Introduction
The Stubaierhöhenweg is a beautiful round trip around the Stubai valley in the vicinity (south) of Innsbruck. The pictures below were taken end of july 2009, some snow can still be observed because the average altitude is rather high: between 2237 and 2881 m.
The trek takes 8 days with walking times ranging from 6:00 to 7:30 h of walk everyday.
Recommended documentation:
- Kompass map 1:50'000 #36 "Innsbruck Brenner"
- Hüttentrekking, band 1, Tour #14 pp 108-117, Ralf Gantzhor - Andreas Seeger, Bergverlag Rother (München) ISBN 978-3-7633-3007-2
To Starkenburger Hütte 2237 m
Starting from Stubai at 993 m , we decided to take the cable car "Schlick 2000" to save time on this late afternoon and parked the car at the station. From the top station at 2208 m, we had only 1:45 to walk to the first hut: Starkenburger Hütte.
The arrival at the top station gave immediately a good idea about these mountains: they are less high than the Alps but definitively steep.
To Franz Senn
Hütte 2149 m [Top of
page]
The path starts to climb over the departing hut before to follow the valley at about a constant altitude. However, the numerous rivers and winding path made this part pretty long .
Looking back at Starkenbürger, one can see the beautiful habicht (3277 m) that is located just above the last hut: Innsbrucker Hütte. Climbing this summit will take place the last day of the trek. This summit will accompany us all along the trek and it will be seen from about everywhere.
Looking forward, one can see the the next Hut: Franz Senn Hütte. Most of these huts are located on the flat part corresponding to the old limit of the glacier, just before the big jump into the valley.
Starting to climb..
Look back to Starkenbürger Hütte
Looking over the Oberbergtal
Another look back, after quite some hours of walk, Starkenbürger can still be seen.
Franz Senn appears now clearly, a dark house beside the river.
Booking is strongly advised because most of the huts can be reached from the bottom of the valley, therefore attracting many tourists and families.
To neue Regensburge Hütte 2286 m [Top of page]
From franz Senn Hütte, once at the pass named Schrimmenreder, a nice little side walk to a summit named Basslerjoch (2829 m) worth the effort. Beautiful wild flowers and view over the next valley "Unterbergtal"
In front of us one of
the next Hut: Nürnberger Hütte, to be reached in 2 days.
Arriving at Neue Regensburger Hütte
To Dresdner Hütte 2308 m [Top of page]
Excellent breakfast before the start, in general, accomodation was simply excellent, with possibility to make the sandwiches for the day out of the breakfast buffet.
An interesting pass (Grawagrubennieders) can be seen as an opening
in the cliff just in the middle of the picture.
The pass Grawagrubennieders is quite steep at the beginning and still covered with snow. A new path has been defined with clear markings (watch the signs), as it is quite steep, a cable is in place to help climbing this little section. An alternative would be to have crampons but the footprints are well marked and can be used without problems.
The picture below shows the queue of walkers climbing.
The
other side of the pass offers beautiful view over the upper valley and
unfortunately over the ski tracks and all the cable cars and skilifts
of the area.
Below,
view over Wilder Freiger (left 3148m) and Zuckerhütl 3507 m (right).
The hut
is just behind the dark mountain range in foreground.
The beautiful WIlder Freiger 3148 m.
Arriving at Dresdner Hütte, a big hotel rather than a mountain hut. The advantage are the hot showers, the restaurant and plenty of space available.
To Nürnberger Hütte 2288 m (via Sulzenau Hütte) [Top of page]
The most beautiful part of this trek, especially after the Peiljoch pass at 2672 m. Below a picture of the Habicht 3277 m, climbing this summit wil take place in 3 days, the path follow the ridge on the right.
The path is very well maintained ven in the worst fallen rocks areas.
Beautiful view over the Sulzenauer glacier
Look over the Sulzenau Hütte, the next pass (Niederl 2629 m) can be seen at the extreme right side of the picture below and in the middle of the cliff on the picture above above . Only a short stopover here for food and drinks and short rest.
To the Niederl pass
Tired of noisy dormitory, we got a room, a real one, with this typical austrian atmosphere.
To Bremer Hütte 2411 m [Top of page]
Quite some snow on the path despite we were end of july, but this year was a little bit special from this point of view.
Arriving at Bremer Hütte
To Innsbrucker Hütte 2370 m [Top of page]
Early start from Bremer, and quite a tedious day to Innsbrucker that seems to be located after every ridge.
View over the Gschnitztal
View over the Habicht again.
View over the Tribulaun group, the specific view of the Innsbrucker Hütte
Innsbrucker Hütte
Climbing the Habicht 3277 m [Top of page]
The path starts directly behind the hut and is well equipped with cable. 3 hours are enough to reach the top .
Almost all huts can be seen from here: Below, looking SW to Bremer Hütte
Looking W to Dresdner Hütte
Looking NW at Neue Regensburger (white dot in the middle of the picture)
The Tribulaun group located S and in the background the Dolimitti.
Looking SE to the Austrian alps (Olperer and Wandspitze).
Looking NW towards Innsbruck with the Karwendel, a group of mountains in which trekking is also quite interesting.
The valley below: Pinnistal and the way back to Neustift for the next day.
Innsbrucker Hütte is located just in front but too low to be seen.
Down to Neustift 993 m (end of trek) [Top of page]
Nice walk down through Pinnistal, through pastures and hunting areas to bus station in Neustift. Local bus took us back to Fulpmes, the start of the cable car.
Once in Innsbruck, worth to have a look at the typical tyrolean old city of Hall.
And the beautiful cistercian monastery of Stams
Finally Innsbruck worth also a visit, below a view over the roofs from Pension Paula.
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