Estimated net time	2-2½ hours
Difficulty	No difficulties. There are two short sections with via Ferrata, but this seems quite unnecessary. The whole route runs on well marked paths.
Drinking water	Unknown.
GSM coverage	Coverage throughout the route (July 2010).
Parking	Room for many cars at trail head.
Start height	1595 metres.
Vertical metres	380 metres for the roundtrip.
Trip distance	4.6 km
GPS-file	X
Map		Google Interactive Map
Route photo	Start of route to Loser, from the car park by Loser Alm.   Route towards Loser from lake Augstsee.

From Salzburg drive road B158 east to Bad Ischl, approximately 50 km. Then drive approximately 11 km south on road B145, through Bad Goisern, and fork left (east), staying on road B145 (don't fork right onto road B166). Drive approximately 14 km on road B145 in the direction of Bad Aussee, and then turn left towards Altaussee. In Altaussee follow signs for Hagan Lodge. When you get to the ski-centre fork a little right and take on the toll road "Loser Panoramastrasse". From the start of the toll road drive 1.2 km to the unmanned toll booth (EUR 15 per 2010, but EUR 6.50 if crossing after 18:00. You pay on return, cash or MasterCard). From the toll booth continue all the way up to the large car park where the road ends, at Loser Alm, in total 7.1 km from the toll booth.

At the far end of the car park you see two paths heading uphill, towards north. For Loser you should head up the first/closest path, signed for "Loser über Hochanger", route 256. This path takes you up to lake Augstsee. Follow the path around the right (east) side of the lake, and then stay on the path as it climbs west towards Hochanger. From Hochanger descend down to the saddle and then proceed to the southern top of Loser, where there is a large metal cross. From the southern top head back down a little and ascend the northern, and highest, top. There is only a very vague path to the northern top, which has no summit marker.

From the northern top head back down to the saddle and then turn right, following the path that runs around Hochanger on its south side. When you get to a path junction south of Hochanger proceed straight ahead (don't turn right to go downhill). Follow this path back to the car park by Loser Alm.

20. July 2010

We had been admiring Loser from our rented house at Hagan Lodge since we arrived a couple of days earlier, and this Tuesday we decided to pay it a visit after dinner. To make life easier we drove up to the car park at Loser Alm at around 1600 metres, and to make the most out of the hike we did it as a circular route.

When we got to Hochanger and got Loser in view I immediately thought that the top with the big metal cross looked lower than the top 200 metres further north. Hence we first went to the top with the cross, and enjoyed the splendid views, before we headed across to the northern top. I now had several indications that the northern top is the higher; my observation from Hochanger, my observations from both the south and north tops, and finally my personal GPS readings which indicates that the northern top is 3 metres higher.

After the summit we headed back down to the saddle between Loser and Hochanger, and then we skirted around Hochanger and down to Loserhütte, and back up to Loser Alm. Here I managed to out-run Sigurd on the sprint back to the car, thanks to a clever tactical manoeuvre through the last cattle stile. But a 200 metres sprint at 1600 metres altitude, after more than 1300 vertical metres in total today, made me gasp for air for tens of seconds. Time to start some interval training!
Photos 20.07.2010