Tuxer Alps (1998)

In 1998 we (Walter, Jan) went to the Tuxer Alps and Zillertaler Alps in Tirol. For me it was a return to the area where I walked with my wife in 1978.
This year we walked in the first weeks of July. We received all types of weather: sun, nice clouds, fog, rain, snow. At the Pfitscher Joch Haus snow was blown horizontally along the windows. Due to these conditions the trip along the north side of the Zillertaler Alps had to be skipped. However, we were able to make some nice tours in the Tuxer Alps. And the trains of the Zillertaler Bahn offered interesting opportunities to make pictures of steam trains.

A Mountain Walk from Innsbruck to Italy.

The precise route:

• Igls, in Haus Kaserer, near the cable car to the Pfatscherkofel (Bus J from the Railway Station in Innsbruck).
• Glungezer Ht (2600m), after using the cable car to the Patscherkofel Schutzhaus (1964m; ÖTK). We had nice views over the Inntal that showed many clouds. The Zirbenweg is an easy path and has good marks. In the beginning we still had some spots of sunlight. However, the main part was a walk in fog, which turned into a drizzle when we were coming higher. Near the hut we had to cross our first field of snow. We were welcomed very warmly: we were visitors that would stay the night in this lonely hut. The "Speckknödel Suppe" here was very good. Later, also three Austrians reached the hut: with a small tv by which we could follow the match France-Italy of the World Championship Soccer. Together, we were a "high five". [Walking time: 2.34h]
• Lizumer Ht (2015m), via Steinkasern (2002m), Naviser Joch (2477m), Mölsjoch and Klamm Joch (2359m). It was very cold this morning and there was a lot of wind. We started with fog, but on our way to Steinkasern the weather improved. Here, the path is rather poor. To the Naviser Joch we again met several fields of snow. At the Joch sun was shining brightly and we had a nice view to the Stubaier Alps. From here to the Lizumer Ht was easy, but still very long. We were very tired when we reached the hut. At dinner we heared that Holland-Argentinia has ended in 2-1. [Walking time: 6.40h]
• Tuxer Joch Hs (2313m; ÖTK), via the Pluderling Sattel (ca 2700m) near the Geier Spitze and the Gschspitzsattel (2657m). This morning it was "Deutschland geht nach Hause" (after the lost match against Kroatia). Outside the hut the weather was not very promising: drizzle, fog. However, several people wanted to make the same tour. Together we walked in the fog through snowfields to the Pluderling Sattel. Here you can easily miss the path. Between this Sattel and the Gschspitzsattel wind become blowing, rain started and turned into hail. Here again for finding the path you need a lot of people. The descend from this second Sattel was surprisingly at the east (!) side of the brook. A good path that went 600m downwards, but that was very tirering. In the valley, in a small hut, we found some shelter. The final ascend to the Tuxer Joch Hs was easy. Here it was warm and we were able to dry our clothes.
  In the evening, also several mountainbikers reached the hut: strange people, strange clothes, strange interests and far from being silent. The view from the hut is magnificent: the complete range from Hoher Riffler, via Gefrorene Wand Spitzen to Olperer can be seen. [Walking time: 5.40h]
• Geraer Ht (2324m), via Frauenwand (2540m) and Kleegruben Scharte (2498m) and Steinernes Lamm (2528m). It was a beautiful day and because we heared that the Friesenberg Scharte was still closed (but this appeared later to be wrong information from the warden), all parties did go to the Geraer Ht. Not difficult and less far than the previous days. However there were several ascends and descends to make. The climb to the Kleegruben Scharte was the most prominent one and here it was very hot. The 2nd climb to the Steinernes Lamm was easy. We had nice views to the west (Stubai). Also the environment of the Alpeiner Scharte was a tempting aim for the next day.
  The hut was fully booked for a climbing course, but we got a good place in the "Winterraum" (which was not bad at all, and which had it's own washingroom). Near the hut we found a good sunny place to sit and admired the view to the valley. [Walking time: 4.45h]
• Pfitscher Joch Hs (Rif. Passo di Vizze) (2248m; private hut), via the Alpeiner Scharte (2959m), our highest point this tour. This morning the weather was still good, but for how long would it stay so, because a weather change (to the bad) had been announced (Wetterstürz). Together with our companions of the last two days we climbed the Alpeiner Scharte. The path was not difficult, but we had several parts of snow to cross and the rocky parts were very slippery. We had to use the pickels again here. At the east side of the Scharte there was a steep descend through the snow and here the pickels were needed most. The highway to the Pfitscher Joch appeared to be a good path with lots of flat stones on it. However it was still quite a distance and some interesting brooks had to be crossed. The last hour we got rain and we had to step very carefully. In the hut it was warm, and we got a nice "Zimmerlager". Outside the hut a storm was blowing, which in the afternoon turned into a snowstorm.
  This evening we were invited to view in a separate, warm, room the match Holland-Brazil (which ended long after the closing hour of the hut). Outside the hut the snow was flowing horizontally along the windows, but this was the place to be. This kind and warm italian hut we will remember. [Walking time: 5.30h]
• Dominikus Ht (1805m; private hut), via a slippery descend to the Schlegeis Speicher. This morning we stayed a long time in the hut. There was still snow falling and it was very cold outside. It was funny to see the Maria statue (blue from being cold?) being put in place this morning.
  After several hours the weather improved a bit and we decided to do the small tour to the Dominikus Ht. Due to the snow we needed a lot of time for this walk. Usually everyone passes the Dominikus Ht, but under these conditions also walkers from other huts came to this hut later this evening. Snow started to fall again. [Walking time: 2.15h]
• Mayrhofen (630m), reached by bus. The snow was beautiful this morning, but it was clear that not much could be done at higher levels. We took the bus from the lake and went downwards to Mayrhofen, where we found a good room in Gästehaus Eder (Hauptstraße 457, A-6290 Mayrhofen, tel. 05285-62217 (Austria: 0043)), in the main street, just opposite the mountainschool of famous Peter Habeler and above the Spar shop. The shower changed us into other men. The afternoon (dry and later even sunny) was spent with bying presents for home and a book of Reinhold Messner ("Everest, Expedition zum Endpunkt", of course). We also admired the trains of the Zillertaler Bahn. A large pizza completed the day.
• Friesenberg Hs (2498m), via the Schlegeis Speicher (by bus) and the Olperer Ht (2389m) (Berliner Weg). We had a splendid panorama to the Zillertaler Alps. Above the Olperer Ht we travelled through an arctic landscape, which took us a long time to cross. But we could see the hut. The last part before the descend had to be done very carefully through the snow. We were the only ones who stayed the night in the hut. The warden was very friendly (also before we bought his beautiful t-shirts). The night in the "Lager" was very cold. [Walking time: 1.45h+2.45h]
• Landshuter Europa Ht (Rif. Europa) (2693m), via the Schlegeis Speicher and the Pfitscher Joch. The Friesenberg Scharte was closed, due to snow and because of the danger of avalanches (which we had heared falling down the day before). Hence we went downwards through a lot of clouds on a path that you can better use for a climb. To the Pfitscher Joch the weather improved: Austria was cloudy, but here we had sun. In 1.45h we reached the Joch. The highway to the Landshuter Ht was easy, but long (Landshuter Höhenweg). The last part to the Sattel was subtle through snow and a careful crossing over the last ridge of stones. The hut has been improved 10 years ago and is now very convenient. We were very tired after the long walk. The "Bergsteiger" meal was very good: italian quality! Walter received a "Bon Appetito!" after requesting a second meal after his first one (Kaiserschmarren). Outside the hut we had nice views to the west (Stubai) and to the south. [Walking time: 2.00h+1.45h+2.45h]
• Innsbruck, after a descend via the Pfitscher Joch to the Schlegeis Speicher again, where we took the bus after a very fast walk. In Mayrhofen we took the train to Innsbruck (first the Zillertaler Bahn to Jenbach; in Jenbach we saw some nice steam locomotives). In Innsbruck we found a good and reasonably priced room (with shower) in Hotel Bistro (Pradler Straße 2, A-6020 Innsbruck, tel. 0512-346319 (Austria: 0043)), 10-15 minutes walking from the Railway Station at a silent place at the junction of two brooks and with a nice view to the Karwendel Mountains. We had a good dinner here and a sunny evening. Lots of cyclists and skaters passed the hotel here. [Walking time: 2.40h+1.23h]

Some related links

Hintertuxer Gletscher

Tux in Tirol (with life weather view)

Cameras in Tirol (Innsbruck, Igls, Mayrhofen, Finkenberg, Lanersbach)

Cameras in Austria

Innsbruck and Tirol

Jan ter Maten's Home Page