Karlhochkogel, Mountain summit in Thörl, Austria

Karlhochkogel is a mountain summit in the Hochschwab group reaching 2096 meters with steep rock faces and open meadows along its southeastern slopes. Its varied terrain offers different route options and elevation changes during the ascent.

The summit's documented access points are the Trawiessattel (1898 m), reached in three hours from Gasthof Bodenbauer or one hour from Voisthaler Hütte, and the Fölzalm (1484 m) above the Fölzklamm. The 1990 Alpenvereinsführer by Günter and Luise Auferbauer records these routes; apart from the approaches to Trawiessattel and Fölzalm, the climbs are unmarked and partly pathless.

The name Karlhochkogel comes from the Karlalpe, the high plateau it crowns, and from the Karl below the summit, after which the Karlgraben ravine is named. The surrounding features carry their own names: the Trawiessattel separates the summit from the Hochschwab south face, and the Fölzstein (1946 m) and Festlbeilstein rise nearby. The Karlgraben is used for ski tours in winter.

The climb takes roughly four hours from the Bodenbauer starting point and covers around 1200 meters of elevation gain on partly marked and unmarked paths. Good footwear and weather-resistant clothing matter since the routes become steep and conditions can change rapidly.

In winter the Karlgraben ravine offers special skiing conditions for experienced skiers who want to descend directly from the summit to the valley. This option depends heavily on snow conditions and experience and goes unnoticed by most visitors.