Hochanger

The Brucker Hochanger stands at the north-eastern end of the Gleinalpe range in the Austrian province of Styria. Its broad grassy summit plateau stretches almost flat around the summit cross, while the lower Dürreck ridge rises gently to the west. The mountain’s northern and eastern flanks drop steeply to the Mur river, cut by small gullies and ravines. At the foot of these slopes lies the Weitental nature centre with its wildlife rescue station. Clear boundaries mark the southern side where the Zlattengraben valley separates the Hochanger from neighbouring peaks. The Hochanger is one of three local mountains that Bruck an der Mur calls its own, alongside the Rennfeld and Madereck. The mountain draws hikers and mountain bikers from across the region and forms part of the long-distance Central Alpine Trail. The most popular route starts from Weitental village, passing the Schweizeben inn or following the Zöttelsteig path. Another common approach begins in Zlatten, choosing either the Kohlmitscher Steig or the Zlattengraben gully. The Eisenpass saddle to the south-west also serves as a starting point, leading beneath Dürreck’s summit to the Hochanger refuge. At the heart of the summit plateau stands the Hochanger refuge, built in 1923. The refuge offers fifteen mattresses in a dormitory and nine beds in private rooms, run during the summer months by a team of tenant wardens. Below the southern slopes lies the Blasmoaralm self-catering hut with nine more sleeping places. Nearby, the Guttenberg-Warte tower remembers the alpine club president Adolf von Guttenberg. A memorial path traces the route taken in February 1934 by the socialist politician Koloman Wallisch before his arrest and execution.