Day 9 to Day 14, the Zillertal Range
A Hut to Hut hiking trip in the Stubai and Zillertal ranges of the Austrian Tirol
August 26th to September 12th, 2000
Story: Stephen Kamnitzer,
pictures Peggy Gemert, Orval White.
(Introduction, general
information, day 8)
| DAY 9: Mayerhofen to Furtschagl Haus. My eight friends where off to Munich today and then home to Canada. David and myself took the regular train to Jenbach and the narrow gauge railway to Mayerhofen in middle of the Zillertal.We had lunch there in a nice restaurant. We sat next to an English couple who had been coming for holidays to Mayerhofen for 35 years and they told us how much the place had changed over that period, many more houses and pensions but tastefully done, no large developments. From there we took the bus to the Schlegeisspeicher Dam, then 495 metres up in deteriorating weather to the Furtschagl Haus at 2295 metres. After we were there it started snowing again! |
| DAY 10: Furtschagl Haus to Friesenberghaus. Next morning, a mixture of sun and cloud. The trail on the planned route to the 3081 metre Schonbichler Scharte (pass) and the Berliner Hut was covered in new snow and after a while the trail markers were not visible because of the snow. After following a large group and watching them going up and down trying to find the route, I decided it all looked to difficult in the snow and decided to change routes again. We decided to hike in the opposite direction on the Berliner Hohenweg, which traverses along the side of the mountains at an altitude of about 2000 metres and would take us all the way back to Mayerhofen in about 3 days. So back to the hut, down to the Schlegeisspeicher Dam, lunch at a restaurant, then up an easy trail to the Friesenberghaus at 2498 metres. The hut has NOT been renovated recently, and to quote one of its occupants there is "kein heiss wasser" (no hot water). The water for washing oneself was indeed very cold, but the food was good and the Gaststube cozy and warm. In the entrance hall to the hut there is a big plaque and display with a dedication to the Jewish members of the OAV (Osterreicher Alpenverien) members who were expelled from the club after the Anschluss. |
| DAY 11: Friesenberghaus, Hoher Riffler, valley. Next day the weather was fine and for the rest of the trip also. So we had a go at the Hoher Riffler 3300 metres which is immediately behind the hut. Over easy snow and rock for a while, but with lots of blazes visible. At approximately 3100 metres, along a narrow ridge with snow, big boulders and severe drop-offs, I decide got "scared" so we went back to the hut. Four people did make it to the summit. Two of then were very fast as they passed us on the way up and then again on the way back and we did not even make the summit. After Goulash soup at the hut, we followed the Berliner Hohenweg, a fine path the traverses the mountain side towards Mayerhofen. After a while it was clear that we did not have enough time to get to the Gams Hutte before nightfall, so at 6 p.m. when we met a trail going down, we descended steeply 1100 metres to the valley. At the bottom we walked in the dark down the valley on a side road until we found a pension at 8 p.m. Strange place, large, deserted but the owner was very friendly and the food good. Only about ATS 300 for half-pension |
| DAY 12:Valley to Gams Hutte to Mayerhofen. We had one day left, so we had to decide what to do. There was the Ahorn Spitze 2950 metres, a spectacular looking but "easy" peak 2300 metres above Mayerhofen. The alternative was to go back up to the Berliner Hohenweg , hike along to the Gams Hutte, sleep there and try a peak nearby the next day. Since it was too late to get to Mayerhofen that day in time for the 2300 metres vertical to the Ahorn Spitze, we decided to go to the Gams Hutte. So it was back up the 1100 metres over a very steep trail (restaurant half-way) then across to the Gams Hut.. Nice hut with great views of Mayerhofen and high-tech composting toilets with explanatory display. However after tea and a snack at the hut, the great view of the Ahorn Spitze made it look too tempting, so we changed our minds again. We went down a fast 1200 metres down an easy trail to Finkenberg. We were to late for the last bus so we had to hike down to Mayerhofen arriving there at 7 p.m. in the fading daylight. Fortunately we quickly found an excellent Zimmer (B+B) for ATS270 with attached restaurant and relaxed after a strenuous day. |
| DAY 13: Ahorn Spitze from Mayerhofen using the gondola. After thinking about it carefully and calculating hiking times, it was apparent that our plan for the day was a problem. We had had two very long days, and 2300 metres up and then back down again, in time to take trains to Jenbach and Munich the same day seemed to much. We were not in the mood to get up at 5 a.m. We opted instead for taking the gondola up the first 1400 metres to a restaurant with a fine view, snow capped peaks all around. From there it was an easy hike to the Edel Hutte (2238 m) and then steeply at the end with a few tricky spots due to snow on the trail to the Ahorn Spitze (2976 m). Tiny summit with lots of people on it. From there back to Mayerhofen on the last gondola at 5 p.m,.the sun, music and the deck chairs at 2000 metres were great, then train to Jenbach, 20 minutes wait only, then 1 1/2 hrs to Munich. The 3'rd hotel on the main street had B+B rooms for DM 200 for two. Spent until 1 a.m. walking around the centre of Munich, a fine city, lots of people,.pedestrian streets and bicycles. |
| DAY 14 Next morning off to the airport by train (45 minutes) and back to Canada. Except for the weather the first week, a great trip. |
Next, please click here
for general information on hiking in Austria.
Please click here to see Peggy's pictures of
Innsbruck and castles in Bavaria.