Scheichenspitze

The Scheichenspitze is a 2,667-metre peak in the Dachstein range of the Austrian Alps. It stands just over three kilometres north of the village of Ramsau am Dachstein in Styria. Because it rises directly above the Ramsau plateau, locals call it their ‘house mountain’. Three rocky ridges fan southwards from the summit, enclosing two glacial valleys: the Fluder to the west and the Eiskar to the east. Below the main crest lies the Scheichenkoppen, a lower summit at 2,251 metres. Climbers reach the top by several routes. The easiest is a marked alpine path from the Landfriedsattel in the north. A far tougher option is the Ramsauer Klettersteig, built in 1986. This exposed via ferrata runs east–west from the Gruberscharte over the Hohe Rams and along the long ridge past the Scheichenspitze, Schmiedstock and Hoher Gamsfeldspitz to the Edelgrießhöhe. The route demands sure-footedness and head for heights over its entire length. From the Guttenberghaus two kilometres east of the summit, walkers need two to two and a half hours to reach the top. At the summit stands a large metal cross, blessed on 15 August 1931. The view stretches across the Dachstein plateau and down to the valley of Ramsau. On clear days the peaks of the Totes Gebirge appear in the distance. In winter the mountain’s slopes form part of a ski area, while in summer hikers follow the same ridges used by climbers. The contrast between the high alpine world and the gentle meadows below makes the Scheichenspitze a rewarding destination.