Normal route from Inntal valley

Getting there

Getting there to the village of Pfunds (971 m) in the Inntal valley see man page. There is austrian public bus service to Pfunds from Landeck or Nauders (at Reschen pass, near the italian border), also from St. Moritz in Switzerland

Approach to the hut

At Pfunds you follow the Radurschltal valley. This valley lies completely in the forest. You are allowed to drive with your own car along the non-asphalt road for 7 km until a small parking at a wood-storage (1600 m). Hiking from Pfunds to there would take about 2 h.

From the parking you follow the street for about 1 h until the valley becomes steeper. You leave the road shortly before the Radurschlhause (1795 m, no lodging there) and follow the marked mountain trail on the left bank of the valley through larch forest to the Hohenzollernhaus (2123 m). The hut is situated at a picturesque spot at the tree line on the beginning of a little plain and offers nice views to the mountains around Samnaun on the other side of the Inntal valley. I recommend to stay there over night.

2 h from the parking, 4 h from Pfunds.

Hohenzollernhaus (2123 m)
Owner: DAV Sektion Starnberg
46 places in the hut, that is guided from June to September
12 places for self service in an always open little building beneath.
Tel. of the hut is ++43 / (0)664/5311915

IMPORTANT: the guardians of the hut have finished their job and the owner is currently looking for a new tenant. So for actual infos about the opening you should have a look at www.alpenverein.at

Route to summit

From the hut you follow the trail uphill along the white water creek. Whren the valley becomes even, don't cross the water but stay left and follow the marked zig-zag trail with 400 m ascent, quite steep and with some rocky parts until you enter the Huettekar high valley. The valley is towerd by the Glockturm with it's steepest north west face.
The mountain path follows the left side of the valley and here it is very nice built with flagstones. Following the direction of the valley the path turns to the east and following the red spots you reach over scree the beginning of the Huettekar glacier. The beginning of the glacier is rather steep (30 degrees I guess) and requires crampons if there is pure ice. There are some little crevasses, so you should use a rope if there is still snow on the ice.
You climb this Huettekarferner glacier near the left (east) side, to the end more steep to the Riffljoch pass (3147 m).
From there turn right and follow over snow or scree (a trail can be seen, marked with some little stone men) along the west side of the NE-ridge, above the disappearing ice of the Rifflferner glacier. After having passed the Riffljochturm (tower) you climb a steep slope with some easy rocks (look after the stone men!) until there is a better to follow path that turns right in the end to the summit cross.

3,5 h from Hohenzollernhaus.

Essential Gear

Crampons, ice axe, rope and harness.
In July 2003 we did not use the rope because there was no snow left on the glacier.

Miscellaneous Info

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Images

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