2-day Ötztal hike (Schnalstal - Vent)

 Day 1

 

• Start: Kurzras ski resort (Schnalstal in Italy) - 2011 m
• Destination: Vent (Sölden in Austria) - 1895 m
• Difficulty: Medium
• Signpost: A3
• Trail length: 19.5 km
• Walking time: 6-7 h
• Ascent: 850 m
• Descent: 950 m
• Highest point: 2845 m
• Altitude of destination: Schöne Aussicht (2845 m), Vent (1895 m)
• Refreshment stops: Schöne Aussicht, Hochjoch Hospiz Hütte
• Experienced: Early July 2020

 

 

Brief description:
From Kurzras up to Schöne Aussicht • Continue towards Hochjoch Hospiz • Descent to Vent via the Rofenhöfe farms

 

Approach and parking:

 

We start our two-day hiking tour in Kurzras (Schnalstal). Kurzras can be easily reached from Meran via the Schnalstal by bus or car. There are plenty of parking spaces in the Kurzras ski resort.

 

The hike:

We begin our hike with beautiful summer weather. The archaeological trail No. 3 leads for about 2 hours on foot through a high-alpine landscape to the "Schöne Aussicht" refuge, which truly lives up to its name with unforgettable panoramic views. There, we first enjoy an aperitif on the sunny terrace.

 

Tip: From Kurzras, Schöne Aussicht can also be reached relatively easily with the Schnalstal Glacier cable car by taking the cable car up to Grawand (mountain station), and from there descending on trail No. 3 to the hut in about 35-40 minutes (with the last few meters leading slightly uphill to the hut).

We continue to the nearby customs house, the border with Austria.

The path initially runs a bit stony, slightly downhill through the Ötztal. The valley becomes greener and greener, and you continuously walk along a wildly foaming mountain stream. At a "crossroads" in the valley, you have a beautiful view over the valley. From there, you can already see the Alpine Club hut Hochjoch Hospiz (2413 m), where you can stop for refreshments.

Beautiful, smaller glacier streams flow everywhere to form a large stream, which we cross on a bridge after a short descent into the valley. From there, you can decide whether to hike up to the Hochjoch Hospiz hut or save yourself the ascent. Since we have our own provisions with us, we continue along the stream. 

Further along the path, where the stream accompanies us to the Rofner Gorge, beautiful alpine rose pastures soon await us. Many sheep graze here in the summer, which are then traditionally driven back to the Schnalstal by the shepherds and farmers in autumn (transhumance). Spectators can witness this spectacle at the annual sheep drive in Kurzras or Vernagt. 

Upon arriving at the Rofenhöfe (the highest permanently settled area in all of Tyrol), we continue across a suspension bridge for almost 30 minutes until we reach our destination.

Arriving in the mountaineering village of Vent, we look forward to our accommodation at Hotel Post (highly recommended), where we will spend one night. In the hotel's wellness area, we first let our tired feet rest to be fit again the next day. 

 

 

 

Day 2

• Start: Vent (Sölden in Austria) - 1895 m
• Destination: Vernagt (Schnalstal in Italy) - 1689 m
• Difficulty: Medium
• Signpost: A2
• Trail length: 18.5 km
• Walking time: 7 h
• Ascent: 1225 m
• Descent: 1400 m
• Highest point: 3080 m
• Altitude of destination: Similaunhütte (3080 m), Vernagt (1689 m)
• Refreshment stops: Martin-Busch-Hütte, Similaunhütte
• Experienced: Early July 2020

 

 

Brief description:
From Vent through the Niedertal to the Martin-Busch-Hütte • Continue to the Similaunhütte on the Niederjochferner • Descent to Vernagt via the Tisental 

 

The hike:

After a balanced breakfast, the journey leads back to the Schnalstal. On the outskirts of Vent, the path, signposted "Martin-Busch Hütte", continues through the Ventertal valley towards Similaun (Niederjoch).

A picture-perfect panorama over initially gently rising paths with numerous streams and green pastures, leading up to the final meters with glaciation and a steep ascent (we did not need any aids during the ascent).

After about 5 hours of walking, we arrive at the Similaunhütte (3080 m), with a beautiful view, where we take a break.

Tip: The Similaunhütte offers accommodation and is therefore an ideal starting point for further hiking tours, e.g. to the Finailspitze or the Similaunspitze. Directly from the hut, only 190 meters of altitude and an ascent of 1:30 hours, you reach the world-famous Ötzi discovery site via partly exposed sections secured with ropes (Hauslabjoch).

However, we are glad that our route is slowly coming to an end. Over rocky paths, switchbacks, scree fields, and finally meadows, we descend through the Tisental to Vernagt. Already at the beginning of the descent, from the Similaunhütte, you can see the Vernagt reservoir. After a total of 7 hours of walking, we have reached the village of Vernagt. 

 

Conclusion:

It was a great 2-day hiking tour with an interesting historical background. You should definitely be sure-footed, not necessarily because of the trail conditions or the altitude, but rather because of the overall length of the route. Water is more than sufficiently available, as you continuously hike along streams. What you absolutely must not underestimate is that the valley offers hardly any shade. Especially at 3,000 meters altitude, the sun feels even more intense. You should definitely pack enough sunscreen, a head covering, and a sweater in your backpack. 

Best regards from South Tyrol,

Tristan