The Goetheweg is probably one of the most beautiful and spectacular high-altitude hiking trails in Austria. The Goetheweg, which was renamed the Hermann Buhl Weg in 1977, was given its original name again in 2002.
The Goetheweg
Directions
The Goetheweg starts from the mountain station on the Hafelekar and leads along the ridge with a few ascents and descents to the Pfeishütte (1922 m).
At first, the trail is relatively flat along the path below the Hafelekarspitze, the Gleirschspitze and the Mandlspitze. This is followed by a short ascent to the Mandlscharte. From here, the path descends in serpentines to the Pfeishütte. The hut is open from mid-June to mid-October and also offers overnight accommodation.
The way back is the same as the way there. Alternatively, you can also descend via the Arzler Scharte or the Arzler Reise, or take the trail via the Kreuzjöchl down to the Vintlalm, past the Rumer Alm and back to the Hungerburg (Nordkettenbahn valley station). It is also possible to descend from the Pfeishütte into the Halltal valley.
Naming
Hermann Buhl was an important Austrian alpinist and extreme mountaineer , and as the Goetheweg meanders along rather gently and is the opposite of extreme, it was decided to keep the poetic name and dedicate a memorial plaque to Hermann Buhl on the main square of the Hungerburg instead.