Trekking in the Stubai Alps

An essential guidebook for trekking in the Stubai Alps, in the Austria Tyrol. Two multi-day hut-to-hut hikes are described. The Stubai Rucksack Route links 8 huts without crossing glaciers or difficult passes, whereas the challenging Stubai Glacier Tour involves much glacier work. Either route will easily fit into a 2-week holiday.

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Overview

This guidebook describes the Stubai Rucksack Route (or Hohen Weg) and the Stubai Glacier Tour, two hut-to-hut trekking routes in the Stubai Alps in the Austrian Tyrol.

The Stubai Rucksack Route is an ideal route for the novice mountain walker, and links eight huts without crossing glaciers or difficult passes. The Stubai Glacier Route is a hut-to-hut tour through the best of the Stubai that crosses glaciers and has ample opportunities for ascents of easy peaks. Both routes can be accomplished in eight to ten days.

Both tours are given their own brief introduction with profiles of the route and other vital information to enhance your experience of each area. The routes are illustrated with colour photographs and sketch maps, and the introduction provides vital transport, language, accommodation and equipment information. Of all the many Alpine areas, few can match Austria's Stubai Alps as a venue for a first Alpine season.

The Stubai Alps are situated southwest of Innsbruck. The area has easy access and can be reached by local bus from Innsbruck in about one hour.

Table of Contents

Contents
INTRODUCTION
Villages of the Stubai and Stubaital
When to Go
Getting to Austria
Places to Stay
About Innsbruck
Tourist Offices
Post and Post Offices
Places to Leave Luggage
Taking Children
Health and Fitness
Emergencies, Mountain Rescue and Insurance
The Austrian Alpine Club
About Huts
Using this Guide
Maps and Guidebooks
Alpine Walking Skills and Equipment
Mountain Guides
THE STUBAI RUCKSACK ROUTE (RUNDE TOUR)
Introduction
Alternative Start
Stage 1A Mieders to Klostergasthof Maria Waldrast
Excursion from Klostergasthof Maria Waldrast
Stage 1B Klostergasthof Maria Waldrast to the Padasterjoch Haus
Stage 1C Padasterjoch Haus to the Innsbrucker Hut
Traditional Route
Stage 1 Neder to the Innsbrucker Hut
Excursions from the Innsbrucker Hut
Stage 2 Innsbrucker Hut to the Bremer Hut
Stage 3 Bremer Hut to the Nuernburger Hut via Simmingjochl
Excursions from the Simmingjochl
Stage 4A Nuernburger Hut to the Sulzenau Hut via the Niederl
Stage 4B Nuernburger Hut to the Sulzenau Hut via the Mair Spitze
Stage 4C Nuernburger Hut to the Sulzenau Hut via the Wilder Freiger
Stage 5A Sulzenau Hut to the Dresdner Hut via the Peiljoch
Stage 5B Sulzenau Hut to the Dresdner Hut via the Grosser Trogler
Excursion from the Dresdner Hut
Stage 6 Dresdner Hut to the Neue Regensburger Hut via the Grawagrubennieder
Stage 7 Neue Regensburger Hut to the Franz Senn Hut via the Schrimmenneider
Excursions from the Franz Senn Hut
Stage 8 Franz Senn to the Starkenburger Hut
Excursion from the Starkenburger Hut
Stage 9 Starkenburger Hut to Neustift
Stage 9A Starkenburger Hut to Fulpmes
THE STUBAI GLACIER TOUR (HOEHEN WEG)
Introduction
Stage 1 Milders to the Franz Senn Hut
Stage 2 Franz Senn Hut to the Amberger Hut via the Wildgrat Scharte
Excursion from the Schwarzenberg Ferner glacier
Stage 3 Amberger Hut to the Hoch Stubai Hut via the Wuetenkar Sattel
Stage 4 Hoch Stubai Hut to the Hildesheimer Hut via the Bildstoeckljoch
Excursion from the Schaufeljochbahn
Stage 5 Hildesheimer Hut to the Mueller Hut via the Zuckerhuetl and Wilder Pfaff
Stage 5A Hildesheimer Hut to the Siegerland Hut
Stage 5B Siegerland Hut to the Mueller Hut via the Sonklar Spitze
Stage 6 Mueller Hut to the Nuernburger Hut via the Wilder Freiger
Escape Routes from the Mueller Hut
Stage 7 Nuernburger Hut to Ranalt, Neustift and Innsbruck

Hut Directory
Appendix A Useful Contacts
Appendix B German–English Glossary
Appendix C Further Reading

Maps

Maps and guidebooks

The following maps are required for the Stubai Rucksack Route and Stubai Glacier Tour. The maps are published by the Austrian Alpine Club and available from the UK Section of the Austrian Alpine Club.

Maps (Alpenvereinskarte)

Sheet 31/1 Stubai Alpen: Hoch Stubai scale 1:25,000
Sheet 31/2 Stubai Alpen: Sellrain scale 1:25,000

Also recommended, covering the complete region at a glance and available from major map retailers, are:

Freytag & Berndt Wanderkarte: Sheet 24 scale 1:100,000 Stubaieralpen
Kompass Wanderkarte: Sheet 83 scale 1:50,000 Stubai Alpen: Serleskamm
Verlag W. Mayr: Sheet 18 scale 1:35,000 Stubaital

Books

For guidebooks and other reading, see Appendix C.

Websites

While these are mostly in Geman they will inevitably as some stage be translated to English:

www.stubai.at
www.stubaierhoehenweg.at

Updates

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October 2015

Route updates and corrections

The following huts have changed there phone numbers. Bremer hut: 00439(0)6642728071.

Nurnberger hut: 0043(0)6644032188

(with thanks to Tom Kenny)

August 2013

page 38 MapsOther useful maps are Alpenvereinkarte31/3 Brennerberge; Scale 1 to 50,00031/5 Innsbruck; Scale 1 to 50,000

Stubai Rucksack Route

page 61 Alternative start: Stage 1B Maria Waldrast Monastery to Padasterjoch HausThe path has been cleared from the Kalbenscharte to the summit of the Kessel Spitze. However, the route from Serlesjoch to the Lampermahd and across Uber der Mauer is still ill-frequented and not recommended.
page 73 Stage 2; Innsbrucker Hut to the Bremer HutThe path has been cleaned up and improved in several areas with new fixed-wire protection being added. The alternative high-level route via Lauterer See and Innere Wetter Spitze (page 76) is currently closed due to a rock fall. There is a large sign in place to say the route is Gesprutt and closed.
page 96 Stage 5B; Sulzenau Hut to the Dresdner Hut via the Grosser TroglerFixed-wire rope protection on both sides of the mountain has been renewed and improved.

Stubai Glacier Tour

Due to severe recession of the glaciers, the following routes are affected:
page 141 Stage 5; Hildesheimer Hut to the Mueller HutAscent of the ZuckerhutlThe mountain has lost such a severe amount of snow/ice covering that it has lost its snowy mantel from the summit. The result being that the top third of the previous snow dome is now rock. As per the guidebook, climb to the Pfaffensattel and dump your rucksacks to allow a minimal rucksack-free ascent of the mountain. Follow the well beaten snow trail to the foot of the summit rocks. Discard ice axe and crampons and adjust the rope for short roping to the summit. The routes meanders left (south), scrambling around boulders and blocks with fixed aid in place to emerge on the summit complete with ornate summit cross.
page 144 Alternative Ascent of the Zuckerhutl via the Pfaffenschneid and interconnecting ridgeDue to recession of the snow on which the route depends, this route is now only possible during early season.
page 144 Ascent of the Wilder PfaffThe route as described in the guide is still viable but an alternative is to round the base of the Wilder Pfaff (north), then turn to climb the steep snow slopes (south) towards the summit.
In descent the ridge has been fitted with new wire ropes.
page 157 Stage 6; Mueller Hut to the Nuernburger Hut; Escape Routes from the Mueller Hut and Becher HouseThe descent from the Mueller Hut to the Sulzenau Hut via the Fernerstuebe Glacier and Pfaffennieder is not possible due to a huge rock fall and recession of the glacier.
The descent from Becher Haus to the Nurnberger Hut via the Freiger Scharte is not possible due to severe recession of the glacier.
In severe weather you should sit out the weather at Becher Haus until it is safe to cross back into Austria via the normal route to the Nurnberger Hut. Should the weather continue to deteriorate, the only safe exit is to descend to the Teplitzer Hut or further down the valley into Italy and make a safe return back into Austria via Sterzing and the Brenner. There are frequent trains.

Hut Directory

page 163 Bremer HutThe hut is under new management:Georg and Anni SegarMauern 66A-6150 Steinach in TyrolAustriaTelephone: (0043) 0664 272 8071
page 172 Mueller HutNew telephone numbers:Heidi: (0043) 0669 18 678965Likas: (0039) 0329 234 6943
page 178 Sulzenau HutThe hut will be under a new manager in 2014.

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