The Seven Summits of Saalbach Hinterglemm

The starting point of the outstanding hiking tour is the valley station of the Schattberg X-Press in Saalbach. During the operation period the Schattberg X-Press starts at 7:30 in the morning and takes only 10 minutes to deliver motivated hikers to the start of the Seven Summits, the Schattberg mountain’s eastern summit.

Stemmerkogel mountain
The first entry on our summit list is Stemmerkogel mountain. The path from Schattberg mountain rises slowly and is the ideal warm up for a hike like this. The panorama on the summit gives a taste of what’s to come. Far on the horizon, the dark backside of the Geißstein mountain, part of the Glemmtal valley’s grass mountains, rises into the sky. But the notion of standing atop its summit in just a few hours still seems like a far-fetched idea at this point.

Hochkogel and Hochsaalbachkogel mountains
During our descent from Stemmerkogel mountain, we’ve already got all eyes on number 2 and 3 on our list. The Hochkogel and Hochsaalbachkogel mountains present themselves before us in all their glory. One thing has become clear — this is not going to be an easy stroll! The climb up to Hochkogel mountain is taxing and sweat-inducing. And a few dark clouds up in the sky are starting to worry us even more. Up on the summit, they block our view of the Hohe Tauern mountain range. The transition from Hochkogel mountain to Hochsaalbachkogel mountain is short but not entirely danger-free. A short segment of the way is equipped with an emergency rope and requires a certain degree of surefootedness. 

Bärensteigkogel mountain
After arriving at Bärensteigkogel mountain, we can barely believe that Geißstein mountain is still so far ahead of us in the distance. The sun is now at its highest point and we’re moving forward very slowly. The way to Manlitzkogel mountain is becoming quite difficult.

Manlitzkogel mountain
After a steep ascent under the hot midday sun, every conversation and every step require maximum effort. We decided to rest in nice company at the summit of Manlitzkogel mountain and to have a bite as well.

Mittagskogel mountain
Geißstein mountain is getting closer and closer. Nevertheless, the trail from Manlitzkogel mountain first leads downhill to Mittagskogel mountain. At Mittagskogel, another small ascent awaits us. The summit is basically on our way. 

Geißstein mountain
On our ascent up Geißstein mountain, we really missed those clouds that we had previously cursed up on Hochkogel mountain. Under the burning sun, it gets increasingly difficult to stay motivated. But not a single thought is wasted on quitting, although the opportunity to descent back into the Glemmtal valley is given regularly along the way. We mobilise all our remaining energy reserves and finally reach the summit, tired, yet satisfied. The Geißstein summit is the last and at the same time the highest summit of the “Seven Summits”. Having arrived quite late, we’re all alone at the summit. The afternoon sun, no longer as hot as it was before, and the amazing soft light here make up for all the hassles of the day. The descent down Geißstein mountain requires, once again, full concetration. Especially the first bit is a little steeper and shouldn’t be underestimated, particularly not with tired legs. After passing the pathway underneath the steep mountain walls, we only have the descent to the Lindingalm mountain pasture left ahead of us. Unfortunately, we hadn’t considered the operating times of the valley head train and arrived way too late. Our tour thus concluded with a comfortable walk to the Wanderparkplatz parking area in Lengau. 

Conclusion on the Seven Summits hike in Saalbach Hinterglemm
Especially ambitious and motivated mountain sports enthusiasts will absolutely love the Seven Summits Tour in Saalbach Hinterglemm. Those who arrive early enough and bring plenty of supplies, especially water, will spend an unforgettable day up in the mountains during this hike. But you do have to be a little crazy for it!

Facts and important information: 

24 km

1.450 hm

Hiking duration: approx. 9,5 hrs 

The tour will certainly take you to your limits: Two complete meals, bananas or the like and approx. four litres of water should be included in the supplies. Running shoes are absolutely unsuitable! With the Schattberg X-press (be sure to check the operating hours: from Monday to Friday, there is an early-morning journey between 7:30 and 7:40, after which the gondola is closed until 9:00) the Seven Summits Tour begins.

Tour overview can be found in our interactive hiking map.