A brilliant short hike via the Hochtennbodensteig which takes you through some of the finest rock architecture in Austria in return for minimal physical effort!

Statistics

1 - 2

hrs

353

m

652

m

12

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

The route starts and finishes at the Axamer Lizum carpark.

In winter this is crowded with skiers all hunting the famous powder runs and freeride lines of "The Lizum" but in summer it is relatively quiet and remote-feeling.

It is only a 30 minute drive from Innsbruck city centre but it feels like a different world! Axamer Lizum has been the scene of many Olympic events in the past (Innsbruck held the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976 and Axamer Lizum hosted all of the alpine skiing races in both events) and as such, the main lift of the resort (and the start point for this hike) is called the Olympiabahn.

Ride this lift, which is a (now quite antiquated) train to the Hoadlhaus restaurant.

Have a drink and soak in the stunning views across the rocky Kalkögel peaks and the distant summits of the Ötztal.

Having finished your drink, descend to the Hoadlsattel col (2264 metres).

The jeep track turns left but you need to go straight on and then undulate around to the Widdersbergsattel col, on to the Schneiderspitze peak and then finally to the Birgitzköpflhaus restaurant.

The path is always clear but it can be steep in places and there are sections of scree to cross too. Once at the Birgitzköpflhaus restaurant grab a bite to eat and ride the Birgitzköpfl chairlift down. N.B.

The Olympiabahn lift is open every day between July 1st and October 1st but the Birgitzköpflhaus lift is only open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday during the summer.