Walking in Austria

The main ridge of the Silvretta group carries the frontier south and east of the Rätikon Alps, extending beyond the boundaries of Vorarlberg into the Tyrol, and across the border into the Swiss canton of Graubunden. But while the Rätikon is limestone, the Silvretta is crystalline, and a number of its mountains are daubed with snowfields and glaciers, which add a certain majesty to their 3000m summits.

Linked across the watershed pass of the Bielerhöhe by the serpentine road of the Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse, both the Montafon and Paznaun valleys are luxuriously green and attractive, and having the Verwall mountains on one side and the Silvretta Alps on the other, they provide numerous walking opportunities. Apart from Ischgl, their village resorts are mostly small and fairly low-key, public transport is good, and waymarked trails abundant within the main valleys. But it is the tributary valleys and the mountains they drain that are the main focus of attention here. Mountain huts are found in virtually all of these southern tributaries, and there are some rewarding routes that link one with another, often over scenic passes.

The high mountain landscapes are some of the most impressive in all Austria. Notable among Silvretta summits are the rock pinnacle of the Gross Litzner (3109m), the glacier-draped Piz Buin (3312m) and neighbouring 3197m Dreiländerspitz.

Piz Buin, seen from the Mittelrücke

The Montafon-Silvretta Card offers reductions for guests staying in resorts in either valley. The card allows unlimited use of buses, trains and numerous cable lifts on 3, 5, 7, 10 or 14 consecutive days. Enquire at your nearest tourist office for details and up-to-date prices.

St Gallenkirch (878m) Sprawling along the north bank of the Ill in the Montafon valley near the entrance to the Gargellental, St Gallenkirch has most facilities, including shops, supermarkets, bank with ATM, post office and restaurants. It has a good selection of hotels, pensionen, gasthöfe, apartments and private rooms. There’s also a campsite here and in neighbouring Gortipohl. Contact the tourist office for an accommodation list (tel 05557 66000 info@stgallenkirch.at)

Gaschurn (979m) This is perhaps the best resort base in the Montafon valley for Silvretta walks. It has a gondola lift on the south side of the valley giving access to some high trails, and the Garneratal reaches into the mountains opposite the village. The local tourist office makes much of the 4000 steps that climb above Partenen to the top station of the Vermuntbahn at 1732m. As for resort facilities, Gaschurn has a choice of shops, supermarkets, restaurants, a bank, post office and tourist information. There are plenty of hotels of all grades, as well as pensionen, private rooms and apartments. For information Tel 05558 82010 (info@gaschurn-partenen-com).

Bielerhöhe (2036m) Crowning the Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse, the Bielerhöhe overlooks the reservoir of the Silvretta Stausee and the 3223m Schneeglocke with its glacial scarf. There’s a large car park, café and kiosk at the dam, where bus routes from Schruns and Landeck terminate. Above the road the 2-star Berggasthof Piz Buin has 55 beds (tel 05558 4231 info@pizbuin.at; www.buin.at). There’s also the slightly more expensive Silvretta Haus (tel 05558 4246) opposite the car park. The only other accommodation is at the Madlener-Haus below the dam (see under Mountain Huts).

Galtür (1584m) A small, compact village at the eastern foot of the Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse, it is somewhat limited in facilities, with a handful of shops, two banks with ATMs, a post office and restaurants. It has a tourist office and a choice of hotels and pensionen. For details contact info@galtuer.com or visit www.galtuer.com.

Ischgl (1376m) Both a winter resort and a useful walking base, with the long Fimbertal cutting into the mountains to the south (its headwall is on the Swiss side of the range). A gondola lift rises to Idalpe (2311m) from where it’s possible to walk across the border, descend to duty-free Samnaun and return by bus via Landeck. Ischgl has a wide range of facilities and lots of accommodation in various categories. Visit the tourist office in the centre of the village for details, or try www.ischgl.com.

Heidelberger Hut (2264m) Built by the Heidelberg section of the DAV in 1889 and enlarged several times since, this Category II hut is located within Swiss territory, but approached by a long walk from Ischgl through the Fimbertal, which is mostly Austrian. Payment for services is in Euros. With 84 dormitory places and 72 beds in rooms, it is fully manned from the end of June to early October (tel 0664 4253070 www.heidelbergerhuette.com).

Jamtal Hut (2165m) This large Category I valley hut is built near the head of the Jamtal south of Galtür, from which it is reached by a 3–3½hr walk. Property of the DAV’s Schwaben section, it was rebuilt in 1999 after being destroyed by avalanche. Fully staffed from mid-February to early May, and the end of June to the end of September, it has 90 beds in rooms, and 100 dormitory places (tel 05443 8408 info@jamtalhuette.at; www.jamtalhuette.at).

Madlener-Haus (1986m) Built in 1884, but enlarged and improved in 1906 and 1975, this Category II hut is located just below the Bielerhöhe dam amongst a complex of buildings. Owned by the Wiesbaden section of the DAV, it has 60 beds in rooms and 20 dormitory places, and is staffed from February to Easter, and from June to mid-October (tel 05558 4234 www.madlenerhaus.at).

Saarbrücker Hut (2538m) Property of the DAV Saarbrücken section, this large, traditional Category I hut stands amid rocky country below the Klein Litzner in the upper Kromertal. With 80 dormitory places and 20 beds in rooms, it may be reached by a 3hr walk from the Bielerhöhe, or in 2½hrs along a track from the Vermunt reservoir. Fully staffed at Easter and Whitsun, and from July to the end of September (tel 05558 4235 www.saarbrueckerhuette.com).

The Saarbrücker Hut

The Kromerbach, below the Saarbrücker Hut

Tübinger Hut (2191m) Built on a shelf near the head of the Garneratal with 79 dormitory places and 40 beds in rooms. A Category I hut, owned by the Tübingen section of the DAV, it is staffed from July to the end of September and reached by a walk of about 4–4½hrs from Gaschurn (tel 0664 2530450 www.dav-tuebingen.de)

Wiesbadener Hut (2443m) One of the most popular of Silvretta huts on account of its location and pleasant 2–2½hr approach walk from the Bielerhöhe, it is owned by the Wiesbaden section of the DAV. With Piz Buin and the Dreiländerspitz nearby, this Category I hut makes a good base for climbs and glacier tours. It has 160 dormitory places and 40 beds in rooms, and is fully staffed from the end of February to early May, and from the end of June to early October (tel 05558 4233 www.wiesbadener-huette.com).

Location	Spreading east from the Vorarlberg province into Tyrol south of the Arlberg Pass, and carrying the Austro–Swiss border south and east of the Rätikon Alps. The Montafon and Paznaun valleys, linked by the Bielerhöhe, form the northern boundary and divide the Silvretta from the Verwall range.
Maps	Alpenvereinskarte 26 Silvrettagruppe 1:25,000; Kompass Wanderkarte 032 Alpenpark Montafon 1:35,000; Kompass Wanderkarte 41 Silvretta Verwallgruppe 1:50,000; Freytag & Berndt WK373 Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse-Piz Buin 1:50,000
Bases	St Gallenkirch, Gaschurn, Bielerhöhe, Galtür, Ischgl
Information	Vorarlberg Tourist Board (e-mail: info@vorarlberg.travel; website: www.vorarlberg.travel); Tirol Info, 6010 Innsbruck (e-mail: info@tirol.at; website: www.tyrol.com); Montafon Tourismus, 6780 Schruns (e-mail: info@montafon.at; website: www.montafon.at); St Gallenkirch Tourismus, 6791 St Gallenkirch (e-mail: info@stgallenkirch.at; website: www.stgallenkirch.at); Gaschurn Tourismus, 6793 Gaschurn (e-mail: info@gaschurn-partenen.com; website: www.gaschurn-partenen.com); Tourismusverband Paznaun, 6563 Galtür (e-mail: info@galtuer.com; website: www.galtuer.com); Tourismusverband Paznaun, 6561 Ischgl (e-mail: info@ischgl.com; website: www.ischgl.com)
Access	West of the Bielerhöhe, the Montafon valley has mainline train services to Bludenz, then via the narrow-gauge Montafonerbahn to Schruns. Bus services run throughout the valley between Schruns and the Bielerhöhe. For the Paznauntal east of the Bielerhöhe, buses connect the mainline railway network at Landeck with villages up to the Bielerhöhe. Visitors with their own transport should note that the Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse, the route over the Bielerhöhe, is a toll road.