Hiking might just be one of my favourite things in the world. The feeling of being out in the mountains, fresh air and nature all around, with the physical accomplishment of reaching a place (usually) only accessible on foot is one of the most satisfying, addicting feelings in the world.
Trying to coordinate eight people to book a weeked in the mountains - overnight in a hut included - was no easy feat. We emailed, and then called the Tappenkarseehütte more than a month before we planned to hike up and managed to book the last room they had available.
So, the first weekend of July rolled around and, as is always the case with living in the unforseeable weather of the mountains, while we had hoped for clear skies and sunshine, we were greeted with mist and rain. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, keeping us cool as we trekked the more than 700m of vertical up the mountain, noting that if it had been hot and sunny we would have been sweaty and dehydrated before long!
I grew up in Canada, so every year on July 1 - Canada Day - I try and take the opportunity to do something in celebration of the country in which I spent much of my youth. I basically grew up in the mountains so it felt right to spend Canada Day 2023 hiking up into the Austrian mountains - my current home - with a bunch of wonderful people who I’m lucky to call my friends.
We trekked our way up to the Tappenkarsee, hung out with the cows, ate our weight in heidelbeerschmarrn, played countless rounds of the card game Cabo, jumped in the cold lake, basically had a gigantic sleepover in our shared dorm room on the top floor of the little hut and took hundreds of photos of the epic views. It was a very Happy Canada Day weekend indeed. I feel lucky to get to call so many beautiful places home.
TAPPENKARSEE HIKE DETAILS
When: 1 June to 30 September
Where: trail begins either at the Parkplatz Jägersee if you're coming by bus or you can choose to park your car along the gravel road at the Parkplatz Tappenkarweg, which cuts off about 3.7km each way (but a nice walk!)
Difficulty: intermediate
Length: the return hike is 21km including the section on the road from Parkplatz Jägersee, which took us 5.5 hours roundtrip including an overnight stop at the Tappenkarseehütte
Directions: from Parkplatz Jägersee, walk to the left around the Jägersee, following the gravel road all the way until you reach the Parkplatz Tappenkarweg. Then, enter the forest and the hiking trail through the fence at the end of the parking lot, following the trail up the mountain. You'll hike a long set of switchbacks past the beautiful Riesach Wasserfall before making your way towards the foot of the lake. Walk halfway around the Tappenkarsee to the Tappenkarseealm (they take card!) for a delicious plate of heidelbeerschmarrn before continuing another half hour further around the lake to the Tappenkarseehütte for an overnight stay (you must book in advance, and they only take cash). Return the way you came. Check out my Strava tracked hike here.
Bathrooms: yes, actual bathrooms with flushing toilets at the cafe at the Parkplatz Jägersee and at the Tappenkarseehütte, and an outhouse at the Parkplatz Tappenkarweg
Public Transit: yes, you can take the train to Saint Johann im Pongau and then catch the 530 bus to Kleinarl Jägersee; we took this journey from Salzburg Hbf which took about 1h 40m total which you can book on OBB
Day 1: Parkplatz Jägersee to Tappenkarseehütte
