Maiklsteig on the Niederkaiser

The Maiklsteig in St. Johann in Tirol is a short yet relatively steep via ferrata in difficulty level A/B. The path proceeds through the wide rock face of the Niederkaiser. There is a superb view to the nearby Wilder Kaiser here and the path is an ideal introductory tour for further tours in the Wilder Kaiser. The view on the Ursulakreuz is breath-taking. A panoramic view guarantees outlooks to the surrounding mountains, St. Johann in Tirol which is at its feet and the wonderful Alpine pastures at the foot of the Wilder Kaiser.

Start at the car park jut before Gasthof Rummlerhof. From there follow the signposts to Maiklsteig, initially the route is flat through the woodland, until then steadily becoming steeper and proceeding through the grassy slopes in serpentines. There is a bench beneath a rock canopy that tempts you to enjoy a rest and is ideally suited for putting on your via ferrata set. Little by little you get closer to the impressive cliff faces of the Niederkaiser. The via ferrata is secured with a steel cable, iron steps and ladders. For those who are proficient use of full via ferrata equipment is not required. The Maiklsteig is suitable for children too - but in this case, via ferrata equipment is required. The path starts with a upward sloping crossing that is tackled via diagonal iron clamps. The short upswing that follows after this is secured with iron clamps too. There is then a section of walking up to the ridge area. After passing a short, flat somewhat less developed ridge section, there are more iron clamps and then a short, relatively flat ladder. Following this there is an exposed combination of three somewhat steeper ladders, which lead to a passageway on the ridge and to the exit of the path. There are two options available for the descent. The longer variant proceeds via the Gscheuerkopf to the Granderalm and from there via the Schleier Waterfall and the Diebsöfen back to the Rummlerhof. At the second - somewhat shorter - variant you proceed via the Gmail Chapel and the Einsiedelei hermitage back to the starting point again.