Arrival by public transport
By train to Steinach am Brenner, from there take bus line 4145 to Schmirn-Lorleswald. Information on the timetable at www.vvt.at
Entertaining, varied tour through sparse larch forests, alpine pastures and beautiful slopes to the Ultenspitz on the border ridge between the Valser and Schmirn valleys.
The tour first leads up a forest aisle to a wide forest floor, the so-called Tschachn. Here the ascent track branches off into the valley and leads quite flatly inwards along a hollow path to the Lorenzalm. Directly below the Ultenspitze, the last trees gradually disappear, giving way to beautifully sloping slopes. With a great view of the Wipptal valley and the Serles, you finally climb the last few metres to the ridge, where the summit cross awaits you just a few steps further on. In the winter sun and in front of the magnificent backdrop of the Vals valley end, you can recover from the shady cold of the ascent before returning to the valley on great slopes.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
The tour begins directly at the car park with the ascent across a meadow up to a large, free stone pine tree. Here you leave the field through a gap in the fence and head for the forest aisle that begins on the left. The trail then climbs upwards in a pleasant gradient, crossing a forest road 3-4 times. At approx. 1900m you finally reach an alpine pasture (Tschachn). At this point the paths separate - straight up through the forest to the Leiten, while in an easterly direction a track leads to the Ultenspitz. After some time on a fairly flat passage, you reach a forest path. Directly above it are beautiful, open alpine pastures, through which you climb up with short detours into the nearby larch forest. Once you have left the last trees behind you, you will reach a new small ground, and the summit also seems to be close. The last 200 metres in altitude lead over the somewhat steeper, north-facing summit slope in hairpin bends up to the ridge. Here you have to be a bit careful, especially in the upper part, because the wind sometimes creates one or the other cornice and freight. Once you have reached the ridge, it is only a few metres to the summit cross and thus the end point of the tour.
Descent
The descent is mainly along the ascent track.
TIP OF THE AUTHOR
The best way to enjoy the wonderful view at the summit of the Ultenspitz is with a warm tea and a snack. After the tour, it is worthwhile to stop off at the Schmirnerstadl directly at the car park of the tour.
By train to Steinach am Brenner, from there take bus line 4145 to Schmirn-Lorleswald. Information on the timetable at www.vvt.at
