You can plan a trip to the Loser peak around Lake Augstsee as a day trip, or enjoy it as part of a weekend stay in Altaussee. We’ll leave it up to you which version of the trip you choose. Personally, we have tried the routes listed below, which you can find detailed in today’s travel tip.
Loser
In any case, we recommend enjoying a trip to both the Loser peak and visiting the deep blue Lake Altaussee, which we wrote about in a previous travel tip:
Loserfenster / photo: Austrian Lakes
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Trip to the Loser peak from Loser Alm
The trip to the Loser peak from Loser Alm is an ideal tip for a relatively easy walk lasting several hours. If you want to shorten your journey this way, expect a fee for the Loser Panoramastrasse alpine road. This will save you several hours of walking directly from Altaussee.
At the end of the road, there is a large parking lot with a restaurant where today’s trip begins. Even here, you will find large boards with a map and markings for individual trails. However, I recommend not forgetting to pick up a detailed map at the ticket office below, which will come in handy on the way.
Loser / Altaussee – official trail map / credit: Altaussee Tourist Office
The first stop awaits you right after the first small climb above the parking lot. Lake Augstsee is a picturesque spot even for hikers heading to the Loser peak directly from Lake Altaussee. Many trippers set up a picnic here, and for some, Augstsee is the main goal of the entire trip.
We’ll just enjoy the views of the surroundings for a few minutes and decide which trail to take to the next tempting stop, which is the Loserfenster. You now have 2 paths to choose from. An easy family hike along the blue trail from the left side of the lake, or a more demanding route along the red trail. We choose the red trail and continue up the hill on the right side of Augstsee via smaller rocky paths.
Loseralm / photo: Austrian Lakes
Loseralm / photo: Austrian Lakes
Loseralm / photo: Austrian Lakes
After a few minutes of climbing, we are offered literally breathtaking views across Augstsee into the surrounding mountain landscape. We continue further, where after a while we are greeted by the stunning rock formation, Loserfenster. We are lucky to have arrived at this rock window accompanied only by one other couple, and after they take their photos, we can enjoy Loserfenster all to ourselves.
Magical places like this invite you to set up a picnic, but we still have a relatively long way to the Loser peak, so we continue on and plan to stop at Loserfenster again on the way down if needed.
Augstsee / photo: Austrian Lakes
Augstsee / Altaussee / photo: Austrian Lakes
Augstsee / photo: Austrian Lakes
The next stop awaits us right at the Loser peak, by the cross. It’s quite windy the whole way, and here at the peak, the wind is even stronger. Don’t forget to pack a windbreaker and a headband or hat. We are lucky again that a group of tourists is just leaving the peak and no others follow for a long time. As a reward, we unpack our snack on a bench and admire the breathtaking views of Lake Altaussee and the mountain massifs all around.
- From the parking lot at Loseralm, you have 2 options – blue trails 1, 2, and 3 around Lake Augstsee and to Loserfenster
- The blue family trails are followed by red trail no. 256 leading directly to the Loser peak
Loser / photo: Austrian Lakes
Loser / photo: Austrian Lakes
Augstsee / photo: Austrian Lakes
Trip to the Loser peak from Lake Altaussee
If you want to head out for a trip to the Loser peak directly from Lake Altaussee, I recommend arriving at the parking lot in the early morning hours. A better option, of course, is to stay in one of the local hotels and set off early in the morning, at the latest after breakfast. Good trail markings and the view of the Loser peak practically throughout your hike ensure that you shouldn’t get lost.
However, I recommend studying the route in advance according to your preferred difficulty. For more demanding trails, expect to need via ferrata equipment. If you choose the trail via Loser Alm, the next part of the journey will follow the previous description.
- From Altaussee, head along the left bank of the lake and follow the markings for red trail no. 254
- As soon as you reach Loserhütte, you can take red trail no. 255 directly to the Loser peak (thereby skipping Lake Augstsee)
Trip around Altausseer See, the Loser peak is visible in the distance / photo: Austrian Lakes
Loserfenster / photo: Austrian Lakes
Loser / photo: Austrian Lakes
Loser / photo: Austrian Lakes
Loser / photo: Austrian Lakes
We rate today’s trip very highly thanks to the omnipresent breathtaking views. The path to the peak and the cross is very rugged. Given the trails that often lead over rocks, we recommend having high-quality sturdy footwear with a non-slip sole.
Loserfenster / photo: Austrian Lakes
Difficulty of the trip to the Loser peak for parents with small children and for people with reduced mobility.
The blue trails leading from the Loseralm parking lot around Lake Augstsee and to the Loserfenster stop are also suitable for less experienced hikers. The trails are not suitable for strollers and wheelchair users; only the first few dozen meters to Lake Augstsee can be reached, slightly uphill. On the other hand, you will find nice trails around Lake Altaussee.
The red trails often lead over rocks; we recommend considering your physical condition if you plan to go on the trip with children in a carrier.
Augstsee / photo: Austrian Lakes
Accommodation in Bad Aussee
Finding a nice and available hotel or apartment near Altaussee can sometimes be difficult in high season. And not only for that reason, I recommend looking for accommodation in Bad Aussee as well, which is only a few kilometers away. You can thus combine your stay at Altaussee with a visit to the nearby Grundlsee. If you also use our verified tip for accommodation in Bad Aussee, you can also look forward to pleasant regeneration in the local wellness center.
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