Gschnitztal trail run self-guided

The program at a glance

Day 1: Individual travel to Tyrol
Travel by train to Innsbruck (easily accessible via long-distance trains). From there, or from Brenner, take the free S-Bahn service to Steinach in Tyrol using the Wipptal Card. You can find information about public transportation online at www.vvt.at
Overnight stay at a 3-star hotel in Steinach.

Day 2: Steinach to the Tribulaun hut

Route: 17 km, 1,500 m elevation gain ↑, 1,060 m elevation gain ↓
From the Bergeralm middle station, follow the marked trails up to the Nößlachjoch. From here, you walk along a gentle grassy ridge over the Eggerberg to the Lichtsee lake (trail no. 42). The wide alpine meadows are springy and soft and the first few kilometers almost fly by. After the Lichtsee lake, the route makes a gentle left turn. You follow the Tiroler Höhenweg (trail no. 38) up to the Gstreinjöchl (2,540m). This last ascent of the day is once again steep and challenging. In the face of the northern slopes of the Tribulaun massif, you have unforgettable views of the Obernberg and rear Gschnitztal valleys. The Tribulaun hut is already visible far below. From the Gstreinjöchl you descend over rocky terrain to the hut (2,064m).
Dinner and overnight stay in the camp.

Day 3: Tribulaun hut to the Bremer hut

Route: 16 km, 1,830 m elevation gain ↑, 1,500 m elevation gain ↓
After yesterday's rather leisurely stage, today is going to be challenging. From the Tribulaun hut, you climb a moderately steep ascent of around 400 meters to the Pflerscher Scharte before descending around 150 meters to the Italian side. From the Italian Tribulaun hut, you reach the Hoher Zahn, an ideal viewing summit on the border with South Tyrol, via huge stone slabs. From the summit, the trail descends steeply and climbs through rocky terrain with easy climbing sections to the Weißwandspitze. Once again, the trail drops steeply down to the Stubensee lake, where you suddenly find yourself in a green world full of cotton grass and a babbling brook. After a short breather, the next challenge awaits you: the crossing (2,863m) to the Bremerhütte. Here, you have to overcome loose boulders and rope insurance on the ascent and descent. But the goal is in sight: you can already see the hut on the opposite side of the valley. Once again you pass through a beautiful valley floor before climbing the last 150 meters up to the Bremerhütte.
Dinner and overnight stay in the camp.

Day 4: Queen's stage from Bremer Hütte to Padasterjochhaus

Route: 25 km, 2,180 m elevation gain ↑, 2,350 m elevation gain ↓
Today you start out on the Stubai High Trail. Right at the start, you are spoiled for choice. You can cross over to the Lautersee lake via an easy via ferrata. Or you can descend from the hut into a basin and then ascend again (easier). The route then takes you through quite exposed rocky terrain and wide basins for approx. 10 km to the Innsbrucker Hütte. Again and again you have to overcome rope-insured passages. At the Innsbrucker Hütte (2,370m) you are not quite halfway through the stage, but you still deserve a break.
From the Innsbrucker Hütte, the route descends into the Pinistal valley, a welcome flow after the first part of the stage. You descend almost 1000 meters in altitude on a wide path down into the Stubai Valley. Shortly before the Issenangeralm, turn right onto the new Rohrauersteig trail, which winds its way up through the mountain pines at a pleasant gradient with numerous hairpin bends. Now you have to mobilize all your strength again until you reach the Hammerscharte. The view from there of the Stubai and Zillertal Alps, the Dolomites and the Wipptal valley is simply overwhelming. From here it is only 300 meters down to the Padasterjochhaus.
Variants:
1. if you still haven't had enough, you can climb up to the Hammerspitze from the Hammerscharte (150 m up and down)
2. If the stage is too long for you, you can spend the night at the Innsbrucker Hütte.
Dinner and overnight stay in the camp.

Day 5: Padasterjochhaus to Trins

Route: 12 km, 840 m elevation gain ↑, 1,850 m elevation gain ↓
From the Padasterjochhaus, follow trail no. 7 to the Wasenwand and continue along the ridge towards Roter Kopf. Always along the ridge between the Stubaital and Gschnitztal valleys, the trail leads gently up and down on trail no. 8 to the Kesselspitze. In fine weather, the Kesselspitze is a wonderful panoramic mountain, so it is worth taking a short break here. Then descend to the Kalbenjoch and from there continue towards the Peilspitze. Here there is another short section with rope insurance. On the north side, the Peilspitze is rocky and sloping, on the south side you walk down over green alpine meadows and then a few final meters up to the Blaserhütte. If you still have some strength left in your legs, you can walk the last 65 meters up to the summit cross of the Blaser. A short stop at the Blaserhütte is definitely worthwhile. From the hut, follow the marked paths down to Trins. From the village center, you can take the bus to Steinach (or Gschnitz), where you set off just a few days earlier on what is sure to be an unforgettable tour.