the bottom of the rucksack (out of the sun and to avoid temptation) is mine. Walkers usually fill their water bottles in the huts, and there is no charge for this.
A comfortable rucksack is an essential item but it’s more likely to be comfortable if the total load is only 6–7kg. It needs a waterproof cover. Stuff bags within the rucksack might also help; they hardly weigh anything and impose a bit of order when things are getting packed in the morning.
Footwear should also be light. Remember that 1kg on your feet is equivalent to 4kg on your back. Heavy boots, in particular, should be avoided. Many walkers (me included) have abandoned boots altogether for summer walking, opting for ‘approach shoes’ or fellrunning trainers instead. Lightweight footwear means feet stay cooler, skin is less likely to blister and you can walk further without getting tired.
Routefinding
The Karnischer Höhenweg is well waymarked and, providing the weather is reasonable, finding your way is easy. Generally the path follows route 403, a route defined both in terms of local signs and relevant paper maps. Signposts are positioned at each significant junction and pass, and between the signposts there are marks (red, white, red – the Austrian flag) painted on rocks or (when crossing a meadow) on poles.
Excellent waymarks at Steinkarspitze (Stage 3)
GPS
Although most walkers now have a smartphone, many still don’t use its GPS functionality, although GPS is the cheapest and most effective way of taking the stress out of navigation. A GPS tells you where you are and getting this right is usually the key navigational challenge. If you already have an Android or Apple smartphone, you can download a GPS app and buy the required digital maps. My recommended app is a product called Viewranger (www.viewranger.com), which has in its map store all the digital maps needed for the Karnischer Höhenweg.
In addition to a smartphone and a GPS app loaded with the right maps, you need GPX tracks of the route itself. These are available for free, stage by stage, on the Cicerone website: www.cicerone.co.uk/942/GPX.
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