This nice little tour around Lake Rifflsee, which is one of the natural highlights in the Pitztal valley, is more a walk than a real hike - ideal for relaxing hours in the mountains at the Kaunergrat crest
Image gallery: Hike around the Rifflsee lake
In Mandarfen, at the upper course of the Pitze river, the valley station of the Rifflsee Cable Car is located. It takes us up to the starting point of our walk, the Sunna Mountain Hut (Sunna Alm) at 2,290 m a.s.l. Here the view opens on Lake Rifflsee, the largest natural lake in the Ötztal Alps. A gravel path leads down to its northern bank. Past the kiosk at the landing stage of the raft, which has been offering cruises across the lake since 2017, the route leads to the valley basin on the west bank, where the Rifflbach brook flows into the lake. Here we have arrived at perhaps the most beautiful spot of our circular walk and admire the wild landscape of the Kaunergrat peaks and the mild wetland of the lake with extensive meadows of cotton grass.
Always with view on the turquoise glacier water, the tour continues along the southern shore to our last stop, the Riffelsee Mountain Hut. It is located on a hill above the lake and the Taschachtal valley. Here we enjoy the beautiful view on the Pitztal glacier world, the hut also offers Tyrolean specialities. Only a 15-minute walk takes us back to the Sunna Mountain Hut, where our circular tour ends. By cable car we come down into the valley again.
Author: AT
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- Starting point:
- Rifflsee mountain station
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- Time required:
- 01:00 h
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- Track length:
- 3,6 km
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- Altitude:
- from 2.230 m to 2.290 m
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- Altitude difference:
- +64 m | -64 m
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- Signposts:
- Seerundgang, Riffelsee Hütte mountain hut, Rifflsee Cable Car
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- Resting points:
- Sunna Mountain Hut (mountain station), Riffelsee Mountain Hut
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- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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- Download GPX track:
- Hike around the Rifflsee lake
If you want to do this hike, we suggest you to check the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before setting out.
