If you are looking for a real adrenaline rush, the Sky Ladder or Ladder of Heaven located in the Gosau Region of Upper Austria is something you should add to your list.
Known as Intersport Klettersteig Donnerkogel in Europe, this via ferrata or iron path in English connects two giant gorges on the Grosser Donnerkogel summit. The entire via Ferrata route offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Alps especially the Inner Salzkammergut, including Dachstein, and the stunning Lake Gosausee. The Ladder of Heaven promises thrill seekers a classic climbing route that is over 400 m to the peak of Donnerkogel.
To venture into this adrenaline-pumping route, one has to go to Gosausee Lake after which taking a cable car from Gosaukamm. After reaching the cable car station, a five-minute walk leads toward Gablonzer Hütte. As soon as you get off the cable car, you will be able to see the Sky Ladder between the two mountain peaks.
After reaching the hut, turning left would lead to trail 611. A 10-minute hike with allow visitors to reach the upper Törlegg saddle. From here, take a left that leads to the beginning of the via ferrata route.
It is always better to catch the first cable car from Gosaukamm. It is also recommended to stay at Gablonzer Hütte the night before to start via ferrata in the early morning. This will make sure an uninterrupted path is on via Ferrata and allows you more time to take pictures and videos on the sky ladder.
The Donnerkogel via ferrata can be divided into four parts. In the early part of the hike, you will be crossing easier paths but will be thrown a curve ball of Level D paths in between. The second part of the hike includes crossing the Sky Ladder itself, which is categorized as Level B when it comes to difficulty. Despite its B rating, it is important to note that in reality, this can be difficult for some compared to the other sections of the climb, and the challenge usually escalates when you have unforeseen circumstances like heavy winds. The third part follows after the sky ladder and from my experience, this level cannot be underestimated as it poses its unique challenges. While doing this part of the trail, one will need to climb the ridge of the steep mountain at 2000 m altitude with 360-degree open surroundings until one reaches the summit. This part of the Donnerkogel via ferrata can easily switch difficulties but one thing is certain, you would mental fortitude and physical fitness to cross it successfully.
Once you are at the summit, you will be rewarded with a beautiful, dramatic view and from experience, you would definitely need a good camera to capture what you've worked on to see.
After completing part 3, the next part provides one an option to skip the remaining part otherwise, hiking back to Gablonzer Hutte is now part of the fourth part of the trail.
The return trail is opposite to where you came from. The sections can be tricky with steep downhill paths. Make sure to watch your steps along the way.
The view at the summit is spectacular. On a non-cloudy day, one can witness the breathtaking peaks covered with snow. The view of Gosausee lake is worth all the effort to climb up to the summit.
Important points:
Donnerkogel Klettersteig Facts
Officially, the trail name is called Intersport Klettersteig Donnerkogel with the starting and ending point going back to Gablonzer Hutte. The level of difficulties varies but has been classified as level A, B, C & D as per the Austrian Via Ferrata rating. The full trail can take around 4.5 hours for experts with the climb up lasting 3 hours while the hike down takes almost 1.5 hours. The elevation of the ladder is 470 meters with the Donnerkogel elevation pegged at 2054 m. The opening months are between May to October ( based on the snow and weather condition.) It is important to note that timing hours for completing the trail may vary on several factors including fitness and speed.
Hiking Packing List
It is important to know the weather condition on the day of your visits so dress up accordingly. Make sure to pack some hiking shorts or pants including mid-layer fleece, and easy-to-carry rain jackets. For your footwear, make sure to select shoes with the proper grip and avoid using shoes that were not tested and worn before. For gears, it is mandatory to have a climbing harness, via Ferrata lanyard with two carabiners and a matching helmet and gloves. Bring a comfortable backpack and limit the things you bring to essentials including drinking water, energy bars, portable charger and action camera and phone and sunglasses.
Weather Check
Weather plays a very important role while doing any trial. Officially, the Donnerkogel Klettersteig is open starting around May and closes around October. This will all be based on how fast the snow melts from the previous winter and when the snow begins to fall again. It is simply not safe enough to attempt the route when the mountain has snow cover, so it will only be open in the summer and surrounding months. In addition, during the heavy rain, attempting this via ferrata may not appear as wise decision, unless you consider yourself as an expert on via ferrata technics.
Cable Car
The round trip on the Gosaukammbahn Cable Car costs 21 Euro and the services start from 8:15 and the last cable car is at 5:50 pm sharp.
Where to stay near Donnerkogel
From the logistics perspective, the nearest option is renting a place at the Gablonzer Hütte, which is situated 10 minutes walking distance from the starting point. This will enable you to start your hike very early. Also, you may choose so many other options in the Gosau area.
Caveat
This via ferrata is not suggested for beginners. If you want to take this path and you're a beginner, make sure to take short courses. Do not attempt this unless you are fully sure of your mental strength along with your physical capabilities.
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