Hirschenkogel, Mountain summit at Semmering Pass between Lower Austria and Styria, Austria

Hirschenkogel is a mountain summit located between Lower Austria and Styria that rises to 1,340 meters. An eight-person gondola carries visitors to the top, where an observation platform provides views across the eastern Alps.

The Hirschenkogel's sporting history began in late December 1995, when the Westhang hosted the first Alpine Ski World Cup races: two women's slaloms watched by more than 10,000 spectators each. The event returned the following season, and from winter 1997/98 Semmering alternated as host of the pre-New Year women's races with Lienz in East Tyrol. Since 1998 a giant slalom and a floodlit slalom have been held on the Panorama-Piste every two years.

At the summit stands the Liechtensteinhaus, a mountain restaurant next to the Milleniumswarte observation tower. The ski area below is marketed as Zau[:ber:]g, and its slopes reach from the Semmering pass road at 984 metres up to the 1,340-metre summit. The name Hirschenkogel refers to the deer (Hirsch) in the mountain's name.

In winter there are 14 kilometers of ski slopes and in summer an extensive network of hiking trails for different skill levels. The area is best explored gradually since the trails are well marked and the gondola provides easy access throughout the day.

The gondola to the summit is the only cable car in Lower Austria. The ski area's floodlight system, installed for races, reaches 1,300 lux and is the strongest in Europe; it also lights the 3 km natural toboggan run that starts at the gondola exit.