ADLERWEG TRAIL ÖTZTAL - FROM OETZ TO OBERGURGL

The gondola brings you to an altitude of more than 2,000m. From there you follow the "Höhenwanderweg" or "Knappenweg" signs respectively. Pass Kühtaile Alm pasture and descend down to Balbachalm hut. There you change to a path which brings you to the entrance of Wörgetal valley after a while. There is a miners' house with stamping mill that has been reconstructed. Starting from the entrance to Mittertal valley you follow the "Kühtai" signs; at the outskirts of the village is Dormunter Hut.

Difficulty: red, not especially difficult
Walking Time: 3.5 hrs (plus uphill ride with Acherkogelbahn)
Highest Point: 2,100m
Altitude Gain: 350m
Altitude Loss: 400m


Dortmunder Hut:
(open from early June to late October)
Tel: +43.5239.5202
www.dortmunderhuette.at


Stage Description:  download (pdf, 1,5 MB)
Map Segment: download (Map KOMPASS Verlag, pdf, 1 MB)
(Source: www.adlerweg.tirol.at )

 

From Dortmunder Hütte Hut at the western edge of Kühtai, a hotel village that appears a bit lost in the summer, Adlerweg trails leads to Guben-Schweinfurter Hut in the Stubai Alps. Start and finish of this stage are at an altitude of about 2,000m, still there about 800m of altitude gain and loss that need to be conquered. Hikers need to be sure-footed and have a good head for heights to make this alpine hike past Finstertal reservoir with its impressive dam and then on to Finstertaler Scharte. On the other side of the notch, which is the highest spot of this stage (2,777m), one goes down to Weite Kar cirque with its many pastures; then the path leads in steep serpentines to the already visible Guben-Schweinfurter Hut.

Difficulty: red, sure-footedness and a good head for heights required
Walking Time: 4 hrs
Highest Point: 2,777m
Altitude Gain: 850m
Altitude Loss: 800m


Guben-Schweinfurter Hut:
(open from mid-June to late September)
Tel: +43.5255.500 29


Stage Description:  download (pdf, 1,5 MB)
Map Segment: download (Map KOMPASS Verlag, pdf, 1 MB)
(Source: www.adlerweg.tirol.at )

From the start one orientates by "Winnebachseehütte" hut and hikes uphill first along drive ways later on paths through the entire Zwieselbachtal valley. Just before the saddleback the route runs in intermediate proximity of Zwieselbachferner glacier; a rubble field must be crossed; this is strenuous as there is no path. Zwieselbachjoch saddleback is the highest spot of the stage (2,868m). On the other side of the saddleback one descends steeply across rubble before one gets to Winnebachkar cirque and can comfortably descend to the hut at the small lake.

Difficulty: red, good stamina required; no particular difficulties
Walking Time: 4.25 hrs
Highest Point: 2,868m
Altitude Gain: 850m
Altitude Loss: 500m


Winnebachseehütte Hut:
(open from late June to late September)
Tel: +43.5253.5197


Stage Description:  download (pdf, 2,2 MB)
Map Segment: download part 1, download part 2 (Map KOMPASS Verlag, pdf, 1 MB)
(Source: www.adlerweg.tirol.at )

 

You follow a path in direction Gries for a short time and continue on the left side to hike through the upper Sulztal valley past Sulztalalm hut to get to Amberger Hut at 2,135m. From the almost entire route one has a view of the beautifully formed Schrankkogel Mountain, the second-highest mountain of the Stubai Alps. Amberger Hut was built in 1888 and extended in the 30ies and the 70ies of the last century. Below the hut is "Schwefelsee" lake, a sulfur lake that is fed by an 18° warm spring.

Difficulty: red, some stamina required; no particular difficulties
Walking Time: 3.5 hrs
Highest Point: 2,300m
Altitude Gain: 500m
Altitude Loss: 700m


Amberger Hut:
(open from mid-June to early October)
Tel: +43.5253.5605


Stage Description:  download (pdf, 1,8 MB)
Map Segment: download (Map KOMPASS Verlag, pdf, 1 MB)
(Source: www.adlerweg.tirol.at )

 

The stage from Amberger Hut down to Sölden leads through high-alpine terrain and is only recommended for experienced mountaineers. From the hut one orientates by "Atterkarjoch" and follows the path at the right side of the valley down to "Sulze". There one turns right at the first opportunity and ascends across pastures, moraines and a crevasse-free ice field to Atterkarjöchl saddleback. On the other side of the saddleback it is difficult to find the signposts: after some easy climbing one follows a small path down the steep and rocky hill to Atterkar. The path continues across green pastures and leads past Kaiserbergalm pasture before it continues steep down to the valley to the hamlet of Kaisers and eventually to the center of Sölden. If you fancy seeing something beautiful that is man-made after a day in high-alpine terrain, we recommend visiting the Gothic Maria Heimsuchung parish church.

Difficulty: black, good head for heights required, sure-footedness and stamina.
Walking Time: 7 hrs
Highest Point: 2,976m
Altitude Gain: 850m
Altitude Loss: 1,600m


Stage Description:  download (pdf, 0,3 MB)
Map Segment: download part 1, download part 2 (Map KOMPASS Verlag, pdf, 1 MB)
(Source: www.adlerweg.tirol.at )

 

Follow the drive way for a short time and continue then on a path through cirques, rubble fields and rock-covered pastures above Ventertal valley down to Vent. Just before Vent one turns right and follows a drive way to Stableinalm hut. One orientates by "Breslauer Hütte" signposts. The hut that was built in the 80ies of the 19th century is located in the foothills of the Ötztaler Urkund Mountain. At the backdrop towers the highest mountain of Northern Tirol, the Wildspitze with an altitude of 3,772m.

Difficulty: red, stamina required; no particular difficulties
Walking Time: 4.5 hrs
Highest Point: 2,844m
Altitude Gain: 700m
Altitude Loss: 650m


Breslauer Hut:
(open from mid-June to late September)
Tel: +43.5254.8156


Stage Description:  download (pdf, 1,5 MB)
Map Segment: download part 1, download part 2 (Map KOMPASS Verlag, pdf, 1 MB)
(Source: www.adlerweg.tirol.at )

You have to be in a good shape for the hike from Breslauer Hut past Vernagthütte Hut and Hochjoch Hospiz down to Vent. Besides some downhill parts that are secured by rope and 1,200m of altitude difference downhill there are no particular difficulties along this stage in the foothills of impressive 3000m-high mountains. Along Seufertweg trail one follows the sings to Vernagthütte Hut. After a break one returns a stretch of the way and follows the first path to Hochjoch Hospiz. From there you continue your hike along Cyprian-Granbichler-Trail and follow Rofental valley to get to Vent. Granbichler was the legendary friend of the founder of the Alpine Association and curate of Vent, Franz Senn; Granbichler was killed in a snow storm.

Difficulty: red, stamina required, some stretches are secured by rope; still no particular difficulties.
Walking Time: 7 hrs
Highest Point: 2,855m
Altitude Gain: 300m
Altitude Loss: 1,250m


Vernagthütte Hut:
(open from early July to mid-September)
Tel: +43.664.141 21 19

Hochjoch Hospiz:
(open from late June to late September)
Tel: +43.664.540 25 74


Stage Description:  download (pdf, 1,4 MB)
Map Segment: download (MapKOMPASS Verlag, pdf, 1,3 MB)
(Source:www.adlerweg.tirol.at )

 

The ascent from the mountaineers' village of Vent to Ramolhaus Hut at 3,006m is only recommended for mountaineers with alpine experience. Starting from Hotel Vent one orientates by the signs to Ramolhaus and follows the trail uphill past the derelict Ramolalm Hut, from where one enjoys a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains. You hike along the edge of Spiegelferner glacier, what is extremely difficult at the end as the path is covered with rubble, debris and boulders, to get to the highest point of Adlerweg Trail, Ramoljoch saddleback at 3,189m. On the other side of the saddleback you again follow the signs leading through rubble and boulder fields. With the help of one long or several short ladders and ropes one descends to the crevasse-free Ramolferner glacier. Follow the right edge of the glacier to get to Ramolhaus Hut above the gigantic Gurgler Ferner glacier.

Difficulty: black, good head for heights, sure-footedness and alpine experience required; rope and ladders for the passage from Ramoljoch to Ramolferner glacier; possibly crampons for the short passage across the crevasse-free, even Ramolferner glacier.
Walking Time: 5 hrs
Highest Point: 3,189m
Altitude Gain: 1,300m
Altitude Loss: 200m


Ramolhaus Hut:
(open from early July to mid-September)
Tel: +43.5256.6223


Stage Description:  download (pdf, 2,4 MB)
Map Segment: download (Map KOMPASS Verlag, pdf, 0,8 MB)
(Source: www.adlerweg.tirol.at )

The stage from Ramolhaus Hut to Obergurgl leads from 3000m-high region down to the valley. From Ramolhaus Hut one enjoys a fantastic view of the gigantic Gurgler Ferner glacier. The Swiss meteorologist Auguste Piccard landed there after 17-hour long flight with a hot-air balloon in 1931. Piccard ascended for 16km to explore the stratosphere. Pictures of his spectacular glacier landing were shown around the world and a legend was born. The steep descent from Ramolhaus Hut takes you out of the valley along Ramolweg Trail that runs parallel to Gurgler Ache river. Keep to this trail and do not follow the sign after Kuppele Hut that shows uphill to the left. In this area you will find Beilstein, where archaeological excavations gave evidence of settlements at this region back to about 4500 years BC.

Difficulty: red, easy trail with no particular difficulties.
Walking Time: 3 hrs
Highest Point: 3,006m
Altitude Loss: 1,100m


Ramolhaus Hut:
(open from early July to mid-September)
Tel: +43.5256.6223


Stage Description:  download (pdf, 1,9 MB)
Map Segment: download (Map KOMPASS Verlag, pdf, 1 MB)
(Source: www.adlerweg.tirol.at )