Mountain hikes Round to Hochgeneinerjöchl-Sumpfkopf (2332)

Varied tour over the high situated lonely hamlet Hochgenein to the Hochgeneinerjöchl and from there along the ridge to the Sumpfkopf. The way back leads past a small pond ("auf der Lacke") via the Odumerhof and the Obere Leite to St.Jodok

Description

From St. Jodok the rather steep ascent to the high-altitude hamlet of Hochgenein takes place first, and from there further over alpine meadows and light forests to Hochgeneiner Jöchl. The trail then continues along the ridge between the Schmirn and Padaster valleys, gently ascending to Sumpfkopf. There, the hiker can expect a magnificent view over the Wipptal as well as to the mighty three thousand meter peaks of the Tuxer Hauptkamm. After a short, crisp descent, the path then turns back to the ridge, across flowering meadows, past the small biotope "in der Lacke" and old hay barn. Afterwards the descent takes place first through woods, later over cultivated slopes past the mountain farms of the Odumer and the Oberleite back to St.Jodok.

DIRECTIONS
From the car park in the Leite (marked as the Peter-Kofler Klettersteig car park) you first walk back to the church and then continue in the direction of the railway station. Immediately after passing through the railway tunnel, turn right and tackle the steep ascent, which for a short time leads into the street leading to the station housing estate. Here again turn left and follow the asphalt road straight on, which does not turn into a forest road until late. Follow this road again in an arc to the end, now the steep climb to Hochgenein begins, probably the most demanding part of the round tour. But this section can also be mastered, and after almost 500m you have reached the highest hamlet in Tyrol, the Hochgeneinhof. Now the route continues more gently, alternating between light forests and alpine meadows, to the Hochgeneiner Jöchl, where a first longer break is more than deserved. Strengthened, you then follow the ridge in a westerly direction, first through the last woods, later through mountain meadows to the Sumpfkopf, the highest point of the round tour. The terrain around the summit cross is quite wide and flat, here it is bearable for a while. The route continues in the hollow just behind the cross, where you first have to climb over a barbed wire fence. After a short, crisp descent, you follow the small path in an arc back through pine forests and flowering meadows, past the natural biotope "auf der Lacke". This part of the tour is especially beautiful, here you can observe a lot of different plant species, birds, amphibians and insects. But everything beautiful has an end and finally one reaches the ridge and the junction again, among other things with the turnoff into the Padastertal. However, we turn exactly in the opposite direction, south, to the former Gasthof Edelraute. Now we first descend through an untouched forest until after some time we reach two farms and the road to Hochgenein. Follow the road downhill in the direction of Schmirntal until you reach another farm in the forest. From the Odumer Hof an asphalt road leads through cultivated slopes in serpentines first downhill and then later over the Oberleite back to the car park in St. Jodok.

TIP OF THE AUTHOR

For those interested in fauna and botany this tour has a lot to offer, especially in early summer. Both at the Hochgeneinerjöchl and at the pond "Auf der Lacke", which is overgrown with reddish bacteria or algae, there are a lot of different insects, amphibians, aquatic animals and rarely plants to admire.

For families or hikers who want to take it a little easier there is the possibility to drive to the Hochweiler Hochgenein and start the tour from there.
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