GS_N15 Kleiner Trieb (2,096 m) - Hoher Trieb (2,199 m)

(Ascent):  

Directly in front of the Zollnersee Hut begins the well-marked and signposted easy-to-walk path. After a few minutes, you reach a junction and leave the path leading left to the Kleiner Trieb also "to the left" and turn right. After bypassing the summit structure of the Kleiner Trieb on the west side via the Trieb basin, you ascend a steep cirque in numerous switchbacks.

The Kleiner Trieb with its delicately forged summit cross lies on your left in this section. This cross was made around 1933 by the Klagenfurt master blacksmith Hafner, stood on the Reißkofel on the other side of the Gail valley until the 1970s, and then was moved here.

Once you reach the ridge, you only have a few minutes towards east before you stand on the summit plateau of the Hohe Trieb.

Now it is time to enjoy the view:

To the west, countless peaks adorn the area of the Lesachtal, and it is not far to the highest peak in the Carnic Alps – the Hohe Warte. To the south, the Italian Julian Alps reveal themselves in their full size and splendor. From the east, for example, the three famous "Kofel" of the Nassfeld area shine – the Gartnerkofel, the Trogkofel, and the Roßkofel. Further back are the rugged mountains of the Julian Alps in Slovenia. And to the north, the Hohe Tauern rise into the sky.

(Descent): 

Today, nothing is spared for you. The ascent path is recommended for the descent as well. 

You will see: 

Regarding a culinary stop at the Zollnersee Hut – a gem of the Obergailtal/Lesachtal section of the OEAV – the return there is not that long…!

It is up to you whether to do it before or after the snack. But a short detour to the Zollner See should still be possible before driving down to the valley. The path there is not difficult and not too far. You will certainly not regret this little excursion.

The peaceful Zollner See: 

The approximately 1 ha large and maximally 2.80 m deep lake lies in an east-west oriented basin between the southern border ridge and the northern Seebühel. It is fed by several small tributaries from the south, coming from the broad, black shale-covered Silurian marsh basins. The shallow basin filled by the lake presumably originated from dead ice in the underlying rock. The ice melting is assumed to have occurred about 3000 years ago.

A special charm is exerted on the viewer by the lake shore, which is surrounded by alpine rose bushes, tussock grass, and marsh meadows. Water plants such as pondweed, feverfew, and cattails also grow here.

In summer, the water temperature can rise to 20°, and in winter, ice thicknesses of 1 m are not uncommon. Zollner See is rich in moss- and mud-dwelling algae, as well as animal plankton.

Attempts to introduce fish have failed over the years.

FAIR PLAY & RESPECT:

Awareness for nature – landowners – your health... and safety on the mountain have the highest priority for your route and the associated route planning!

Therefore, inquire before every hike about the rules of conduct - Safety on the Mountain - and the current weather conditions.

Waste disposal:

Waste is not always avoidable – but it has no place in nature and must be disposed of properly (preferably in the valley or at home). 

Emergency numbers:

Europe-wide emergency call: 112 (access to every available network)

Austrian Alpine emergency call: 140

Are you looking for hiking tips in the region and a state-certified guide for a guided mountain hike?

You can find that and many other infos at - Tour tips and provider information

Places to eat:

- Zollnersee Hut (depending on the season)

- and in Dellach, St. Daniel and the surrounding villages, there are numerous year-round open places to eat – details available at Service A-Z.

Close to the Zollnersee Hut stands the Zollner Peace Chapel. It is meant to commemorate the dead of the front line of the First World War that ran here and to promote peace. 

Even today, you encounter traces and witnesses from that time in this "world war terrain." Much is now overgrown with flowers, grass, and bushes, but there is still plenty to see:  

A shell fragment here, a few meters of wire and rotting wood there. Dark caverns and masonry bastions. Then visible grids, used to encase and secure the unstable rock.  

And since the word "Zollner" appears so often in this section of the Carnic Alps, a word on that:  

Zollner comes from "Zolder" – early medieval for "alder." So, for example, the "Zollneralm" is the alpine pasture with the alders…!