Why the Stubai Hohenweg?

When I started to plan this trip in the fall of 2010 I was looking for a place to do a 5-7 day trek. I had done a small one three summers before in Switzerland as was well aware of what the European Alps can offer. That trek was on part of the Swiss Alpine Pass Route I had visited several times and presented an easier introduction due to having day hiked on the route. Stage 8 offered a high pass, technical accents/descents and the a stay in a hut. The whole experience was fantastic and left me yearning for more.

Rotstockhütte - On stage 8 of of the Alpine Pass Route

I have thought quite a bit about returning, and like many areas I have traveled to repeat times, wondered if this was worth visiting again when there are so many new places to go. While I love Switzerland (lived there for 10 months between 2000-2001), I was intrigued about visiting somewhere new and different.

I thought about heading out West to Alberta or B.C. but I am not totally satisfied with the hut network. The huts there are more remote, further apart (and not located close enough in many cases to form a "hut to hut" route), can require climbing experience and may require carrying in your own food (added weight). They still attract me and I hope to build up to a level where the above mentioned are the next challenges rather and negatives. I was looking for something that combined the best of Swiss trekking (great full service huts, high passes, reasonable distance between huts, easy access to trail head on public transport, etc.) with a new place to visit.

A good friend Markus has always told me great things about Austria and its huts/trails. At first I was not sure. I was hoping to go somewhere with the same high quality trekking as Switzerland but different from a cultural/language sense. But after researching and considering some of the above points I was leaning towards Austria.

I quickly centered in on the Stubai Hohenweg as it offered (among the items listed above that makes trekking in Swtizerland great) excellent opportunities to bag low peaks. These peaks are in the high 2000's to low 3000's (for example Habicht) and can be reached without climbing or need use a harness (Note: some have sections with steel cable to hold onto though I believe). On this trek we plan to take two off days to enjoy the mountains. These peaks offer excellent day trip opportunities and a chance for both of us to break 3000 meters. The route is also a loop, returning back to the same valley town of Neustift. Although we will not hike it all, it offers an opportunity to start and end in the same spot: excellent if traveling to the valley with a car.

In the next post I will list some of the websites I have used to plan, the portion of the route we plan to hike and choosing the time of year. All for now....

J