Long-distance hike Eagle Walk Stage 16: Leutasch/Ahrn - Ehrwald

Is your mind tired but your body fit? Stage 16 is just what you need. Today you have to reel off kilometer after kilometer - all on moderate trails through beautiful alpine pastures over lush meadow paths, between the striking peaks of the Mieminger mountains and the Wetterstein mountains. Even the poet Ludwig Ganghofer found this landscape particularly inspiring, and now we know why.

Description

Route description: In the Leutasch district of Ahrn at the bridge over the Leutascher Ache (starting point for the Hoher Sattel) on the orographic left-hand side of the Ache on the footpath towards "Weidach". Soon change to the right-hand side (in this area towards "Unterweidach" or "Achweg Weidach"). You then basically follow the Achweg along the orographic right bank of the Leutascher Ache to the Kalvarienberg at the start of the Gaistal. Cross the Ache here on an iron footbridge, walk a few meters into the valley, change back to the right side of the stream at the toll booth and continue into the valley.

Shortly before the Salzbach parking lot, follow the signs for "Almenparadies Gaistal" and cross the Ache again. However, do not go out to the parking lot, but follow the wide road to the left into the Gaistal valley. After a few meters, turn right onto the "Ganghoferweg". This wide footpath initially leads steeply uphill for a short distance. A little later, the path climbs gently through sparse woodland and along meadows below the Hämmermoosalm pasture, always heading into the valley ("Gaistalalm", "Tillfußalm"). The trail crosses the Leitenbach and now leads a few meters down to the Gaistalalm (end of the Ganghoferweg). From the hut, continue in the same direction across alpine meadows to the Tillfußalm. The footpath soon turns into a path, dips into the forest and climbs slightly. Finally, the descent to the Tillfußalm is barely noticeable. From there, continue along the wide valley path to the west, parallel to the bed of the Leutascher Ache or Gaistalbach stream. Straight ahead at the fork in the path ("Ehrwalder Alm via Igelsee").

The route runs between the increasingly prominent Mieminger mountains on the left and the Wetterstein mountains on the right. The route continues gently uphill and over a crest to the Igelsee lake. Behind the lake, turn right at the fork in the path and climb a little steeper up to around 1,600 meters (where the path from the Pestkapelle joins). Continue along the forest road down to the Ehrwalder Alm and the Ehrwalder Almbahn mountain station. The "Wiesenweg nach Ehrwald" trail begins below the Ehrwalder Alm. First through the ski area, straight ahead or right at the fork in the path and a steep section through the forest. Later, the footpath leads through beautiful mountain meadows out to the valley station of the Ehrwalder Almbahn. Follow the Altmühlensteig trail (starts a few meters southwest of the valley station on the orographic left side of the Gaisbach) out to Ehrwald.