Lake Riffl

The Rifflsee, a moraine lake, is located above the Pitztal valley close to the Kaunergrat Nature Park. It is surrounded by the superb landscape of the Oetztal Alps and the rough Kaunergrat peaks such as Mt. Seekogel (3,358 m a.s.l.) and Mt. Rostizkofel.

Around 1500 AD, the lake was mentioned in the Tyrolean Fishing Book of Emperor Maximilian as "Wildseele in the rear Putztental valley". Peter Anich, a famous Tyrolean cartographer of the 18th century, gave it the name "Riffl". In the 19th century, it was mentioned as Lake "Taschachsee" by the topographer Jakob Staffler. The greenish waters comes from the glaciers feeding the lake.

The Rifflsee Cable Car takes you from the locality of Mandarfen to the mountain station - from there, it is only a 5 minutes' walk to the lake. If you would like to combine a visit to Lake Riffl with a tour, we recommend you the hike from Mandarfen through the Hirschtal valley, making you reach the lake in a two hours' walk. However, also the lake itself represents a starting point for tours, such as the Fulda High Route and the fixed rope route to the glacier, reserved to experienced mountaineers only. In winter, this area is part of the Pitztal Glacier - Rifflsee Skiing Area.

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Altitude: 2,232 m a.s.l.
Surface: 27 hectares
Length: 1 km
Width: 400 m
Maximum depth: 24 m

Bathing: no
Waters sports: raft riding

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