Difficulty level: Intermediate
Altitude difference: about 1,500 meters
Total ascent time: about 4.5 hours (without break, good walking pace)
Pay attention! Parts of this area are military ground. The Geier is located in the heart of the Tux Alps and is part of the Lizum-Walchen military training area – after Allentsteig, the second largest military training area in Austria. Soldiers find here the best conditions to be prepared for mountain operations. That's exactly why you should inquire about the shooting times at the municipality of Wattenberg before starting the tour. Because when the bullets are flying, the area is closed to civilian ski adventurers.
You can park your vehicle at the parking lot at Lager Walchen. Then you pass the barrier and march along the military road. After some time, you will come across a bridge that takes you over the Lizum stream. On the left bank of the stream, you continue your way through the forest and reach the water castle. Continue along the forest path, which eventually leads steeply through the forest.
Soon you will reach the military road again. If you follow its course, at some point the Lizum military camp will stretch out in front of you. From there, continue to the Lizumer Hut. Here you can expect a overnight camp, regional home cooking and game specialties, but also vegetarian dishes and with advance notice even vegan cuisine – open from December to April.
From the hut, the trail then goes flat along the valley floor, before the path rises slightly. Just before the end of the valley, keep to the right and tackle the steeper slopes. A few hairpin bends later, you will have reached a summit plateau that reveals a stunning view of the Tux Alps landscape. And before you look for the summit cross – it's a little different here, because here a metal vulture watches over the mountain peak – nomen est omen.
The descent is done in the opposite direction on the same route. You pass the Lizumer Hut, the military camp, the water castle and follow the Lizum stream until you can salute again at Lager Walchen.
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