One of the most widely discussed alpine huts in Austrian news is the Franz Fischer Hütte. Notably, it holds the distinction of being the first fully vegetarian alpine hut. While some people initially expressed complaints, its reputation has steadily improved over time. Now, it is renowned for its excellent food quality. Given a two-day trip with an expected forecast of rainy weather, it appeared to be the ideal opportunity to spend a night in the mountains without engaging in any climbing activities. But not only the hut is great but the whole surrounding with many different options to choose from.
https://de.mapy.cz/s/hebufegoce
Transport
We planned to travel to St. Johann, most often with a change of trains in Salzburg. From St. Johann, we taking a bus either to Jägersee or Hüttschlag, these are different ones, so you need to decide before where to start the hike. Ultimately, we decided to opt for Hüttschlag as our destination, because this hike seemed more interesting to us.
On our return journey from Obertauern, we had two options: either taking the bus from Passhöhe or the shorter Untertauern Gnadenalm. From either of these locations, we planned to catch a bus to Radstadt. Once in Radstadt, we then boarded a train to Salzburg.
Hike
From the train station, clear signs guide you all the way to Sarstein, making it easy to follow and nearly impossible to miss. The mountain remains visible throughout the hike, so you simply need to approach it. Sarstein separates Hallstätter See from the lakes Altausee and Grundlsee in Styria.
The actual ascent begins from the parking lot at the curve/kehre, where you'll find ample parking available. If you choose to drive, I would still recommend parking near the train station to avoid the return trip. The path through the forest is pleasant and well-marked. After approximately half an hour, you'll reach the "Simonyi-Rast," a perfect spot to take a break and enjoy some breakfast and drinks while overlooking Hallstätter See.
Continuing along the path, you'll reach Sarstein Alm, which is operated by a feisty lady during the summer months. I once even camped here during winter when there was snow. Although it's not allowed during the hut's opening times, with enough snow, nobody really minds.