be made by continuing over the south ridge.