Roßkopf and Markbachjoch: A Lived Dream to Conclude
If we had followed the weather forecast, this last hike would never have taken place. Originally, rain and thunderstorms were predicted for the entire day. But, the weather gods were kind to us even on the last day. With our Alpbachtal Card, the ride on the Markbachjochbahn is free. So, we headed once again to Wildschönau. This time, however, we took the gondola all the way up the mountain. When we arrived at the top, it was quite chilly. But the weather was about to change over the course of the day.
Starting in the Fog – Ending in Sunshine
From the mountain station, we began our ascent to the Roßkopf. Up to Halsgatterl, a small picturesque chapel, the path went quite steeply uphill over the Lanerköpfl again. From here, we would normally have a beautiful view, but the fog obscured it. Therefore, we only took a brief look inside the chapel and read the legend associated with this place. The “Halsgatterl Chapel” was built in 2016 by the legendary Steff Margreiter out of gratitude for his recovery after a serious illness, on the border between Brixental and Wildschönau (1562 m). According to the legend of Wildschönau, this is also the place where two people, who are considered the founders of Wildschönau, met.
From here, it’s not far to Roßkopf, our destination for the day. Once at the top, we were lucky: the cloud cover broke up, and we could see both the surrounding mountains – the Karwendel, Kaisergebirge, and Rofan – and the valley below. Additionally, it stayed dry the entire time, and it seemed like the weather was even improving.
Descent to Holzalm-Käsealm
After taking a summit photo and a short break, we began our descent to Holzalm-Käsealm. The snack offerings in Alpbachtal and Wildschönau are truly tempting and diverse. It’s hard to resist! 🙂 The descent first leads through a forest and finally along a dirt road to the Alm. When we arrived, we had to realize that quite a few people had the same idea. With some effort, we managed to get a spot on the terrace. In the meantime, the weather had improved, and the sun was shining.
The homemade cheese specialties looked very tempting. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a cooler bag or a refrigerator in the hotel, so taking the delicious dairy products with us wouldn’t be worthwhile. So, we enjoyed a snack on-site and then continued our hike, initially back to the starting point. But since the weather had become so nice and there was a small white chapel right next to the Markbachjoch – just like something Rosamunde Pilcher could have dreamed up – we had to go there once more. The beautiful little mountain chapel at Markbachjoch enchanted me. The cows in front seemed perfectly arranged – almost too picturesque for a photo. We settled down at the Markbachjoch and, at the end, let the fantastic mountain scenery sink in one last time. I wanted to soak up this image deeply and take it home with me into everyday life.
An absolutely amazing vacation and a fantastic hiking area!
