Hochbärneck

The Hochbärneck is a ridge and alpine pasture in the municipality of Sankt Anton an der Jeßnitz, set in the Lower Austrian Limestone Alps. It sits on the south-west ridge of the 1,130-metre Turmkogel as a broad shoulder. The Hochbärneckhütte stands at 915 metres, with a ten-metre-high viewing tower beside it offering sweeping views of the Ötscher and the Tormäuer within the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park. The long-distance North-South Trail also crosses the ridge, linking walkers to wider routes. Two ski tows serve the slopes and a network of mountain-bike trails winds across the open ground. Each year at the end of June an alpine festival takes place, followed on 15 August by an Almkirtag, a traditional cattle drive and fair. The ridge is reached by a fully asphalted road from Sankt Anton an der Jeßnitz, while hikers can choose the southern ascent past the Treffling waterfall or from Sulzbichl in Puchenstuben. A small astro-station, operated by the Astronomical Working Group Amstetten, was installed a few hundred metres before the alpine hut in May 2004. Visitors can explore the open meadows, ride the lifts or follow the bike paths, then climb the viewing tower for wide views over the surrounding peaks and valleys. The contrast between the busy summer meadows and the quiet night sky at the astro-station adds another layer to a visit.