A circular hike to the mythical Leonsberg in the Salzkammergut

Ascent to the mythical mountain with the double name Leonsberg-Zimnitz 1 745 m above sea level

Starting point

I leave my car above the town of Bad Ischl in the forest parking lot behind the cemetery at the end of Zimnitzstraße. The parking lot is free of charge.
 

Description of the hike

I leave my car in the forest parking lot behind the cemetery in the village of Pfandl (suburb of Bad Ischl, Zimnitzstraße). From the car park two marked hiking trails branch off and meet at the top - one is marked black - difficult, the other red - medium difficulty, but I didn't really see much difference. I head right along the wide forest path past the Zimnitzbach stream.

After a few dozen metres I come across a "weeping" wall with hundreds of trickles running down it, some freezing into tiny icicles on a cold morning. There is a small niche here with statues of the Madonna and candles - here, according to legend, a young girl begged the lord of the mountain, Zimnitzgeist, to heal her mother (full legend in Interesting Facts).

Leaving nothing to chance, I also light a candle and ask Zimnitzgeist for a safe ascent and return home. The path climbs gently up the rocky stream valley to a wooden bridge by a small waterfall. Here begins a steep ascent through serpentine beech forest to the Schüttalm saddle.

The climb takes about an hour and offers a view of the Bad Ischl valley and the opposite Katergebirge massif with Mount Katrin, recognisable by its transmitter. In the saddle, I take a half-hour walk to the next peak, Gspranggupf (1368 m), with nice views of the Zimnitz peak and the opposite ridge, Hohe Schrott.

Back to the saddle and up the opposite hill. A little beyond the saddle is a faint spring with a drinking fountain. The trail soon emerges from the woods and runs kneeling right along the edge of the hill. There are false summits on the trail, but after a short belayed section (easy) the summit cross of Zimnitz 1,745m finally appears.

The summit is long and narrow with a metal cross and a circular view of the surrounding mountains - to the north the Höllengebirge with the highest Grosser Höllkogel, to the east the scalloped Hohe Schrott and Totes Gebirge, to the south the Bad Ischl valley with the Katergebirge, beyond which the glacier of the Dachstein glistens, and to the west the lakes and mountains of the Salzkammergut - the nearby Schafberg above Wolfgangsee, the Mondsee and Drachenwand beyond, the turquoise Attersee with the Schoberstein spire and the Mahdgupf.

Even further above Salzburg is the Untersberg massif (Berchtesgadener and Salzburger Hochthron), the Tennergebirge and the Bavarian Alps. After resting for a while, I head down the other edge of the cauldron. On the way I cross the side peaks Mitterzinken 1 702 m above sea level and Gartenzinken 1 557 m above sea level, where there is a round sundial instead of a cross. After the Gartenzinken the trail starts to descend steeply, it is rocky, sticks are useful to avoid slipping. The last stretch of the trail leads through beech forest again directly to the parking lot.
 

Difficulty

A nice trek to the scenic mountain with the double name Leonsberg-Zimnitz 1 745 m above sea level, along marked hiking trails. It is on classic Alpine mountain paths, sometimes rocky. There are no exposed sections. Only one with a rope, which an experienced hiker would not even use. The route can be managed by a schoolchild with good fitness.
 

Water availability

There is no refreshment option on the trail, so take all your food for the day's trek and water with you. You will find one weak water source at the Schüttsattel saddle. There is a shopping area (Billa, Hofer) a short walk from the parking lot, including restaurants and kiosks.
 

Sleeping options

There are no huts on the route, Bad Ischl and the valleys around the lakes are popular tourist destinations - plenty of options.

Mountain peaks

During this trek you will climb the peaks Gspranggupf 1 368 m above sea level and Leonsberg-Zimnitz 1 745 m above sea level, views of the Katergebirge, Hohe Schrott, Dachstein, Totes Gebirge, Salzkammergut (Salzkammergut), Bavarian Alps.
 

Danger

The route is safe and has no dangerous sections. One short section is secured with a rope, but very easy for an experienced alpine hiker, see photo.
 

Food

There is no opportunity to eat at the lodge during the hike, so takeaway food or in the valley at the trailhead.
 

Attractions

The tale of the lord of the mountain Zimnitzgeist

In the valley of Bad Ischl lived a widow with only one child - her daughter Gertraud. One day the mother fell ill with a serious illness and grew worse and worse. When there seemed to be no hope, a neighbour advised her daughter to try the intercession of Zimnitzgeist, the lord of the mountain. On the following full moon, the girl went to the foot of the mountain and began to call Zimnitzgeist. The mountain opened, and the menacing lord appeared - massive, in a dark cloak and hobnailed boots, with snarling dogs at his side. He asked what the girl wanted.

The frightened Gertraud told him about her mother and humbly begged for her healing. Zimnitzgeist invited the girl into the heart of the mountain. Inside was a large, bright hall, filled with flowers, some in bloom, some in full bloom, others already withering. They were the flowers of life for all the inhabitants of the Bad Eichl valley. He showed her a pot with a wilted flower and told her that it was her mother's flower and that she was beyond help. Getraud also asked about her flower and Zimnitzgeist showed her a beautiful lush bud. The girl thought for a moment and then told Zimnitzgeist to change the flowers, she didn't want to live without her mother anymore. Zimnitzgeist, seeing her love and courage, revived the wilted flower and granted the girl's wish. The girl thanked the lord of the mountains and started on her way home. When she arrived home in the morning, her mother was in perfect health. They both lived a long time and told the people of the Bad Eichl valley about the goodness of Zimnitzgeist.