Pitztal valley hike and glacier visit

The valley path runs through the entire Pitztal valley as a cycle and hiking route: We follow the upper part on the bank of the Pitze stream and make a side trip up to 3,440 m a.s.l

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We enter the Pitztaler Talwanderweg valley path at the level of the village of Trenkwald. The picture shows one of the waterfalls that cascade from the Kaunergrat on the right side of the valley and from the Geiger Ridge to our left.
Foto: AT, © Peer
The path leads past the villages of Köfels (in the picture), Weißwald, Plangeross, Tieflehn and Mandarfen.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Cattle graze on the meadows along the valley path. These woolly little highland calves are particularly cute. Nevertheless, you should not get too close to them, so that the mother cows do not get nervous.
Foto: AT, © Peer
The path is almost continuously a wide road with a gravel surface and low gradient.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Fences and gates separate pastures and forests from each other.
Foto: AT, © Peer
View on the valley path and the Pitze stream.
Foto: AT, © Peer
At the steep slopes of the valley, paths lead up to the peaks and mountain huts. For example the Rüsselsheimer Hütte mountain hut is visible from the valley.
Foto: AT, © Peer
View on the Lussbach Waterfall.
Foto: AT, © Peer
The valley path near Plangeross.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Plangeross is the largest village in the upper Pitztal valley. In former times there was also a mine here.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Foto: AT, © Peer
Turn-offs to the hiking trails into the mountains.
Foto: AT, © Peer
The wild Pitztal valley near Mandarfen: sand and scree from the mountains lie in the brook bed.
Foto: AT, © Peer
At the end of the valley we reach the valley station of the Glacierexpress.
Foto: AT, © Peer
First we take the tunnel funicular.
Foto: AT, © Peer
At the mountain station we then take the Wildspitzbahn cable car up to more than 3,000 m a.s.l.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Immediately after the start we fly over the ice shell of the Brunnenkogel Glacier. In the background you can see Europe’s highest solar power plant.
Foto: AT, © Peer
The mountain station is located at 3,440 m a.s.l.
Foto: AT, © Peer
From there we walk to the observation deck.
Foto: AT, © Peer
In good weather, the view to the east extends from the Dolomites to the Großvenediger.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Straight in front of us, the mighty Wildspitze mountain is located (3,772 m a.s.l.).
Foto: AT, © Peer
To the south-west the view extends from the Kaunergrat and Weisskugel to the Ortles and Piz Bernina.
Foto: AT, © Peer
View from the panorama restaurant at the mountain station.
Foto: AT, © Peer

A nice walk along the brook and as a bonus an excursion to the "Roof of Tyrol"? Both can be combined well in a day tour - at least in the beautiful Pitztal valley. Starting point of our walk is the village of Trenkwald above St. Leonhard: Of course you can start from any hamlet in the valley and make the hike longer or shorter. From Trenkwald, for example, it takes about 2 hours to Mittelberg, where the cable car starts up to the Pitztal Glacier.

The mountain railway tickets are not quite cheap, but the trip is something very special. First the tunnel funicular to the Mittagskogel, then we continue in the panorama cabins of the Wildspitz Cable Car. At the rear Mt. Brunnenkogel we probably have the most beautiful view which we can reach with such little effort: in front of us the snow-white slopes of Mt. Wildspitze, with 3,772 m the highest peak of North Tyrol and the Ötztal Alps. And a panoramic view that stretches from the peaks of the Engadine to the Ortles and the Dolomites, to the peaks of the Stubai and Zillertal valleys and the Northern Limestone Alps. The panorama restaurant at the mountain station at 3,440 m a.s.l. invites to a visit, it is also the highest located bakery in Europe.

The information on time, distance and difference in altitude relates to the hiking section Trenkwald - Mittelberg. For the trip with the funiculars to the Hinterer Brunnenkogel (+1700 m difference in altitude) and back and the associated breaks, allow about 2 hours.

Author: AT

difficulty: moderate with lifts

Starting point:

Trenkwald near St. Leonhard in the Pitztal valley
Time required:

04:00 h
Track length:

12,8 km
Altitude:

from 1.502 m to 1.727 m
Altitude difference:

+218 m | -218 m
Signposts:

Talwanderweg, Mittelberg
Destination:

Valley station Gletscher Express (hiking part); Hinterer Brunnenkogel 3438 m (by funicular / cable car)
Resting points:

Bergwerk Plangeross, Siglu, Kristall (mountain station Tunnelbahn), Cafè Bakery Wildspitzbahn mountain station (3430 m)
Recommended time of year:

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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Pitztal valley hike and glacier visit