Pfitscher Tal / Val di Vizze - Hochfeiler

Access to starting point:
Through the Karawanks Tunnel, we drive to Austria, and then we continue driving towards Spittal and forward towards Lienz (a little after Spittal highway ends). Further, we drive on a relatively nice and wide road through Drau valley, which brings us in Italy. The road further leads past Dobbiaco / Toblach and Brunico / Bruneck. We still continue on the main road and then we join the highway towards Austria (direction Brenner, Innsbruck). Instead on the highway, we can continue also on a parallel road. We leave the highway at exit Vipiteno / Sterzing. In two roundabouts we continue right and follow the signs for valley Pfitscher Tal / Val di Vizze. Only a little after second roundabouts we turn left towards the mentioned valley Pfitscher Tal / Val di Vizze. Further, we all the time follow the signs for the mentioned valley and mountain pass Pfitscher Joch / Passo di Vizze. The road becomes very narrow, but at first it is still paved with asphalt. Higher when the road towards last houses in the village Stein / Sasso branches off to the left, we continue right on a narrow macadam road towards the mountain pass Pfitscher Joch / Passo di Vizze. We follow this road to one of the two parking lots. The footpath starts on a turn at the second a little smaller parking lot.

Path description:
At the starting point, we go on a wide path following the signs »Hochfeilerhütte«. Already after few ten meters, we come to a crossing where we go right downwards on a little narrower footpath towards the mountain hut Hochfeilerhütte. After a short descent, we cross a bridge through a stream Oberbergbach and an ascent on a well-settled path follows. Further, we are ascending through the forest and then we soon cross the fence and we get to a marked crossing.
Left leads the path towards the bivouac Hochferner, and we continue right following the signs »Hochfeilerhütte«. After that, the path mostly in a gentle ascent crosses slopes by bushes and a little overgrown grassy slopes and it brings us near the mountain pasture Bichl where there is another crossing.
The path towards the notch Gliederscharte branches off to the right, and we continue left and still follow the signs for mountain hut Hochfeilerhütte. Further, we are ascending quite steeply and from the path beautiful views start to open up on surrounding peaks. We continue ascending on otherwise well-beaten footpath which runs by bushes and a little overgrown meadows. After that, the path turns a little to the right and then for quite some time crosses relatively steep slopes high above the stream Gliderbach. Later we cross a grazing fence and the path brings us on a little wider grassy slopes. Here we are for a short time ascending a little steeper on grassy slopes, and then the path again turns a little to the right and crosses steep slopes towards the east. On some parts where the path crosses steep slopes there is also a steel cable for help. Soon, we come again on less steep slopes from which for the first time a view opens up towards the mountain hut Hochfeilerhütte. Further path also slightly descends and through the bridge crosses few streams.
The path again starts ascending and from the right, a worse beaten path from the notch Gliederscharte joins. We continue ascending on the path with beautiful views, we cross another stream and the path brings us to another marked crossing.
To the right leads the path towards the mountain hut Hochfeilerhütte, and we continue left upwards towards the summit Hochfeiler. From the crossing, we are some time ascending diagonally and grassy slopes soon change into rocky. From the right side then the path past the mountain hut Hochfeilerhütte joins. Here we continue a little to the left and are ascending by the ridge. When we reach the ridge, which is precipitous on the eastern side, a view towards the glacier Gliderferner and on peaks above the glacier opens up. In the distance are High Tauern and Dolomites more and more beautifully seen. Further, we are ascending by the ridge, where there are many cairns placed by the path.
When a slope on the eastern side of the ridge becomes less steep quite unnoticeably, the path which runs through glacier Gliderferner joins from the right. For some time we continue on the ridge, after that the slope becomes steeper and the path starts ascending on the eastern side of the ridge. The slope is here quite steep and on a few spots some caution is needed. When we reach the ridge again also a view on a glacier Weißkarferner opens up, which is located on the west side of the ridge. Further, we are ascending on the ridge towards the summit. In the last part of the ascent the ridge is also in the summer months often snowy, so that for the last ascent towards the summit often ice axe and crampons are needed. In the late summer the slope on the eastern side of the ridge can also be without any snow. In this case, we withdraw from the ridge to the right eastern side and on rocky plates without any biggier problems we reach the peak.

On the way: Bichl (1838m), Unterbergalm (2200m)