Chapter 13
THE ÖTZTAL ALPS

Though Austria has its loftiest mountain further east in the Hohe Tauern, the Ötztal group in the western Tirol has produced the country’s most extensive series of snowfields and glaciers amid an impressive range of Alpine scenery. It is one of the major districts of the Eastern Alps, an ideal range for the newcomer to snow mountains with numerous uncomplicated routes on comparatively high peaks, and with a plentiful supply of huts from which to tackle them. Glacier expeditions are popular, as are hut-to-hut tours, while our walker, eager to avoid all but the most innocent of icefields, will find almost unlimited opportunities to make expeditions of assorted lengths below the snowline, all with a glorious mountain backdrop.

The district is neatly outlined by river valleys traversed by major through-roads. The northern boundary is scored by the River Inn and the Landeck to Innsbruck highway. The Inn also marks the western limit from Landeck down to the Swiss border, with the Silvretta Alps on the far side, and is then continued southward over the Reschen Pass (Passo di Rèsia) which links the valleys of the Inn and the upper Adige on the Austro–Italian border. The Adige then flows in an anti-clockwise curve to the east, thus lining the southern extent of the Ötztal Alps with a major road leading through orchard country of Val Venosta (or Vinschgau) to Merano, which also edges the Ortler Alps to the south and has the Texel group rising northward. Merano acts as the south-east cornerstone of the district with Val Passiria (formerly the Passiertal) effectively outlining the lower eastern limit as far north as the 2509 metre Timmelsjoch, on the Austrian side of which flows the Ötztaler Ache draining the valley whose name has been adopted for the whole area. All the mountains and glens on the east flank of the Ötztal, however, belong to the neighbouring Stubai Alps.

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At 3772m, the Wildspitze is the highest of the Ötztal Alps

A glance at the map shows that although the district has little respect for international frontiers, by far the greater part falls within the Austrian province of Tirol, while that of the Italian flank belongs to Alto-Adige, or South Tirol, the mountains here known as the Alpi Venoste. The dividing frontier ridge runs roughly west to east and carries the main Alpine watershed with it, yet the highest summit and the biggest glaciers do not stride this ridge, instead they are gathered near the midway point of the chain where a spur breaks away north-east from the frontier crest at the Weisskugel to culminate on the Wildspitze (3772m), undisputed monarch of the region.

So much for the general outline. Within those boundaries two major valleys flowing parallel to one another on the northern side of the watershed give access to the heart of the range, while the Italian slopes are cut by lesser glens flowing out like the spokes of a wheel to the Adige rim. These southern glens are listed from west to east. The first is Valle Lunga which curves under the Hintereisspitze and Weisskugel, and flows out to Lago di Resia. Then comes Val di Planol which drains the Falbonairspitze and joins the Adige at Málles, and then Val di Mazia whose river is the Saldurbach and whose southern end is guarded by the 13th-century Castel Coira (Schloss Churburg). The fourth glen flows roughly north to south, with Silandro at its entrance. At the head of Val di Silandro a walkers’ pass crosses into Val Senáles (formerly known as the Schnalsertal), the largest of these southern valleys. A road projects almost to the head of this latter valley, passing the dammed Lago di Vernago (Stausee Vernagt) on the way, and from the roadhead cableway access is given to the glacier of the Hochjochferner to exploit its potential for skiing at almost 3000 metres. To the east of the Hochjochferner, between the Hauslabjoch and Niederjoch, the remains of a Stone Age traveller (nicknamed Ötzi, the Ice Man) were discovered in September 1991 trapped in the ice where he had lain for some 5000 years and more.

Val Senáles has an important tributary glen in the Val di Fosse, whose upper reaches curve eastward parallel to the frontier crest and lie within the Texel Nature Park. Continuing counter-clockwise from the lower Val Senáles several minor glens drain the Texel group and the outer flanks of the Alpi Venoste, and have a scattering of huts on their slopes, but the last major valley of the Italian Ötztal Alps is Val di Plan (Pfelderer Tal) which flows north-eastward into Val Passiria.

So much for the Italian flanks. The two major valleys cutting into the heart of the range on the Austrian side are the Kaunertal and the Pitztal, while a shorter glen, the Ventertal, forks away from the upper Ötztal proper between Sölden and Obergurgl and is sub-divided just above Vent into the Rofental and Niedertal. Beyond the Ventertal’s opening the Ötztal veers south as the Gurglertal with the icesheet of the Gurglerferner at its head. Glaciers adorn the head of all these valleys and glens, but those that block the southern end of the Kaunertal and Pitztal flow from the highest part of the district; a lofty mountain barrier liberally plastered with ice and snow, with an extensive ridge wall separating the two which maintains a mean altitude above 3000 metres for the greater part of its length, while the mountain wall dividing the Pitztal from the Ötztal is only marginally lower.

It might be imagined, then, that with such an abundance of glacier and snowfield, and with such consistently high mountain ridges, the general hillwalker here might be severely limited in scope, restricted, perhaps to the green forested valleys. The truth, however, is far different. In the Ötztal Alps a wealth of cross-country routes await exploration. From hut to hut, valley to valley, glen to glen, with rugged cols to cross, high alms to visit and an array of glorious high mountain views to gaze upon. I say ‘high mountain views’ because to all intents and purposes these are high mountains. Not high in the sense that the major ranges of the Western Alps are high, for there are no 4000 metre summits this side of the Bernina Alps. But in their regal and snowy domination these Ötztal peaks give every impression of seriousness, of mountains that deserve to be noticed. And it’s only when seen through the eyes of the experienced alpinist that the modest nature of their challenge becomes apparent. The walker, though, does not seek the challenge of arduous or exacting ice slopes or rock walls. Instead he looks for ways that give safe passage over sometimes wild, sometimes gentle and pastoral, landscapes, but with one predominant aim; that is, to gaze on as much scenic beauty as is possible. In such an aim the adventurous walker in the Ötztal Alps may be daily blessed.

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The Kaunertal

Walkers without transport planning to begin their exploration of the district from this valley, will approach by bus from Landeck station which is on the main line from Innsbruck. Buses journey south-east from the town alongside the Inn as far as Prutz where the Kaunertal empties into the Oberinntal. From there another bus links this lower part of the valley with its upper reaches above a large dammed reservoir, the Stausee Gepatsch, leading up to which the way passes in summer through a veritable forest of blue lupins. The road actually winds high into the mountains that block the valley where summer skiing is possible on the glaciated headwall. By comparison with some districts the valley has limited accommodation. Way down valley a few modest hotels and gasthofs are located in a string of villages, or there’s the rustic inn of the Gepatsch Haus, owned by the Frankfurt section of the German Alpine Club (DAV), attractively set on a bluff among pine trees at the southern end of the lake. Gazing upvalley from this inn one looks directly at the Gepatschferner, the largest glacier in the Tirol, and the second in extent in all Austria.

The Kaunertal is at first an unremarkable green trench, pastoral here, forested there, but gaining in drama the deeper you go through it. At almost every stage there are walking routes up onto the right-hand mountain wall, and routes too that wander onto and over the western flank. Upvalley from Feichten, the highest village, one such trail climbs over the western ridge to gain the Anton-Renk hut which sits high above Ried in the neighbouring Oberinntal. Another, from Feichten itself, goes up the eastern hillside to the Verpeil hut in the little Verpeiltal. A continuing route climbs above the hut and crosses the 2830 metre Verpeil Joch, then descends steeply into the Pitztal. A more popular crossing of this ridge, however, cuts south from the hut before swinging south-east on a long climb to the Madatsch Joch (3010m), a col on the north ridge of the 3533 metre Watzespitze, highest of the Kaunergrat’s peaks. On the east side of the ridge the trail descends to the Kaunergrat hut and eventually as far as the hamlet of Plangeross. Two further crossings of the Kaunergrat are possible from the bank of the Gepatsch reservoir. The first and northernmost of these is by way of the 3083 metre Rostiz Joch, the other is marked as the Offenbacher Höhenweg, with a small section of glacier to negotiate on the Pitztal side of the Wurmtaler Joch. Both these routes descend to the Riffelsee above Mittelberg at the head of the Pitztal.

But perhaps the finest eastbound crossing is that of the Ölgrubenjoch from the Gepatsch Haus to the Taschach Haus, a fairly strenuous route that provides stunning views of the Wildspitze, Austria’s second highest mountain. However, before we look in detail at this route, and discuss the prospect of making a three-day traverse of the district, we should see what else is possible from the Gepatsch Haus itself.

Taking our lead from Hubert Walker, one outing that ought to be considered is a visit to the Rauhekopf hut perched among glaciers about three hours to the south-east. There is a narrow portion of glacier to cross here, and the usual precautions should be taken. After refreshing yourself at the hut Walker then recommends making the ascent of the Grosser Rauher Kopf (2990m) which rises behind it. This, he says, provides a splendid view over the Gepatsch glacier to the frontier snow ridge that extends from the Weissseespitze to the Weisskugel.

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Crossing the Ölgrubenjoch gives a view of the Wildspitze
Across the Ölgrubenjoch

As mentioned above the finest eastbound crossing of the dividing ridge between the Kaunertal and Pitztal is that of the Ölgrubenjoch at 3095 metres. With an altitude gain of more than 1100 metres from the Gepatsch Haus, and an optional ascent of another 200 metres from the col to a neighbouring summit, followed by descent over snow-covered ice, boulders and moraine as far as the Taschach Haus, it will be seen that it’s not the sort of crossing you’d choose to make on the first day of a walking holiday. It is, nonetheless, a magnificent route, and one which gave my wife and me one of the most rewarding days of a memorable Alpine summer, despite being undertaken in heat-wave conditions.

The lower hillside is clad with vegetation; at mid-height the trail borders a long boulder-field, a tongue of stone daubed with yellow and lime-green lichens. There are patches of snow and a small glacier plastered on the face of the Hinterer Ölgrubenspitze nearby, and below it a dirty green tarn unmarked on the map. The final pull to the pass is by way of a steep ramp of scree and grit, and one emerges there to be greeted by one of the great panoramas of the Austrian Alps. Ahead to the south-east the graceful shape of the Wildspitze conducts the view, its attendant peaks and glaciers shining like great white mirrors, while snowfields and glaciers adorn numerous other mountains stretching far into the blue haze of distance.

The Ölgrubenjoch may be just a broad saddle of bare rock, but it is a splendid place from which to study the central block of the Ötztal Alps, the Wildspitze being just one of a great assembly of peaks and deep hinted valleys. And for those with sufficient energy the Hinterer Ölgrubenspitze (3296m) which borders the pass to the south is worth a visit for the extended view its summit affords. Both Walker and Baedeker gave it their recommendation; there is no difficulty and the top should be reached in less than an hour from the saddle.

We sat on the pass in the sunshine and let the minutes conjure hours; studied the mountains through binoculars and counted thirty climbers on the Wildspitze alone, then peered into a wild corrie below where the Taschach Haus could be identified on its grassy shelf beside the Taschachferner icefall. The descent to it leads along the top edge of a cliff, then down glacial slabs and grit-covered ledges to a snowfield. From snowfield to boulder-field, and from boulder-field to moraine bank extravagent with alpine flowers; then over streams furious with afternoon melt, and up a short rise to the Taschach Haus itself.

This DAV hut is situated on a spur projecting north of the Pitztaler Urkund, with a remarkable close view of the splintered séracs and crevassed welts of the Taschachferner’s icefall which cascades through a rocky cleft nearby. Thanks to its privileged position the Taschach Haus (2434m) is crowded in summer with climbers and aspirant climbers taking part in ice-climbing and general mountaineering courses based there. A few paces away stands the original Taschach hut which dates from 1874; a very simple affair by comparison with facilities on offer at the main building. Below to the north stretches the Taschachtal, one of the tributary glens of the important Pitztal, a valley with primary appeal to walkers. But before we study that valley, it is worth noting that a much recommended three-day traverse of the central Ötztal Alps continues from the Taschach Haus to the Braunschweiger hut, then over the Pitztaler Jöchl for descent to Sölden in the main Ötztal. Individual stages of this route will be described in a little more detail below.

The Pitztal

A visit to the Pitzthal, a valley running parallel to the Oetzthal on the W., is recommended not only to mountaineers, who will find many attractions here, but also to less ambitious travellers who desire to obtain a glimpse at the Oetzthal glacier-region.

So said Karl Baedeker in the 1888 edition of his guide to the Eastern Alps. What he wrote then is still true today, for the scenic attractions have not diminished with the years. They may have changed, in terms of glacial extent, but retreating icefields have not lessened their impact on the region. Indeed, in their wake nature’s artistry has been allowed full expression, and new tarns glisten in hollows left behind, and moraine deposits now flourish with alpine plants bright in summer. Baedeker’s Pitztal was threatened not by global warming, but by glaciers that were still advancing. In the early 19th century such was the fear of inundation by ice, that services of intercession were held on the edge of the Mittelbergferner. Those prayers were answered, the advance was checked and the glaciers are now in reluctant retreat. But the splendour remains; indeed, many would echo the view that the Pitztal rewards with some of the finest Alpine scenery in Austria.

Longer than the Kaunertal, its neighbour to the west, the Pitztal scores deeply into the mountains south of Imst between the Kaunergrat and Geigenkamm, a distance of almost 40 kilometres from the mouth of the valley to Mittelberg, its highest village. The northern, lower, section is a broad valley populated with many villages; the principal ones being Arzl, known as the Torl zum Pitztal (Gateway to the Pitztal), Wenns, on a fertile terrace above the left bank of the river, and the old village of Jerzens above the river on the right bank. Beyond Wenns the Pillarbach tributary flows in from the south-west (road to Prutz and Landeck), and at the head of this the 1558 metre Pillarhöhe is a notable viewpoint.

Midway along the valley St Leonhard-im-Pitztal is the main village. From it a walkers’ route climbs over the western walling ridge at the Wallfahrtsjöchl (2770m) and descends through the Gallrutt glen to the Kaunertal. Continuing south through the Pitztal the scenic grandeur increases, the road passing through the hamlets of Stillebach, Neurur and Trenkwald. From Trenkwald a respectable path climbs up the western hillside to a small tarn reached through the Lorbachtal; a more demanding trail crosses the Verpeil Joch, while a third climbs 1100 metres up the east flank in order to cross the Breitlehnjöchl (2630m), followed by descent (in six hours) to Huben in the Ötztal.

Plangeross

Plangeross is popular with walkers, and justifiably so, for it has some fine expeditions virtually on its doorstep. That some of these involve long, steep ascents should be seen to its credit rather than be slipped into the debit side of the hamlet’s account. Of these, one crosses the Madatsch Joch under the Watzespitze by way of the glen that cuts west of the hamlet. The col is almost 1400 metres above Plangeross, but the Austrian Alpine Club’s Kaunergrat hut is conveniently placed at 2817 metres on the Pitztal side, and thus gives an opportunity to turn the crossing into a two-day journey. In his guidebook (Mountain Walking in Austria) Cecil Davies speaks highly of the Grade III ascent of the Watzespitze east ridge from this hut, although I have no personal experience of it. Halfway through the Plangeross glen an enticing route (some possible stonefall danger) marked as the Cottbuser Höhenweg breaks away south to make a traverse round the flanks of the 2635 metre Steinkogel and its twin, the Brandkogel, to the Riffelsee tarn.

On the eastern hillside above Plangeross the Neue Chemnitzer hut at 2323 metres enjoys an inspiring view across the valley to the Watzespitze and Verpeil Spitze whose modest glaciers catch the morning light. Just above the hut a junction of paths extends one’s opportunities for further exploration. These opportunities may be summarised as follows. The first choice for many would be to make the ascent of the Hohe Geige (3395m), highest summit of the Geigenkamm. Despite the fact that this boasts three glaciers, the normal route of ascent ignores each of these, and will not be found too difficult by most hillwalkers with a bit of Alpine experience. Snow will often be encountered though, and in such cases caution is advised. The summit, reached in a little over three hours from the hut, provides an excellent panorama, as one might expect. The second option from the Neue Chemnitzer hut breaks away from the Hohe Geige route, makes a long hillside traverse heading north, and either crosses the Breitlehnjöchl to the Ötztal, or descends through the Hundsbach Alm to Trenkwald, down valley from Plangeross. Next to consider will be the right-hand trail at the path junction above the hut. This leads directly to the 2959 metre Weissmaurach Joch, yet another of those high crossings of the Geigenkamm (the ridge that divides the Pitztal from the Ötztal); this time descending first through the Pollestal. Finally the map indicates a scrambling route leading south from the Weissmaurach Joch. This, the so-called Mainzer Höhenweg, keeps on the east side of the ridge until ascending the Wassertalkogel (3247m), upon whose crown there’s a small, orange-coloured bivouac hut, then continues south along the crest to the Polleskogel (3035m), from which descent is made either to the Braunschweiger hut via the Pitztaler Jöchl (a brief dip in a shattered ridge), or eastward to the roadhead serving the Rettenbachferner ski playground. This high route is a demanding one, and for experienced mountain walkers only. It is waymarked throughout its length, but in places the rocks are alarmingly loose and there’s quite a bit of exposure. But the visual rewards are memorable; especially when tackled from north to south.

Mittelberg and Above

South of Plangeross the valley road leads to the hamlet of Mittelberg, located at a junction of glens. To the south-east a short and wild-looking glen carries the infant Pitze river from the Mittelbergferner via a series of cliffs; to the south-west the Taschachtal leads to the Taschachferner, unseen from here. Mountain huts are set high in both glens, while a third, the Riffelsee hut, stands as its name suggests, by the little Riffelsee tarn on a green shelf above and to the west of Mittelberg. When Walker was here Mittelberg consisted of little more than an inn. Baedeker spoke of it as being the last farm in the valley. Now it can be crowded in summer and in winter too, thanks to the construction of the Pitztaler Gletscherbahn (‘Pitzexpress’), an underground funicular that leads to the edge of the Mittelbergferner, a huge glacial snow bowl grossly exploited by the ski industry. From the upper station a cable-car continues to the Hinterer Brunnenkogel (3440m), a peak to the north of the Wildspitze, while the funicular station itself has a restaurant at 2841 metres which provides spectacular views that include the Dolomites.

Earlier in this chapter we came over the Ölgrubenjoch from the Kaunertal and descended to the Taschach Haus. Now we can approach the same hut, but from Mittelberg. There are two routes to choose from; one leads directly through the valley, at first along a dirt road, then on a broad track edging slopes coloured with alpenroses, and finally up a steepening trail that leads directly to it. The other rises along the western hillside via the Riffelsee. Of the two the second is by far the nicer and should be adopted if the plan is not to return to the Pitztal. If, however, you decide on a there-and-back walk from Mittelberg it would be better to approach the hut by the low route, and return by way of the left-bank trail, shown on the map as the Fuldaer Höhenweg, pausing for refreshment, perhaps, at the Riffelsee hut before descending the final slope to the roadhead.

Walkers based for a day or two at the Taschach Haus have a privileged opportunity to capture many fine views of the glacier world of the high mountains. Among the options available you are urged to wander upvalley at least as far as a small ice-locked tarn on the edge of the Sexegertenferner, if not to the Ölgrubenjoch above it – although the summit of the Hinterer Ölgrubenspitze will repay the extra effort involved. The moraine spoils on the north side of the glacier display a wonderfully rich variety of alpine plants, and will surely underline once and for all the abundant diversity of habitats provided by the mountain kingdom. Though these moraines may appear from a distance to be the epitome of moribund decay, upon closer inspection colour, movement and life in vivid exuberance bursts from the debris churned out of the base mountain block by the bulldozing ice. It’s a wonderland set amid a scene of arctic splendour.

Returning to Mittelberg along the Fuldaer Höhenweg allows the perspective of distance. Instead of rubbing your nose against the mountains, so to speak, the division of the valley in that view makes a profound difference. One stands back as in an art gallery, in order to balance scale, depth and height, to better gauge the varying levels of light, to appreciate an umbrella sky as part of the overall scene; to bear witness to the mountains as a whole. From the Fuldaer balcony (a balcony with fixed cable safeguards in places) grass and foreground flowers play a part. So do streams and tiny pools trapped in hillside hollows, and marmots and butterflies and the seething of insects when overnight dew has dried – all this with a backdrop of ice-draped peaks. I have before me as I write a photograph taken along that trail on a July morning a few years ago. A clutter of grey, lichen-spattered rocks pokes through a yellow-starred bluff softened with grass, beyond which the hillside disappears to the hint of the Taschachtal. Across that unseen glen the white-blue-grey trunk of the Taschachferner pushes through a funnelled hillside, its snout smooth on top but cleft at the edges into claw-like toes. Further back a chaos of séracs, tumultuous and forbidding from this distance, announces the icefall on which apprentice climbers learn their craft (unseen from here). Above that deep folds and runnels reveal a multitude of crevasses. On either side of the glacier grey screes have been shunted aside; that on the right tapers to a wave-like wall, grey on the glacier bank, dusted lime green on the other. The left-hand slope is part-concealed in morning shade. At the back of the glacier a wall (the Taschachwand) rears steeply; a wall of blue-black rock speckled with piebald patches of white and topped with a liberal coating of snow and ice painted here and there with the soft blue shadows of clouds. One or two cloud wisps trip across the horizon; others sail in innocence through warm summer skies.

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The Täschachferner, seen from the path leading from Mittelberg to the Täschach Haus
The Braunschweiger Hut

Back in Mittelberg our next excursion must be to the Braunschweiger hut on a route that will be adopted as stage two of our crossing of the central Ötztal Alps. This hut too gives a close view of the glacier world, but it’s an even more intimate view that is provided here than that from the Taschach Haus. There one had the contrast of green grass and white, blue or grey ice; the comforting subtleties of vegetation from which to safely gaze on glacial mysteries. Not so at the Braunschweiger, for up here you’re very much a part of that ice world, living in a man-made oasis on an island washed up by an arctic tide.

At an altitude of 2759 metres, the Braunschweiger hut is almost 1000 metres higher than Mittelberg, and some of the ascent to it is quite gruelling. But it’s a fine route all the same, with no chance of boredom setting in. Halfway along the upper glen of the Pitze river the Gletscherstübele restaurant is the final remnant of tourist gaiety with bright-coloured parasols over outdoor tables. Beyond that the glen is blocked by a cliff-like barrier from which a fearsome waterfall explodes with a halo of spray. The trail picks a way up and over this barrier and enters a rocky trough with a fine view of the lower, steep slope of the Mittelbergferner. Now the trail steepens considerably; first a rocky section, then along an uphill ramp with alpenroses and yellow anemones adding colour to the scene. Natural stairways of stone lead on, now with more open views onto the glacier’s icefall as the trail weaves to and fro. Then at last the hut is spied from a bend where a bench seat has been placed in order to encourage passers by to collapse and enjoy at leisure the glacial landscape laid out for inspection.

The Braunschweiger hut belongs to the DAV, by whom it was built in 1892. It’s a large building with sleeping places for more than 100, and a dining room that gazes across an arc of glaciers that curve around the rocky knoll on which it is perched. It’s a popular base for climbs on the Wildspitze, for the Mittelbergferner serves as a straightforward approach route and has few crevasses to worry about. For a big mountain the Wildspitze offers surprisingly easy ways to its crown. Our purpose in coming here, however, is not to climb mountains but to cross them by non-technical means, although that is not to suggest we are disinterested in summits or ways to them, for we may often be tempted. It’s just that summits are not our primary aim.

By virtue of its location the hut is limited in expeditions for non-glacier trekkers. Walkers with the necessary scrambling experience, and a good head for heights, will find interest in following a section of the Mainzer Höhenweg (already mentioned) which teeters along a ridge leading to the Wassertalkogel. This could be taken as a one day there-and-back route from Braunschweiger; or it could be continued beyond the Wassertalkogel high point to the Weissmaurach Joch and from there either bear left to the Neue Chemnitzer hut, or right for a descent through the Pollestal to Huben in the Ötztal (a long day’s walk). Another route through the Pollestal may be accessed from the Braunschweiger hut via the Pitztaler Jöchl and a point just beyond the Polleskogel. But our recommendation will be to leave Braunschweiger for the Ötztal with descent through the Rettenbachtal. This too crosses the rocky 2995 metre Pitztaler Jöchl (look for ibex on the ridge above the hut leading to the col), and descends a short stretch of snowfield before coming to a parking area used by skiers on the Rettenbachferner whose tows and cableways will have been in view since before gaining the col. The rest of the descent to Sölden wanders through a mixed glen below the road that services those ski grounds, alongside a stream on soft turf with flowers bright among the wayside rocks. Then down steeply through forest (glades flush with orchids in July) to the beaming Ötztal, thus completing the three-day crossing of the district.

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The Pitztaler Jöchl above the Braunschweiger Hut

Across the Central Ötztal Alps – Route Summary

Day 1:Gepatsch Haus – Ölgrubenjoch – Taschach Haus
Day 2:Taschach Haus – Mittelberg – Braunschweiger Hut
Day 3:Braunschweiger Hut – Pitztaler Jöchl – Sölden
The Ötztal

Forming an unmarked divide between the Ötztal Alps and the Stubai Alps, the well-populated Ötztal is the longest and busiest of the district’s valleys, and with the upper tributaries of the Ventertal and Gurglertal, not to mention the various glens that drain the eastern side of the valley, it provides a wealth of walking opportunities. Those eastern glens will be included in the following chapter which deals with the Stubai Alps, but there is quite sufficient scope for the eager walker here on the left flank to hold one’s attention throughout many a fine Alpine day.

So far as basic detail is concerned, sufficient to say that access by public transport is both frequent and reliable. At its confluence with the Inn, trains plying the Innsbruck to Landeck line stop at a small village that has grown up round the railway station known simply as Ötztal Bahnhof. Buses connect with stopping trains and ferry passengers to Sölden and beyond. Accommodation is plentiful throughout the valley with varying degrees of luxury, and as elsewhere in these mountains there are some fine huts in outstanding settings. Of the many villages the main ones for our purposes are Umhausen, Längenfeld, Sölden and Obergurgl.

In its lower reaches the Ötztal is a broad, green and fertile valley. Halfway up it contracts into a series of gorges which alternate with open sunny stretches of meadowland; and in its upper reaches the feeder glens curve towards big mountains of snow and ice. A few of the higher slopes have been snagged by the ski industry which has brought financial stability to the area, but not all such development is beneficial, and one may regret some aspects of this exploitation of a fragile environment.

Making our way upvalley from Ötztal Bahnhof we pass a road breaking away to the east (a cross-country route which goes by way of the Kühtaisattel to the Sellraintal), and come to Ötz (also spelt Oetz) on the right bank of the river. This has a few interesting walks on both flanks of the valley, including a short stroll to the Piburger See on a wooded terrace to the south-west, the Tumpental which cuts under the Hoher Karkopf, and a scrambling route onto the Hoher Karkopf (2686m) itself.

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Snowfield above the Rettenbachtal

Umhausen is the next resort of note. Though not as large as Ötz, it’s the oldest village in the valley with the nearby Stuiben Falls (said to be the largest in Tirol) as one of its prime attractions. Behind it the Horlachtal digs into the western Stubai Alps, but across the valley a trail enters the Leierstal glen and climbs to the Erlanger hut, a small DAV lodging built on the shores of the Wettersee under the eastern crags of the Wildgrat. From this hut a ridge route traces a considerable portion of the Geigenkamm heading south towards the snowy high peaks of the range. This is a multi-day epic that links several huts, finishes along the Mainzer Höhenweg and leads eventually to the Braunschweiger hut.

Längenfeld lies to the south of Umhausen at the mouth of the Sulztal, and is noted as the birthplace (in 1831) of Pastor Franz Senn, the man largely responsible for opening the area for tourism in an effort to arrest the poverty he saw when working in Vent, his first parish, from 1860–1872. As a base for a walking holiday much of Längenfeld’s attraction will be focused on the Sulztal, although since our aim here is to concentrate on the west flank of the valley it should be noted that the Hauertal glen opposite gives access to that long ridge route mentioned in the previous paragraph. Part of that route could be adopted for a one-day circuit. But even without joining that longer trail, this glen is well worth exploring for the charming tarn of Hauersee which lies cradled beneath the craggy peaks of the Geigenkamm. A small, occasionally guarded hut is found beside this tarn at 2383 metres.

A short distance upvalley from Längenfeld, Huben nestles on the left bank of the Ötztaler Ache at the mouth of the Breitlehntal, at the head of which the Breitlehnjöchl gives access to Trenkwald in the Pitztal. But also accessible from Huben is the wildly attractive Pollestal, with a gorge defending its entrance opposite the hamlet of Winkel. Avoiding this gorge a woodland trail enters the glen on the north side of the Pollesbach and follows the river first on one bank, then on the other, to its source under the 3035 metre Polleskogel, some 10 kilometres from its confluence with the Ötztaler Ache. The glen is an uninhabited delight and with some tough routes out. One climbs the western slopes to the Weissmaurach Joch (reached from the opposite side by a trail from the Neue Chemnitzer hut, and is adopted by the Mainzer Höhenweg); another climbs at its head to the Polleskogel on a challenging route to the Braunschweiger hut. Both routes are demanding.

Sölden is the main resort of the Ötztal, attracting crowds of visitors in summer and winter alike. Above the village on the western hillside the ski-slopes of Hochsölden are reached by both road and cableway. In fact the left bank hillsides are well-endowed with tows and cables, while the road through the Rettenbachtal leads to summer skiing on the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers, the latter being connected with the former by way of a road tunnel which, it is claimed, is the highest in Europe. Sölden lies at a junction of valleys. To the east the Windachtal noses into the Stubai Alps, but to the south the main Ötztal is squeezed by the gorge of Kühtraienschluct, then rises steadily to Zwieselstein where the Ventertal breaks away to the south-west.

The Ventertal

The Ventertal runs deep into the mountains to form a south-eastern moat to the long and important ridge spur of the Weisskamm that breaks away from the frontier crest and contains the lovely Wildspitze. Having already seen this, the highest mountain of the Ötztal Alps, from the west and north, the narrow Ventertal provides opportunities to explore its southern aspect. Vent, a simple village with modest ski facilities, lies at the foot of the mountain where the valley divides; the south-western arm is the Rofental, the southern being the glen of Niedertal. With a reputation as the highest permanently-inhabited settlement in Austria, the hamlet of Rofenhöfe is located a short distance beyond Vent in the Rofental, and with a number of huts within easy reach.

Above the Rofental the Breslauer and Vernagt huts can both accommodate in excess of 100 people, and are linked by a trail that hugs the mid-height slopes of the Weisskamm. The Breslauer hut is used as a base for climbs on the Wildspitze, the Vernagt is set at a junction of moraines below a high glacial basin. Further round the flank of the mountain, on a rock spur in a sea of glaciers, the Brandenburger Haus (3272m) makes a tempting destination, but walkers should note that any approach necessarily involves a glacier crossing and safety precautions ought therefore be taken. At the head of the glen, approached by a trail protected in places by cable where it teeters along the edge of a deep gorge, the Hochjoch Hospitz also offers accommodation for walkers and climbers, and provides a grand outlook with Weisskugel, Langtauferer Spitze, and the frontier crest sweeping round to the Hinter Hintereis Spitze gleaming above a fine glacial drapery. The present building is situated a little lower than the 1869 original which was destroyed by avalanche and whose remains are to be seen further upvalley, and from it a straightforward trail climbs south then south-west alongside the Hochjochferner to gain the Austro–Italian border at the 2861 metre Hochjoch. On the south side of the frontier the privately-owned Rifugio Bellavista (Schöne Aussicht hut) overlooks the upper Val Senáles. To the north of this the 3270 metre summit of Am Hintern Eis is worth visiting (one and a half hours from the hut) for the first class view it affords of the Weisskugel a short distance away to the west.

On the other side of the ridge which separates the Rofental from the Niedertal the DAV has yet another hut, the Martin-Busch Haus, with a link route traversing that ridge from the Hochjoch Hospitz. On the west side there’s a glacier to contend with, while the route actually crosses over the 3360 metre Seikogel which enjoys a splendid vista of big ice-hung mountains. If approached by the normal route from Vent, the stone-built Martin-Busch Haus (or Neue Samoar hut) is reached along the left bank of the Niedertaler Ache by a straightforward track in less than three hours. The hut is in a delightful setting below glaciers on three sides; 400 metres above it to the west the little Brizzisee offers dazzling reflected views of the frontier peaks. The Niederjochferner curls down from the frontier ridge south-west of the hut, with the Niederjoch at its head and the Similaun hut (3019m) beside it being ideally situated for an ascent of the 3606 metre Similaun to the east. Views from the pass are of the Ortler Alps to the south-west across the distant suggested trench of Val Venosta. Over this pass each year come thousands of sheep returning to the South Tirolean valleys, their shepherds having continued an ancient tradition that gives them grazing rights over the Vent pastures.

An enterprising walker with a modicum of Alpine experience and an eager partner, both of whom have the necessary equipment to safely tackle crevassed glaciers, could make a very fine tour combining each of these huts, beginning and ending at Vent. And even those who shy away from icefields could still create a first-rate expedition, missing out only the Brandenburger hut. The following route outline provides one option, while an extra day would be needed to include the Brandenburger hut.

Hut-to-hut in the Ventertal – Summary

Day 1:Vent – Breslauer Hut – Vernagt Hut
Day 2:Vernagt Hut – Hochjoch Hospitz – Rifugio Bellavista
Day 3:Rifugio Bellavista – (Am Hintern Eis) – Hochjoch – Seikogel – Martin-Busch Haus
Day 4:Martin-Busch Haus – Similaun Hut – Martin-Busch Haus – Vent
The Gurglertal

Flowing roughly parallel to the Ventertal the Gurglertal is shorter than its neighbour, but skiing development above Obergurgl has made this one of the most important glens in the Ötztal, so far as tourism is concerned. Skiers flock here in winter when snow in the lower resorts is a bit thin on the ground, but in summer the valley provides abundant walking opportunities and, not surprisingly, Walker made it his first choice as a temporary base. Obergurgl rests in the midst of imposing scenery with the frontier crest enclosing the valley on two sides, and the dividing wall blocking the Ventertal running along its west flank. Glaciers defend the Gurglertal to the south, while other ice-sheets shrink back towards the high ridge crests on either side. Again, as we discovered in the neighbouring Ventertal, several well-situated huts conjure prospects for hut-to-hut tours.

Of these the nearest to Obergurgl is the Schönweis, a privately-owned ski hut at 2266 metres in a glorious location in the mouth of the Rotmoostal glen. Next is the Langtalereck hut (also known as the Neue Karlsruher) on the right-hand hillside overlooking the Gurglerferner’s icefall, with a material lift connecting with the Hochwildehaus (2883m) over a shoulder of the Schwarzen Spitze. The Hochwildehaus is built on the edge of the Schwärzenkamm rock rib coming down from the Hochwilde, and with the impressive Gurglerferner flowing below. It’s a magnificent situation on the glacier’s lateral moraine, while the route to it is safeguarded in places by fixed cables. On the west side of the valley, almost directly opposite the Langtalereck hut, the Ramolhaus (3006m) stands on a rocky shoulder above the snout of the Gurglerferner, about half an hour’s walk from the Ramol Joch. This hut commands a privileged view across the Gurglerferner and up to an impressive sweep of mountains.

So much for prospects of accommodation upvalley from Obergurgl, what then are the main attractions here for walkers? First we should consider perhaps those several little glens that elbow their way into the right-hand wall of the valley. There are no less than five of these (six if we include the head of the valley where the great Gurglerferner bullies its way) with trails of one sort or another that tease with opportunities to gain a closer inspection of the glacial draperies, the snowfields and ancient architecture of the peaks that line them. Listing from north to south these glens enumerate as follows: the Königstal (between Obergurgl and Hochgurgl) with a possible crossing into Italy by way of the 2810 metre Königs Joch; the Ferwalltal with one trail prospecting straight through the glen to the glacier at its head, while another veers away from this and climbs to a col just below the Königs Kogel, with a second opportunity to descend into Italy south of the Timmelsjoch road pass. From the col, incidentally, it is but a short scramble to the Königs Kogel, where one gains a broad vista. The next glen is that of the Gaisbergtal with the steep and narrow Gaisbergferner nosing down the valley from the Liebener Spitze and its neighbour, the Seewer Spitze. A footpath edges up to this glacier, and a rough trail then breaks away south to climb the rib that separates this from the next glen. Once on the crest of the rib a better path goes to Hohe Mut (2659m), reached by chairlift from Obergurgl. Hohe Mut is one of the resort’s finest and most accessible viewpoints from which all the world and his wife can admire a spectacular landscape without straining leg muscles on the way. From it you can either descend directly to Obergurgl, or cross into the next glen to the south, the Rotmoostal. Flowing parallel to the Gaisbergtal the Rotmoostal is a broader, deeper, U-shaped valley grazed by horses in summer, and with the Heufler Kogel towering over the glacier responsible for scouring it out. At the mouth of this glen the Schönweis hut sits at a junction of trails, one of which climbs to the lovely belvedere of Hangerer (3021m) which, marked by a large cross, enjoys a more extensive panorama even than that claimed by the Hohe Mut.

The fifth of our glens is the Langental, with the Langtalereck hut at its entrance. During the 19th century this glen was effectively blocked by the Gurglerferner flowing beyond its entrance, thus damming the stream discharged from the Langentalerferner. When the spring melt came a substantial lake built up in the glen, and sometimes burst its banks to cause devastation down valley. No such threat remains today, of course, thanks to glacial retreat, and it’s possible to wander into the Langental and up the north bank towards the Seelenferner. On the far side of the Schwärzenkamm rib, which forms the glen’s left wall, a trail winds round to the Hochwildehaus on the moraine bank of the Gurglerferner.

On the left-hand wall of the Gurglertal a long trail of about 18 kilometres makes an almost complete traverse of the valley from Zwieselstein to the Ramolhaus. Along this trail a handful of small tarns add a sparkle to the landscape, and there are possibilities of reaching modest summits from it in order to extend one’s field of vision even more than that obtained from the mid-height trail. One of those shown on the map as having a marked route to it, is the Nederkogel (3163m) at the northern end of the dividing ridge, while Walker recommends the Schalfkogel (3540m), a high snowy dome towards the southern end of the same ridge. This he points out as being beautifully set in the heart of the snowy region at the head of both the Gurglertal and Ventertal. Although the ascent involves crossing snowfields, Walker says it is only a walk and a most delightful expedition at that.

But of all expeditions available for the non-mountaineer here, a hut-to-hut tour enjoys the best of all worlds. A very fine two-day outing could be achieved within the Gurglertal, walking on the first day from Obergurgl to the Hochwildehaus, calling on the way at the Schönweis and Langtalereck huts, and the next day returning to Obergurgl along the western hillside after crossing the usually dry glacier of the lower Gurglerferner, climbing to the Ramolhaus and then following the Ötztaler Jungschützenweg north-eastwards. Variations on this theme are possible. A longer option is to combine huts in the Gurglertal and the neighbouring Ventertal in one single expedition. While the location of each of the huts has already been discussed, with mention of the various routes available from them, the following outline provides a summary of one such recommended expedition.

Gurglertal–Ventertal Hut Tour – Route Summary

Day 1:Obergurgl – Schönweis Hut – Langtalereck Hut – Hochwildehaus
Day 2:Hochwildehaus – Ramolhaus – Ramol Joch – Martin-Busch Haus
Day 3:Martin-Busch Haus – Niederjoch/Similaun Hut – Martin-Busch Haus
Day 4:Martin-Busch Haus – Seikogel – Rifugio Bellavista
Day 5:Rifugio Bellavista – Am Hintern Eis – Hochjoch – Hochjoch Hospitz
Day 6:Hochjoch Hospitz – Vernagt Hut – Breslauer Hut – Vent
The Italian Valleys of Alpi Venoste

South of the border mountains, huts, valleys and villages suffer a confusion of names, thanks to the political redefining of international frontiers that is an almost inevitable result of warfare between nations. South Tirol, now Italian, was formerly part of the Austrian Habsburg empire, and the German language continues to be spoken by many who live there, despite the fact that those who do so carry Italian passports. This dual linguistic confusion is recorded on maps and in guidebooks. But no matter what they are called at any one time, the mountains retain an elegant aloofness, the valleys attract with their sun-shafts of a morning irrespective of political allegiance, and the huts look out at scenes of visual grandeur whether payment for the privilege of being there in the past was made in Austrian schillings, Italian lire, or the Euro.

In the far west of the region, tucked in a quiet corner of Italy near that knot of mountains which gathers the frontiers of Austria and Switzerland, the Valle Lunga (or Langtauferstal) digs into the Ötztal Alps from the shores of Lago di Resia, and curves under the ice-dazzling peaks of the border itself. The lower part of the valley, which extends nearly a dozen kilometres from the lake shore to Melago the last village, was considered by Walker to be rather monotonous and dreary, although Baedeker used the adjective of ‘smiling’ when he referred to it. Whatever your view, the upper section with the Weisskugel at its head will certainly inspire. From the roadhead at Melago a track continues upvalley through meadows before narrowing to a trail, then climbs in less than two hours to Rifugio Pio XI (2544m) set upon a moraine crest near the Langtauferer glacier. Nowadays owned by the CAI, this refuge was originally built by the German Alpine Club in 1893, by whom it was named the Weisskugel hut. To add to the confusion, it is also sometimes referred to as Rifugio Pala Bianca, the Italian name for the Weisskugel.

All the high country spilling out from the watershed ridge down to Val Venosta is wild and appealing and worth exploring. In his book Walker outlined a way of moving on from the head of Valle Lunga over two ridge spurs extending from the frontier crest by way of Val di Planol (Planeiltal) to the upper reaches of Val di Mazia (Matscher Tal). With the Oberettes hut as the destination this would make an interesting stage in a hut-to-hut tour along the southern flanks of the Ötztal Alps.

Hut-to-Hut Across the Alpi Venoste

Walker’s suggestion, then, was to take a steep trail south from below Rifugio Pio XI in order to cross what he called the Planol col, then descend a short way into Val di Planol (with an option of staying overnight at the Hinterberger hut), before taking a track up the eastern wall of the glen where a crossing could be made at the Schnalser Schartl. It’s very much an up-and-down route, for descent must be made from this pass into Val di Mazia, followed by another climb up the opposite hillside to the Oberettes hut perched at 2670 metres near the cliffs of the Weisskugel. This would be a long but rewarding day’s trek through unfussed country.

On a site not far from the Oberettes hut, the original Karlsbader hut was built at the foot of the Oberettes glacier in 1882 by the Prague section of the DAV, and six years later it was described as being ‘well fitted up’. After the First World War ownership transferred to the Italian Alpine Club when it was renamed Rifugio Diaz. As if the change of name from Karlsbader hut to Rifugio Diaz were not bad enough, it has also been known at various times in its history as the Höller hut and Rifugio Mazia. The present (Oberettes) hut belongs to the South Tirol Alpine Club (Alpenverein Südtirol – AVS), and is used by climbers bound for the southern flanks of the Weisskugel.

Below the Oberettes hut Val di Mazia offers pleasant walking amid attractive scenery. In its lower reaches, not far from the ruins of the old Matsch castle, a romantic footpath edges alongside one of the district’s irrigation channels, known here as a waale (the accompanying path is a waalweg) – in French-speaking districts of the Alps such a watercourse would be called a bisse. Midway through the valley one wanders pasture and woodland; farmhouses speckle the meadows and hillsides. There’s limited accommodation to be had at the hamlet of Glieshof, and at the ruined building of Innere Matscher Alm a fine view is won towards the valley headwall. Above this more woodland, slopes of alpenrose, the ice-bright Ramudler Ferner and the little tarns of Sadlerseen lodged in a side glen.

To continue the eastward trend round the southern flank of the Ötztal Alps, the next crossing to contemplate from the Oberettes hut is that of the 3097 metre Bildstöckljoch by which the ski resort of Kurzras (or Corteraso) in Val Senáles is reached. The route is waymarked, and the 400 metres of ascent to the pass should not be unduly taxing. There’s some snow to contend with on the final approach and a descent of more than 1000 metres to face before hitting the roadhead at Kurzras, which is served by bus from Merano.

Arriving at Kurzras we now have an alternative to consider. From the Bildstöckljoch looking north-east Rifugio Bellavista (Schöne Aussicht hut) could be seen by the Hochjochferner. From Kurzras a popular and easy trail leads to it in a little over two hours, and it is tempting to take that option. Much depends, of course, upon your onward plans. Walker himself chose to return to Austrian soil at the Hochjoch, with a descent into the Rofental glen which feeds into the Ventertal. And so could we, although our main aim here is to continue across the head of these Italian valleys, remaining as near as possible to the frontier wall. But it would be a shame to ignore what is potentially an interesting and scenically attractive two-day cross-border circuit, so we will set aside for a few moments our ambitious eastward journey and be teased into a diversion.

From Kurzras we need to follow the trail which is used by generations of shepherds from Val Senáles (Schnalsertal) who take their flocks each June over the mountains to graze pastures in the Ventertal. By this route the aptly-named Rifugio Bellavista is reached much too early for an overnight stay, so one would continue alongside the glacier over the Hochjoch, with retrospective views across Val Senáles to the 3435 metre Punta Saldura (or Salurnspitze), and ahead to the glacial crown of the Stubai Alps. The route now wanders downhill beside the sizeable Hochjochferner until a suspension bridge leads across a glacial torrent for a short climb to the Hochjoch Hospitz (four hours from Kurzras). It’ll take another two hours to reach Vent, where overnight accommodation will probably be sought, unless you’ve energy enough to turn right into the Niedertal at its junction with the Rofental, and then head up the track to the Martin-Busch Haus. This latter option would mean a walking day of about seven hours.

It will take another seven hours to return to Val Senáles by the Niederjoch, if starting from Vent, or six and a half if you spent the night at the Martin-Busch Haus. A clear trail takes you all the way to the pass, over pasture, moraine and a final patch of snow-covered glacier, well trodden in summer, to refreshment at the Similaun hut. Then it’s downhill all the way to Vernagt, set by Lago di Vernago, from where a bus may be caught back to Kurzras, or out to Merano.

Two-Day Cross-Border Tour – Route Summary

Day 1:Kurzras – Hochjoch/Rifugio Bellavista – Vent (or Martin-Busch Haus)
Day 2:Vent (or Martin-Busch Haus) – Niederjoch/Similaun Hut – Vernagt
 Note: this tour is fully described in Gillian Price’s excellent guidebook, Walking in the Central Italian Alps.

To resume our journey across the head of the Italian valleys, we need to make our way to Val di Fosse (Pfossental), that major tributary glen that joins Val Senáles below Karthaus. One way of achieving this would be to take the valley bus from Kurzras, but that would defeat the object of the exercise. A better way is to take a cross-country trail round a ridge spur projecting south from Grawand. Though a little exposed in places, this trail goes by way of Finailhof and the farm of Tisenhof (accommodation in both), then down valley past Vernagt to Karthaus. Heading north now through the deep Val di Fosse, a road goes as far as the hamlet of Vorderkaser, but for much of the way there’s an alternative footpath. There’s guesthouse accommodation in Vorderkaser which may appeal to some in readiness for a fairly long stretch next day. Otherwise continue upvalley to the farm at Rableid Alm.

This final stage in our multi-day traverse ends in Val di Plan (Pfelderer Tal), and although nowhere difficult, it will be a longish day if started from Vorderkaser. The altitude of this hamlet is 1693 metres; the Eisjöchl, our crossing point in the ridge pushed south by the Hochwilde, is almost exactly 1200 metres higher. Upvalley the Meraner Höhenweg (a 100 kilometre circuit of the Texel Nature Park) crosses the park’s boundary and rises to Rableid Alm (2004m) and Eishof (accommodation at both farms, the latter once considered the highest in the Tirol) now heading east with the Texelspitze–Roteck basin walling the valley to the south. Above the treeline the way climbs steadily over pastures, then up towards the pass with the sweeping walls of the Hohe and Kleine Weisse making an impressive show off to the right. The Eisjöchl (2895m), or Eisjöchl-am-Bild, rewards with a magnificent panorama – better still a short scramble up the slope towards the Hochwilde presents an even broader view which includes the handsome Tribulaun (in the Stubai Alps), and beyond that the Zillertal Alps, Grossvenediger, Grossglockner, and the Dolomites. Just below the pass sits the Stettiner hut, otherwise known as the Eisjöchl hut or Rifugio Petrarca. Walker recommends spending a night here, and from it climbing the Hochwilde which, he says, involves no snow or ice from this side, just a rough scramble of two or three hours.

Below the Stettiner hut the way descends some 1200 metres to Pfelders at the roadhead in Val di Plan, by way of Lazinser Alm and the secluded hamlet of Lazins. From Pfelders buses run down to Merano, but experienced walkers with more time at their disposal, and a desire (or need) to finish their holiday on the northern side of the border, could take an alternative trail from Lazins which climbs towards Rifugio Plan (alias the Zwickauer hut; 2980m), then break away on an airy route that remains high on a north-easterly traverse above Val di Plan as far as the 2844 metre Rauhejoch (Passo di Mont Scabro). This col is in the ridge extending from the Seewer Spitze, on the northern side of which the trail continues into the Seewer glen with two options for returning to Austria. The first is via the Aperer Ferwall Joch (2903m), the second being the lower Königs Joch. Both lead to the Gurglertal below Obergurgl.

An outline of this multi-day crossing of Alpi Venoste is given below, while those walkers interested in spending more time exploring these southern mountains and glens, are advised to consult the Cicerone guide, Walking in the Central Italian Alps, which details a variety of routes, especially in the Texel Nature Park.

Across the Alpi Venoste – Route Summary

Day 1:Valle Lunga – Melago – Rifugio Pio XI
Day 2:Rifugio Pio XI – Val di Planol – Schnalser Schartl – Oberettes Hut
Day 3:Oberettes Hut – Bildstöckljoch – Kurzras
Day 4:Kurzras – Vernagt – Karthaus – Vorderkaser (or Rableid Alm)
Day 5:Vorderkaser (or Rableid Alm) – Eisjöchl/Stettiner Hut – Pfelders (or Lazins)
Day 6:Lazins – Rauhejoch – Aperer Ferwall Joch (or Königs Joch) – Obergurgl
 Notes: a) Day six is only appropriate if returning to Austria, otherwise one would make a way out of Val di Plan to Val Passiria. b) For a longer tour the two-day border crossing from Kurzras outlined above could be included, thus creating a very fine eight-day expedition.

The Ötztal Alps

Location:

East and south of the Inn valley, with the Ötztal forming the eastern boundary on the Austrian side of the border. On the Italian flank the mountains are known as the Alpi Venoste, with Val Venosta forming the western and southern boundaries, and Val Passiria on the eastern side.

Principal valleys:

In Austria these are the Kaunertal, Pitztal and Ötztal, with major tributaries of Ventertal and Gurglertal. On the south side of the frontier, Valle Lunga, Val di Mazia, Val di Silandro, Val Senáles and Val di Plan.

Principal peaks:

Wildspitze (3772m), Weisskugel (3739m) Hintere Schwärze (3628m), Similaun (3606m), Weissseespitze (3526m), Hochwilde (3482m).

Centres:

Sölden, Längenfeld, Obergurgl, Plangeross, Mittelberg in Austria; in Italy these include Merano, Kurzras, Schluderns and Mals.

Huts:

The district is well-equipped with huts and mountain inns. Some are privately owned, but the majority belong to the various Alpine Clubs – German, Austrian and Italian.

Access:

Public transport on the Austrian side focuses on the Inn valley, with the Innsbruck–Landeck railway being met by buses that serve the various valleys. South of the frontier Merano may be reached by coach from Landeck; a railway serves Val Venosta as far west as Mals, and buses feed into several higher valleys. Merano may also be reached by rail from Innsbruck via the Brenner Pass-Bolzano line. Change trains in Bolzano. Nearest international airport: Innsbruck.

Maps:

Kompass Wanderkarte sheet 43, Ötztaler Alpen (1:50,000) covers all the Austrian mountains and valleys of the district, bar the very western limits along the Oberinntal. Sheet number 52 is useful for the Italian side, although the Tabacco maps are often preferred for their clarity. Various 1:25,000 sheets are needed for this area.

Guidebooks:

Walking Austria’s Alps, Hut to Hut by Jonathan Hurdle (Cordee/The Mountaineers) suggests two hutting tours.

Walking in Austria by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press) includes a number of walks in the Ötztal district.

Walking in the Central Italian Alps by Gillian Price (Cicerone Press) is a useful guide to the south side of the border with several good routes described.

Other reading:

Walking in the Alps by J. Hubert Walker (Oliver & Boyd, 1951). In this Walker is both eloquent and enthusiastic, and of course, full of good ideas.

Walking & Climbing in the Alps by Stefano Ardito (Swan Hill Press, 1995) A seven-day tour of the Ötztal Alps is described, which includes several crevassed glaciers and the ascent of peaks such as Similaun and the Wildspitze.

The Outdoor Traveler’s Guide to The Alps by Marcia R. Lieberman (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York ,1991). The section on the Ötztal Alps provides basic detail of the better-known areas.

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In the heart of the Ötztal Alps, the Täschachferner is seen to perfection from the Fuldaer Höhenweg