Just before the Koralpenhaus inn, the track leads you to the left uphill towards the Großer Speikkogel mountain. Once on higher ground, you will reach the asphalt road which you must follow to the right. Pass the enormous radar installations, which have unfortunately somewhat disfigured the Großer Speikkogel, before reaching the summit cross. Here, there is a wonderful view down into the "Koralpen-Kar" nature reserve and over the coming trail, which trails out northwards to the horizon. From the Speikkogel, climb down to the pass and follow the signposting in the direction of Weinebene, Pack. After a short descent, the trail takes a gently undulating course passing below the Hühnerstütze mountain, ending in a steep descent in the direction of "Grillitschhütte". As the paths have suffered so greatly here from cattle grazing and hikers’ feet and threaten increasingly to widen out into beaten paths, it is absolutely imperative to stay on the track, even if it is heavily overgrown in places. Just above the Grillitsch Hut (at a crossing), keep to the right in order to reach the gravel roadway, which must first of all be followed uphill for a while before soon heading gently downhill to the Weinebene plateau, a little ski area, which is above all characterised by the snow fences, which are there to stem the displacement of snow by the wind. Here, cross the car park and the road, and by all means pay a visit to the lovely Paulus chapel, which was established by long-distance hikers. Then, walk straight ahead up a steep incline to the Handalm meadow. On the right-hand side of the meadow fence, follow the ridge on the left-hand side across the pastureland to the Weberkogel mountain and the Wildbachalm meadow. Here, head downwards through sparse woodland to the Wildbachsattel pass and through the wood again for an uphill stretch before once again walking on an almost even course across open meadowland. Now the route becomes increasingly steeper as it passes down through the wood in the direction of the Stoff Hut on the See Eben moor. At the Stoff Hut (approx. 5h), keep to the left and take the first on the right onto a wide hiking trail leading into the wood. Crossing forest roads several times but mostly walking along tracks (well signposted), you will come out of the wood above a cattlefield, cross the meadow, where you will already see the next signs down at the wood’s edge, continue downwards on the forest road and finally reach the loose gravel roadway, which must be followed on the right-hand side to the Hebalm meadow. After short walk to the left of the Gasthof Fichtenhof inn, follow the track into the wood. You soon come across a forest path, which must be followed until the sharp bend. Then go left downhill through the wood until reaching the Hof Hacker farm, from where the village of Pack can already be seen in the distance. Follow the signposting through Packwinkel, in the course of which little rift valleys with short climbs at the far end must be crossed several times. Over a dirt track and past a beautiful wayside shrine, you will arrive at the turn-off to the "Barbarahaus" inn. Here, keep straight ahead, continuing directly towards Pack. After one last, short climb on the forest road, you will finally reach the village of Pack (2h from Hebalm).
This stage is relatively long, and there is also a much higher climb, especially in the opposite direction. It should be borne in mind that the Stoff Hut no longer offers accommodation.
(Christina Schwann, OeAV)
 

The “Goldhaube” radome belonging to the Austrian federal army stands on the Große Speikkogel peak. According to how you look at it, this can be seen as a ruination of nature or else as a futuristic enrichment. In any case, the summit cross at the eastern edge looks small and inconspicuous beside the enormous concrete construction. But it just makes the view on clear days all the more marvellous, as the Speikkogel is the highest elevation in the Koralm pastureland and stands exactly between the federal provinces of Carinthia and Styria, thus offering a fantastic vantage point over the valleys. The Koralmkar nature reserve stretches out just at its feet. The valley basin is completley untouched and is crossed by numerous little watercourses. The Weinebene plateau, a popular excursion destination for young and old alike, is equally easy to reach either from Carinthia or from Styria. Its appearance is however dominated by the numerous ski lifts and the snow fences that are supposed to prevent the snow being shifted by the wind. The little Petrus chapel, dedicated to long-distance hikers, is a very pretty sight. All 10 Austrian long-distance trails are mentioned. The onward trail leaves the tourist paths again to arrive at the wonderful pastureland area. On the Wildbachsattel pass, the grass reaches a considerable altitude and in the seclusion of the hollow with moorland and isolated trees, a board belonging to the Koralm crystal trail indicates that bears and wolves were native to this area until the late 19th century. The "Wolfstein" (wolf stone) marks the spot at which the last wolf in the region is said to have been shot on 4 March 1914. But who knows, perhaps wolves and bears have long since been roaming the region again. Like the Weinebene plateau, the Hebalm meadow is a well-known skiing area, but it has one other special feature: the "Dom des Waldes" (forest cathedral). This is a Land-Art-Project, unique in Europe, created by visual artists Anne and Peter Knoll. It is growing and living eco-architecture. The forest cathedral stands for security in the forest. An acessible, low-leven wooden board-walk was built in an approx. 80 year-old forest, which follows the exact dimensions of the ground plan of the cathedral in Milan.
(Christina Schwann, OeAV)