Long-distance trail
PFUNDERS
Pfunderer Höhenweg
Südtirolalpin
IFMGA certified mountain and ski guides
South Tyrolean Mountain and Ski Guides Association
Email suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Price from:
€600
per person for 4 or more participants
Duration:
5 days
Pfunders – Pfunders High Trail
Five days on foot through the rugged and often lonely Pfunderer Mountains – from Sterzing to Bruneck.
5 days · Pfunderer Mountains
Pfunderer Höhenweg: on this high-level trail we travel through the unspoilt, rugged and mostly rather lonely landscape of the Pfunderer Mountains. It links the two small towns of Sterzing in the Wipptal and Bruneck in the Pustertal. Most of the route runs between 2,000 and 3,000 metres, living up to its name as a high-level trail.
Some of the stages are long. The longest day, with 9 hours of walking, can be split over two days with an overnight stay at the Walter-Brenninger-Biwak. The Pfunderer Höhenweg was created in the 1970s and 1980s by the Brixen, Bruneck and Sterzing sections of the Alpenverein Südtirol.
Along the way, the Simile-Mahd-Alm, the Brixner Hütte, the Edelrauthütte and the Tiefrastenhütte are the classic bases on this long-distance trail. The Edelrauthütte on the Eisbruggjoch was opened as early as 1908. And the Wilde Kreuzspitze, an optional extra summit on day two, is the highest peak in the Pfunderer Mountains at 3,132 metres.
INFO
Services
Included in the price:
- All organisation and guiding by an IFMGA certified mountain and ski guide
- All necessary reservations are made in advance
Additional costs for participants:
- 4 nights in huts with half board
- Taxi from Pfalzen back to Wiesen
- Transfer to and from the meeting point
- Mountain guide’s expenses (hut, taxi)
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per item)
Facts
Location:
Pfunderer Mountains
Best time of year:
July - September
Duration:
5 days
Meeting point:
Wiesen near Sterzing
Requirements
Requirements:
- Good fitness for up to 10 hours of walking with a heavy pack
- Sure-footedness
- A head for heights
PRICE
Participants:
min. 4 people
Price from
€600
per person for 4 or more participants
PROGRAMME
Day 1: To the Simile Mahd Alm
We meet in Wiesen near Sterzing, the starting point of the Pfunderer Höhenweg. On the first day, the main task is to gain height and get into the Pfunderer Mountains. High above Freienfeld and past the Höllenkragen, we reach the Trenser Joch. From here it is not far to the Simile-Mahd-Alm, our first overnight stop.
Walking time: 6 h | ↑ 1,400 m | ↓ 350 m
⌂ Simile-Mahd-Alm (2,011 m)
Day 2: To the Brixner Hütte
On day two, we climb gently from the Simile-Mahd-Alm to the Wilder See, the deepest mountain lake in South Tyrol. Since this stage is a little shorter, there is the option of adding the Wilde Kreuzspitze before we descend via the Rauhtaljoch to the Brixner Hütte.
Walking time: 4 h | ↑ 850 m | ↓ 600 m
⌂ Brixner Hütte
Day 3: Queen stage to the Edelrauthütte
Day three brings the queen stage. From the Brixner Hütte we head up to the Steinkarscharte and pass below the Grabspitze, Felbe, Hochsäge and Rotes Beil. Two more notches follow, the Kellerscharte and the Dannelscharte, before we would reach a possible stage end at the Walter-Brenninger-Biwak. However, we want to carry on to the Edelrauthütte, which we reach from the bivouac after another 3 hours of walking.
Walking time: 9 h | ↑ 1,400 m | ↓ 1,100 m
⌂ Edelrauthütte
Day 4: To the Tiefrastenhütte
From the Edelrauthütte, a longer descent leads through the Eisbruggtal. At the bridge that gives the valley its name, a short climb takes us up to the Kuhscharte, before we continue up and down past several alpine pastures to the Passenjoch. One more pass we have to cross before reaching the Tiefrastenhütte is the Hochsägenscharte behind the Hochgrubbachspitze. From here it is not far to our destination for the day.
Walking time: 6 h | ↑ 850 m | ↓ 1,100 m
⌂ Tiefrastenhütte
Day 5: Ridge trail to Pfalzen
A beautiful final stage awaits us from the Tiefrastenhütte: first, we make our way up to the Kleine Tor. Beyond it, we follow the crest of the ridge over several summits – Zwölferspitz, Putzenhöhe, Bärentalspitz, Plattenspitz and Sambock – to the Gasthaus Kofler am Kofl. Here a taxi is waiting to take us back to Wiesen.
Walking time: 6.5 h | ↑ 900 m | ↓ 1,700 m
Info: If the 9-hour queen stage is too long and demanding for you, there is the option of extending the tour by one day and splitting this stage over two days. This gives you one stage of 6 hours and one of 3 hours of walking. Just let me know when you book.
Any changes to the programme that may become necessary for various reasons (weather, conditions, availability of accommodation, etc.) are always made in consultation with the participants.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
How demanding is the Pfunderer Höhenweg in 5 days?
The tour is a long and physically demanding long-distance hike through the Pfunderer Mountains. On several days there is a lot of ascent to tackle, and the third stage, with 9 hours of walking, is the longest. You should bring sure-footedness, stamina and a love of long days in the mountains.
Can the long queen stage be shortened or split?
Yes. The stage from the Brixner Hütte to the Edelrauthütte can be split over two days, with an overnight stay at the Walter-Brenninger-Biwak. If you would like to do this, please let us know when you book.
What do I need for the tour, and can I rent equipment?
For the Pfunderer Höhenweg, you mainly need suitable mountain boots and a well-fitting rucksack for several days of hut-to-hut walking. You will receive the detailed packing list with the confirmation email. You can rent any missing equipment from Südtirolalpin for a small wear-and-tear fee.
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MOUNTAIN GUIDES FROM SOUTH TYROL
# PFUNDERER HÖHENWEG # MOUNTAIN GUIDE # HIKING GUIDE