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This trip was thought of and planned by Marco Reiling. We hiked along a part of the E5 route. E5 is one of eleven european long distance hiking routes. E5 starts from the west in Bretagne France, runs through Switzerland, Germany, Austria and finishes south in Verona Italy. We started in Oberstdorf Germany, hiked across Austria and finished in Bozen Italy. Typically we hiked from villages and towns in valleys up to mountain huts which in many cases were situated close to mountain passes on the route. The route is for the most part easy to hike. In a few places caution may be required when going through rocky areas (no climbing is required).
The first part of the route is from Oberstorf along flat paths and road until we reach the village Spielmannsau. A short distance from Spielmannsau we reached a freight cable car on which our backpacks were ferried towards Kemptner Hütte. From there we walked along nice footpaths up along the Sperrbach creek until we reached the cabin Kemptner Hütte.
From Kemptner Hütte we hiked over the pass Oberen Mädele Joch and from there downhill towards the town of Holzgau. From Holzgau we travelled by taxi into the Parseiertal valley where the latter part of todays hike began. The backpacks were again ferried by freight cable car and this time up to Memminger Hütte cabin. The zigzag-route from the valley up to the Memminger Hütte cabin was constantly uphill but never too steep. The cabin was being renovated and therefore the sleeping arrangements were a bit cramped this night.
A short distance from the cabin we passed a small lake named Unteren Seewisee. From there we went up to the pass Seescharte. The view from the pass over the Inntal valley was very nice. Then we hiked down to the valley on our way to Zams. Along the route we stopped at a watering hole called Oberlochalm. As we descended the hotter it became. The temperature at Seescharte at almost 2600m a.s.l. was comfortable but when we reached our destination in the town Zams at less then 800m a.s.l. then the temperature was approaching 35 degrees Celsius.
The day began by the group taking a cable car ride from Zams up to Krahberg station. From there a few people hiked up to the mountain Venetberg and a couple from that group hiked down from the mountain to the town of Wenns. The rest of the group took the cable car back to Zams and a bus from there over to Wenns. From there the bus went onwards to Mittelberg. Yet again we could escape carrying backpacks by sending them by freight cable car. The group hiked up to the highest cabin of the trip Braunschweiger Hütte which is at more than 2700m a.s.l. On the way there were some nice rapids and waterfalls in the river Pitze.
This morning we had to delay our start due to a thunderstorm. While we were walking, up to the highest pass of the trip Pitztaler Jöchl, we heard thunders echoing from behind us. We stopped in the pass at 2995m a.s.l. but we all had to go a little bit higher to reach at least 3000m a.s.l. From the pass we first had to walk over a hard snowfield but from there we hiked on nice footpaths down the Rettenbachtal valley until we stopped at the restaurant Rettenbachalm. From there we descended to the town of Zwieselstein where we stayed in a nice hostel.
We took a bus from Zwieselstein up to the pass Timmelsjoch. Up there we had fog and little visibility. Then we hiked down the Passeiertal valley through the village Rabenstein and then towards the town of Moos. From Moos we took the bus towards the town of St. Leonard. From there some people took the option of a taxi to a restaurant called Pfandlerhof and hiked from there to the Pfandler Alm cabin. Others hiked from St. Leonhard to Pfandler Alm where we stayed the night. This night I stayed in a room in a barn.
From Pfandler Alm we hiked up a hill until we were almost at the top the mountain Riffelspitze at approximately 2000m a.s.l. From there the route was easy the Mahdalm cabin. There we had a nice view of the mountain Hirzer topped by fresh snow. From Mahdalm was a short hike to Hirzer Hütte cabin where we stayed for two nights.
This was a rest day. We took a daytrip by the cable car from Klammeben station down to the valley below and then by taxi to the city of Merano.
We started early this morning and hiked up to the Hirzerscharte pass but from there is a short walk up the Hirzer (2781m) peak. In my mind this was the best moment of the trip. The view in every direction was great because there are no higher mountains nearby. From Hirzer the route snaked along the side of a mountain and we passed a tranquil lake called Kratzberger See. It didn't take long before we reached our destination, the Meraner Hütte cabin which is located in a skiing area.
The day began with fog and some drizzle. We were going downwards the whole day. As the day progressed the rain increased. After the halfway point we stopped at a restaurant in St. Jakob auf Lafenn. The route towards Jenesien was easy but because of the rain I took no photos this day. In the town of Jenesien the hiking trip ended and from there we took the cable car down to the city of Bozen (Bolzano).
