Difficulty:
medium
Length:
12.3 km
Duration:
5:30 h
Elevation uphill:
1,387 m
From below, it looks a little unadorned. But at its summit, the Padauner Kogel offers you a panorama that makes civilization seem small.
A fairly quick summit success and wide 360-degree views - these are the trump cards of this moderately difficult mountain tour. The Padauner Kogel is centrally located in the Wipptal valley between Steinach am Brenner and the Brenner Pass. Ideal for an afternoon excursion from Innsbruck, from where it can be reached with the S-Bahn line S3. Still not overcrowded. Start at the St. Jodok am Brenner stop, five kilometers of short ascent via the Vals valley directly to the summit. A flat ascent at the start, then much steeper on the wooded and cool north-east side of the mountain. Technically, however, not very demanding. The treeless, grassy summit offers a panoramic view of the Olperer, the Brenner, the Stubai Alps and Innsbruck in the distance. On the way back, a detour to Gasthof Steckholzer in Padaun is worthwhile. The tour is suitable from spring to late fall.
We start from the plateau in Padaun, this shortens the number of vertical meters by a lot. The well marked path leads first through forest and then through beautiful mountain meadows. From the summit with cross you have a beautiful view to the Olperer and Fußstein in the Valsertal basin, to the Nordkette and the Serles, and to the southwest to the Obernberger Tribulaun with Black Wall. Descent variant around the Kogel and back to Padaun is definitely recommended.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
From the car park next to the road above the Gasthof Steckholzer you first walk along the asphalt road no. 84 south to the last farm (Larcherhof). At the farm begins path no. 83, which climbs up between the fences in a gutter and initially leads through the forest. Soon the forest thins out and you reach the wide ridge with the beautiful mountain mowers. You continue to climb along the wide ridge, at the signpost you follow trail nr. 82 to the north and with a magnificent view over the Wipptal to Innsbruck you soon reach the summit cross. The summit ridge is wide and quite flat, so it is perfect for a game. Attention in front towards the north-east, here the summit terrain breaks off steeply downhill. The descent is either on the same path as the ascent or on path no. 82, which runs around the Padauner Kogel back to the starting point. First you cross the wide ridge between Vals and Gries a.Br., then through the forest in an arc below the summit and at the crossroads further east towards the Steckholzer inn in Padaun. The last part goes through alpine pastures and over a meadow with a short counter-ascent up to the Steckholzer Inn, which invites you to stop for a bite to eat.
