Limitless hiking in the Texelgruppe Nature Reserve and the Ötztal Alps

Goosey goosey gander, whither shall I wander? How does the nursery rhyme go? Never mind, it doesn’t matter. Whether you’re a sure-footed mountaineer or just a fair weather hiker, the summery Alpine world of the Texelgruppe Nature Reserve, with its blossoming pastures and the imposing mountain panorama is always around you. Leave your car in the free car park at the entrance to the village of Pfelders (Pfelders is a car-free village) and just get that hike started!

Best foot forward, but gently!

If you want to take things a little more gently on your hike, the Grünboden Express cable car will take you to an altitude of 2000m in a little over 3 minutes. Once you get to the mountain station, we recommend the panoramic trail, as nowhere else will give you a better 360° view of the surrounding two and three thousanders. The views of the impressive summits in Texelgruppe are breathtakingly beautiful. The path will then take you past the Faltschnalalm to the Lazinser Hof and on to the Lazinseralm. A simple hike for the whole family.

But you also have to take at least one hike to Pfelderer Lake and drop in to one of the cosy restaurants or cafés in the village. Our local hospitality is second to none, you’ll see!

The diversity of the hiking paths

The nature reserve contains countless different hiking paths, for all abilities, just waiting to be explored. From Mediterranean gall oak forests to the lush mountain meadows, where the cows graze, up to the high Alpine three thousanders. An excellent way of exploring Texelgruppe is by embarking on the Meraner Höhenweg. This path is 120km long and can be completed in five days. The highest summits in Texelgruppe are Roteck (3337m), Texelspitze (3318m), Hohe Weisse (3281m), Trübwand (3266m), Tschigat (2998m) and Spronser Rötelspitze (2625m).

Another highlight are, of course, the Spronser Lakes, South Tyrol’s largest lake district, which consists of ten lakes. The family-friendly Hirzer hiking area is also always worth a visit.

Hikes

Hike to the Grünboden Inn – Faltschnalalm

Take the Grünboden Express cable car or hike via the toboggan run to the Grünboden Inn (2000m), then on the panoramic trail to Faltschnalalm and then continue down to Lazins. For the return journey, you can either take path no. 24 or path no. 8. (simple hike)

Duration: 3-4 hours
Altitude Difference: 400m

Hohe Wilde

From Pfelders, follow the Meraner Höhenweg (no. 24) to the Stettiner Hütte. From here, you can continue on path no. 48 and hike to the Hohe Wilde (a head for heights is required).

Duration:
Pfelders – Stettiner Hütte: approx. 4 hours
Stettiner Hütte – Hohe Wilde (return): approx. 3 hours

Altitude Difference: 1858m

Meraner Höhenweg (south)

From Ulfas (1369m) in the Passeier Valley, this hiking route passes the solitary Gögelehof (1295m) on the way to Christl (1132m). The magnificent mountain backdrop is made up of the Sarntal Alps to the south and Jaufenpass to the east. Passing Matatz (1098m), Magdfeld (1147m) and Vernuer (1100m), you’ll event to reach the Hochmuth Höfe (1361m). This group of farms hugs the steep rock faces of the Mutspitze like an eagle’s nest.

The route continues via the Hochganghaus (1839m; the highest point of the southern section of the trail), the Gojener Alm (1824m), Tablander Alm (1788m), Nassereith (1523m), the Giggelberg Inn (1535m), Hochforch (1555m), Innerforch (1460m), the Linthof (1386m), Kopfron (1436m) to Katharinaberg (1245m) in Schnals Valley.

The southern section of the trail is perfect for thrilling single or multiple day hikes. At some points, a good head for heights is required.

Best Season: from May until the first snow (usually November)

Duration:
Ulfas – Matatz: 2½ hours
Matatz – Madgfeld: 1½ hours
Magdfeld – Gander – Vernuer: 2 hours
Vernuer – Gfeis – Hochmuth Inn: 4½ hours
Hochmuther Inn – Hochganghaus: 2 hours
Hochganghaus – Giggelberg Inn: 4½ hours
Giggelberg Inn – Katharinaberg: 5 hours

Schneidalm

Leave Pfelders and follow path no. 6a to the Schneidalm. You can then either go back the way you came or take path no. 44b to the Lazinser Hof and the no. 8 back to Pfelders.

Duration (return): approx. 3 hours
Altitude Difference: 534m

Seelenkogel

From Pfelders, take path no. 6a to the Zwickauer Hütte and then on to Seelenkogel (3489m). A good head for heights is required.

Duration (arrival only): approx. 5 hours 40 minutes
Altitude Difference: 1846m

The Spronser Lakes

From Pfelders, take path no. 6 to Faltschnalalm and then on to Spronser Pass. The descent to the Spronser Lakes is also on path no. 6, via the Bockerhütte, to the Longfall Inn and continue to Kuens, where you’ll find the stop for the direct bus line into Passeier Valley.

Duration: 7-8 hours

Mountain tours

Faltmar Alm

Route:
The Bergkristall Inn (1568m, just before you arrive in Pfelders, parking available) is the starting point for a hike with a light incline on the wide agricultural road (no. 9) that will take you to the Faltmar Alm in about half an hour.

Possible Hikes:
If you follow the valley and the signs for path no. 9, you’ll reach a rise where the path forks. One (no. 5) takes you left to the passage into Falser Valley, while the right hand fork takes you, via the derelict Distelgrubalm, on to the Karalm. From here, you can either take the 5b to the Grünboden Inn or the 5 directly to Pfelders.

Difficulty:
All these paths require the appropriate equipment and good physical conditioning.

Starting Point: Bergkristall Inn
Duration: ¾ hour
Altitude Difference: 141m
Difficulty: Easy and with no problems; suitable for weaker hikers.

Opening Times: Open from the end of May until the beginning of October

Faltschnalalm – Erensee – Lazins

Path no. 24 to Lazins, after 500m take the steep forest path (no. 6) that leads to Faltschnalalm, then take path no. 7 to the Erensee lake (2291m), under the Erenspitze take the same way back to Faltschnalalm, then the panoramic trail to Lazins, descend on the left side of the valley on path no. 8 of on the right side on no. 24 towards Pfelders.

Duration (return): approx 3½ hours
Altitude Difference (Pfelders-Erensee): approx. 680m

Grünboden Inn

From Pfelders, hike via the toboggan run to the Grünboden Inn (you can also get here using the Grünboden Express in the summer).

Altitude Difference: approx. 400m.
Duration (return): approx. 2hrs 20mins

The Grünboden Inn is closed in the summer!

Meraner Höhenweg (north)

Begins in Katharinaberg (Schnals Valley). Access is dependent upon how much the snow has melted, as Pfossen Valley and Pfelderer Valley are often still covered in snow, even in late spring, and the path is in danger of avalanches and mudslides.

From Katharinaberg (1245m), the hiking route continues into Pfossen Valley to Nassereith (1534m) and to the Vorderkaser (1693m).

Then, continue past the Rableid Alm to the Eishof (2069m). The fantastic summit backdrop (Texelspitze 3318m, Roteck 3337m, Hohe Weisse 3281m, Hohe Wilde 3481m, Karlesspitze 3462m and Hintere Schwärze 3624m) surrounds the valley like a natural amphitheatre. From the Eishof, continue into the valley, almost until it ends. The path becomes rockier and takes a sharp incline up to the Eisjöchl (2908m), the highest point of the circle. The Stettiner Hütte (2875m) serves as the base here.

The path then leads down to Pfelders (1622m), out of Pfelderer Valley and via both Innerhütt and Ausserhütt in Ulfas (1500m), to link up with the Meraner Höhenweg (south).

Best Season: early-summer to autumn

Signage: well-marked, path no. 24

Duration:
Katharinaberg – Vorderkaser: 2 hours 40 minutes
Vorderkaser – Eishof: 1½ hours
Eishof – Stettiner Hütte: 3 hours
Stettiner Hütte – Pfelders: 3 hours
Pfelders – Innerhütt: 1 hour
Innerhütt – Ulfas: 2 hours

Stettiner Hütte

From Pfelders, take the Meraner Höhenweg (no. 24) to Lazinseralm and then continue on the same path until you reach the Stettiner Hütte.

Duration: approx. 4 hours
Altitude Difference: 1263m

NB: The Stettiner Hütte was destroyed in an avalanche during the 2013/14 winter season. The Pächter family has, in the meantime, built a provisional shack and continues to provide hikers with refreshments, meals and drinks. The temporary building can sleep approx. 50 guests.

Zwickauer Hütte

From Pfelders, take path no. 6a to the Zwickauer Hütte (2980m). Return using the same route.

Altitude Difference: 1356m
Duration (return): 8-9 hours