TOUR DESCRIPTION From St Anton we climb through the Verwall Mountains to the Edmund Graf hut and cross ACROSS THE the Kappeler Joch before descending to the This information is additional to our General Paznauntal for a night in Ischgl. On the next Information Booklet, which is enclosed. ALPS day we continue over the Kreuzjoch to the atmospheric Heidelberger Hut, ringed by Please note this is not a supported trek and 3,000m peaks. After a free day for local walking you will have to carry your own equipment From The Allgäu To The we continue over the Fimber Pass at 2608m with you. Süd Tirol and descend to the spectacular scenery of the Swiss Engadine. For thousands of years the Alps have provided inspiring journeys, from the Ice Man through TOUR CODE: 24650 We descend to cross the River Inn and climb Hannibal and Napoleon to the modern day GRADE: C/C+ HUTTING up the Val d’Uina and through the noted Uina mountain hiker in search of adventure. We Gorge where a spectacular 900m long path has have devised an itinerary which crosses the been hewn through the rocks. For many this is 2016 Alps north to south, from southern Bavaria the highlight of the holiday. Then we cross the 28 July - 11 Aug through Austria and Switzerland, finishing in Italian border to the Sesvenna Hut where we 11 Aug - 25 Aug northern Italy, crossing five mountain ranges. spend two nights. From here we descend to Mals in Italy from where we take the train to 15 days We start our trek with a night in Oberstdorf, the Merano, then continue the following day to southernmost town in Germany, and finish in Verona. Mals, west of Merano. The Kemptner and Kaiserjochhaus huts give us our first nights in The hiking is on good paths but of course mountain huts, We then descend to the valley stamina, confidence and a good head for in St Anton after a night in the highly rated heights are needed to enjoy this exciting Leutkircher hut. holiday to the full.
ITINERARY
Overnight Day: Daily itinerary: accommodation:
Gasthof Petra, 1: Depart London Heathrow on a British Airways flight to Munich. On arrival in Munich we take the train 3.5 hours to Oberstdorf Oberstdorf. Our hotel is on the outskirts of the village. 850m
We head south on foot, following the river along the Tretachtal, gently ascending before turning south east for the Kemptner Hütte 2: steeper final ascent to the Kemptner Hut. 1844m 860m↑ / 54m↓; 14.1km (9 miles); 6 hours
After leaving the Kemptner Hut we climb to cross the border into Austria at the Mädelejoch (1974m) before the Kaiserjochhaus stony descent to Holzgau. From here we take the local post bus to the Edelweiss Hut. We continue south up the 3: 2310m beautiful Kaisertal, with a fairly steep climb to the Kaiserjochhaus at 2310m. 930m↑ / 975m↓; 15km (9 ½ miles); 6 ½ hours
Ramblers Worldwide Holidays 2013 15/10/13/ GS Overnight Day: Daily itinerary: accommodation:
An exhilarating day! From the Kaiserjochhaus we continue west along the ridge to the Leutkircherhütte. Some of our route lies along a spectacular balcony path with steep drops to the valley. Leutkircher 650m / 700m↓; 4km (2 ½ mile), 2 hours 4: Hütte Weather permitting there are in addition several peaks we can choose from either before we leave the hut or on the 2261m way – the Grießkopf (2581m), Stanskogel (2757m) or Hirschpleiskopf (2546m) for example, with varying degrees of difficulty.
Pension Gruber, There are various routes down to St Anton. The best takes us west along the Lechtal Alps ridge to the Ulmer Hut, 5: St Anton then descends to the town, with the option of a final descent by chairlift to St Anton. 1286m 300m↑ / 1320m↓; 14km (9 miles); 6 hours
Edmund Graf We take transport to Pettneu, then head south up the valley, mainly on a quiet road, before climbing more steeply Hütte on a footpath to the Edmund Graf Hütte. On arrival at the hut it may be possible to hike to the 6: 2408m Schmalzgrubenscharte at 2697m past a couple of lakes. 1200m↑; 8km (5 miles); 4 hours (plus extra walks)
Edmund Graf A free day here allows us to attempt an ascent of the Hoher Riffler (3168m). 7: Hütte 760m↑↓; 4km (2 ½ miles); 4 hours 2408m
Hotel Alpina, We take the balcony path contouring around the mountain side, then descending to the Alpengasthof Dias for Ischgl lunch. There’s the option afterwards of the cable car down to the valley in Kappl, then the bus to outside the hotel 8: 1376m in Ischgl. 420m↑ / 1430m↓; 10km (6 miles); 4½ hours to Kappl
We catch the post bus the short distance to between Mathon and Galtür, then follow a pleasant route up the Heidelberger Lareintal with a good lunch place at the top of the Ritzenjoch (2687m) on the Austro-Swiss border, from where 9: Hütte there are lovely views across the upper Fimbatal. Before descending to the Heidelberger Hut it is normally 2264m possible to ascend the Hoher Kogel (2817m) from the joch. 1150m↑ / 320m↓; 12km (8 miles); 6 hours
Heidelberger Today is a rest day, or you can join the leader for a walk to the Breite Krone (3079m) above the Kronenjoch. 10: Hütte 2264m
We climb to the Fimberpass at 2608m, descend to Griosch and Zuort before arriving in the picturesque Engadine 11: Ramosch village of Ramosch. 1231m 500m↑ / 1400m↓; 18km (11 miles); 7 hours
After descending to the River Inn we make our way up the spectacular Uina Gorge, a route which takes us through Sesvenna Hütte 12: passageways carved out of the rock. Shortly after crossing the border into Italy we arrive at the Sesvenna Hütte. 2258m 1200m↑ / 120m↓; 16km (10 miles); 8 hours
Sesvenna Hütte A free day gives us the chance to climb some local peaks. These include the Rasaßspitz (2941m) to the NE or the 13: trickier Föllakopf (2878m) to the SW. 2258m
Youth Hostel A steady descent brings us down to Mals (1098m) where we can enjoy lunchtime in a lovely Southern Tirolean 14: Merano village. In the afternoon we continue by train 1¼ hours to Merano. 325m 1100m↓; 12km (7½) ,miles; 4 hours to Mals
We continue by train 3 hours to Verona, and then take the shuttle bus to the airport. There may be time for a look 15: Return to the UK around the historic centre of Verona. replacement documents and your return All of these are available from: HOLIDAY GRADE & WALKING to the UK. PROGRAMME The Map Shop Please take your European Health 15 High Street Insurance Card (EHIC) with you - it will Upton upon Severn, Worcs. This holiday is graded C/C+. Whilst some help in the event of an emergency. Please WR8 0HJ England of the days will be amongst the easiest on note that the EHIC has an expiry date and Tel : 01684 593146 any of our hutting tours, others will involve check that your card is still valid for the Fax : 01684 594559 steep ascents and descents, rough duration of your holiday. See section 1 of www.themapshop.co.uk terrain, balcony paths with sheer drops our General Information Booklet for further [email protected] and the likelihood of crossing snowfields. details. There are fixed ropes at times and you Maps normally arrive within 24 hours of an need to be sure-footed and have a good Passport, visa and health requirements order being made. head for heights. In poor weather the can change at any time. It is your own terrain can become even more responsibility to ensure that you inform challenging. From the huts where two yourself from a professionally qualified nights are spent the leader will normally source on, and comply with, such ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS lead a walk to a local peak. requirements. Advice on vaccinations is available from your GP, or can be Where appropriate we use local buses on On this holiday we spend 9 nights in obtained from the Medical Advisory certain days, the cost of which is included mountain huts and 5 nights in valley Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA). in the price of the holiday. accommodation. In addition, general travel advice is available from the Foreign and We would emphasise that the leader is We book 2 to 6 bedded rooms in the Commonwealth Office at authorised to change the itinerary mountain huts. This is generally speaking www.fco.gov.uk/travel. according to weather conditions and the what we get, but sometimes our groups ability of party members. Anyone who is are still accommodated in the Generally speaking people who go on our unfit or unsuitably equipped may be asked ‘Matratzenlager’. These are wide bunk hutting tours remain fit and healthy to make alternative arrangements if the beds with mattresses to accommodate up throughout the holiday. However, given leader considers that the safety of the to 10 or 12 people. You will still need to the nature of sleeping and washing party could be jeopardised. bring a sheet sleeping bag. Blankets are arrangements in mountain huts, we think it supplied. Facilities are often quite simple a good idea to take with you a small in line with the remoteness and difficulty of plastic bottle of antiseptic hand wash access but they are improving year on which may help to keep any circulating TRAVEL INFORMATION year. germs at bay. In Oberstdorf and Ischgl we stay in small Outbound flight from London hotels. Here we book 3-4 bedded rooms, Heathrow to Munich with British twin rooms and single rooms, where Airways. Returning flight from LOCAL CURRENCY possible so that people of the opposite Verona to London Gatwick with sex not known to one another do not have British Airways. In Germany, Austria and Italy the currency to share. is the euro. In Switzerland the official Details of your baggage allowance currency is the Swiss Franc, but euros are All meals from dinner on the first day to will be confirmed in your travel widely accepted. It is possible to get breakfast on the last are provided on this documents, sent to you money from ATM machines in Sonthofen, holiday and are organised by the leader. approximately ten days before Oberstdorf, St Anton, Ischgl, Ramosch, These will include a continental breakfast, departure. Mals and Merano. €15 per day in local picnic lunch and a cooked dinner each currency would be a generous allowance day. Some food for lunches and group kit Travel between Munich and for drinks in huts and hotels. Most huts will have to be carried but this should not Oberstdorf at the beginning of the make a small charge for use of the exceed 1kg per person. holiday and between Mals and showers. Please see the accommodation Verona at the end of the holiday will list below for more details. Please note that if you do not want to be by rail. join in with the group picnic you will need to make your own arrangements If you intend joining and leaving the group and no refund will be given. overseas, it is assumed, unless you have MAPS & SUGGESTED READING advised us otherwise, that you will meet Whilst we endeavour to cater for people the group at Munich Airport and leave the with special dietary needs, this can be group at Verona Airport. If this is not your The following 4 maps cover our route from very difficult at times. Huts have limited plan please let us know, in writing, at least north to south: access to food and often find it impossible 5 weeks before departure. to provide anything beyond standard fare. Freytag & Berndt WK351, If you have any special dietary needs Lechtaler-Allgäuer Alpen, we strongly recommend that you carry 1:50,000 some extra food with you. PASSPORTS, HEALTH & VISAS Kompass 41, Silvretta Verwallgruppe, 1:50,000 Swiss Topo Map 5017 We strongly recommend you carry Unterengadin, 1:50,000 photocopies of the personal details pages of your passport. Should you lose your Tabacco 044, Vinschgau/Val passport, this may assist with the issue of Venosta Sesvenna, 1:25,000
Ramblers Worldwide Holidays 2013 15/10/13/ GS ACCOMMODATION LIST
Gasthof Petra Tel: +49 8322 3004419 A small family run hotel in the heart of Oberstdorf. Ludwigstrasse 5 Fax: - Accommodation is in twin bedded and four bedded rooms. 87561 Oberstdorf E-mail: [email protected] Germany Web: www.gasthof-petra.de
Kemptner Hütte Tel: - In a great location surrounded by mountains a short distance 87561 Oberstdorf Fax: +49 8322 30 09 19 09 from the border with Austria. Accommodation in multi-bedded Germany E-mail: - rooms or a dormitory. Showers cost €2.50 for 4 minutes – Web: www.kemptner-huette.de solar powered, so the water is only hot on sunny days.
Kaiserjochhaus Tel: +43 664 435 3666 A very friendly place. The hut is beautifully located on a ridge Lechtal Fax: - overlooking the Stanzer and Kaiser valleys. Austria E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.kaiserjochhaus.at
Leutkircher Hütte Tel: +43 664 985 7849 A friendly hut in a lovely position which prides itself on the Vadiesen 220 Fax: - quality of its locally sourced food and use of renewable energy A-6574 Pettneu am E-mail: [email protected] sources. Accommodation in one room reserved for our group. Arlberg Web: www.leutkircher-huette.at Austria
Pension Gruber Tel: +43 5446 2679 A small family-run pension which has made our groups Kirchgasse 6 Fax: +43 5446 2072 welcome for many years. Accommodation in 2 and 3 bedded St Anton E-mail: [email protected] rooms with private showers. Dinner will be in a local Austria Web: www.haus-sepp-gruber.am- restaurant. arlberg.info/
Edmund Graf Hütte Tel: +43 5448 8555 Another great alpine location and friendly welcome. Tirol Fax: +43 5448 22221 Accommodation in multi-bedded rooms or dormitory. ‘Wash Austria E-mail: [email protected] room’ with cold water but no showers available. There is a Web: www.alpenverein.at/huettenHome/DE/ wonderful ambience in this high mountain hut from which the Home/index.php?huetteNr=0048 views are sensational.
Hotel Alpina Tel: +43 5444 5255 A touch of luxury in the valley. The hotel is on the outskirts of Dorfstrasse 22 Fax: +43 5444 5566 town and has excellent spa facilities. Twin and single rooms A - 6561 Ischgl/Tirol E-mail: [email protected] with private facilities and dinner is at the hotel. Austria Web: www.alpina-ischgl.at
Heidelberger Hütte Tel: +43 664 425 3070 In spite of the address, the hut is in Switzerland. Another large Hnr. 422 Fax: +43 5445 6666 hut in a fabulous alpine setting. Accommodation in multi- A-6555 Kappl E-mail: [email protected] bedded rooms or dormitory. Hot and cold (!) showers available Austria Web: www.heidelbergerhuette.com at €2 for 3 minutes. They are very generous with their food.
Pensiun Bella Vista Tel: +41 81 860 1216 A simple valley hotel where we stay in mulit-bedded rooms, Ramosch Fax: +41 81 864 1788 with shared facilities on each floor. The church bells ring Switzerland E-mail: [email protected] through the night, so bring ear plugs. Dinner is in the hotel. Web: www.pensiunbellavista.ch
Sesvenna Hütte Tel: +39 0473 830234 Just over the border in Italy, it’s no surprise that this hut is Schleis 62 Fax: - noted for its food, though the hut has a very Austrian feel to it. 39024 Schlinig / Mals (BZ) E-mail: [email protected] Accommodation in 3 and 4 bedded rooms with showers Italy Web: www.sesvenna.it available. Great views from the hut.
Youth Hostel Merano Tel: +39 0473 201475 Accommodation in three and four bedded rooms in most Via Carducci 77 Fax: +39 0473 207154 cases, all with private facilities. Dinner in a local restaurant. 39012 Merano E-mail: [email protected] South Tirol Web: http://meran.jugendherberge.it/cs.asp? Italy st=1&sp=en
Ramblers Worldwide Holidays 2013 15/10/13/ GS ALPINE ASSOCIATION Some people even go to the lengths of cutting Total 6.705 MEMBERSHIP their toothbrushes in half and squeezing out kg small amounts of toothpaste for each day. The All party members must belong to a following list has been devised with the aim of Strong, comfortable boots in good repair recognised Alpine association. Traditionally reducing your basic pack size to under 7kg. with moulded rubber soles are essential. Ramblers Worldwide Holidays has Many of the items are made of technical recommended the Austrian Alpine Club which materials which increase efficiency and reduce Many mountain walkers favour using walking has reciprocal agreements with the Club Alpin weight. The list is included only as an poles over steep mountainous terrain which Français, the Club Alpin Suisse, the Deutscher indication of what is possible these days – you will encounter on this walk. Please note Alpenverein and the Club Alpino Italiano, but the exact contents of your pack is up to that these cannot be included in your carry-on membership of any of these associations (or you! baggage. an association with full reciprocal rights) is acceptable. Please remember to bring your On the plane you could wear: You should also bear in mind that a litre of membership card on holiday or you will be water weighs 1kg. In addition, the leader will liable to pay locally the difference between the T-shirt shorts / long trousers distribute a climbing rope, group shelter and members’ and non-members’ hut tariff. underpants socks picnic food amongst the group. This will also weigh about 1kg. Membership of an Alpine association also boots sunhat (in your pocket!) gives priority when assigning accommodation. Please note that this Holiday Information Your additional kit could consist of: sheet may be periodically updated and Membership of the AAC automatically gives reissued. you their insurance cover as well. Please make Weight Kit item sure that the insurance cover they provide in g In most cases any revisions will be minor suits all your requirements. If you are not a Lightweight rucksack 45+10 1900 and the overall nature of the holiday will be member of the AAC please make sure that litres unchanged. Should we need to make a major change to the holiday arrangements you are insured for guided walking above Drybags for each rucksack 170 2000m. If you are a member of the AAC we do between you booking your holiday and compartment your date of travel we will notify you to not insist that you take out any additional Rucksack cover 100 specifically draw your attention to any insurance, but if you are insured with another Long trousers or shorts 320 significant change. company and have not given us details on Long sleeved T-shirt 160 your booking form, please make sure that Short sleeved T-shirt 150 You may wish to review the latest version these details are given to your leader at the Microfleece top 200 of the Holiday Information sheet online earliest possible opportunity. Gaitors 100 prior to travel Thin gloves 50 The Austrian Alpine Club’s UK office can be Anorac - Paclite 350 PLEASE QUOTE YOUR HOLIDAY CODE contacted at: Overtrousers - Paclite 200 AND BOOKING REFERENCE NUMBER IN Mitts - Goretex shell 130 ALL CORRESPONDENCE. 12a North Street, Emergency survival bag 270 Wareham Lightweight Walking socks 80 WE WISH YOU AN INTERESTING AND Dorset BH20 4AG Warm hat 50 ENJOYABLE HOLIDAY AND WE WELCOME Tel: 01929 556 870 Thin socks 20 YOUR COMMENTS UPON YOUR RETURN. Fax: 01929 554 729 Underpants 50 e-mail: [email protected] For ladies – bras 200 www.aacuk.org.uk
The membership year is the same as the calendar year. However we recommend that Sandals or trainers - cheap/light 300 you wait until about two months before the holiday to take out membership. Please see condition 7 of our terms and conditions for Sleeping bag liner - pertex + 200 more information on this. pillowcase Camera, case, cards + 2 spare 250 batteries Antibacterial handwash 100 KIT LIST Oddments - passport, tickets, 600 money, first aid, torch, knife, sitmat, pole tips, We will be walking at altitude, and even in sunglasses midsummer you must be prepared to meet Towel & swimsuit 200 winter conditions in the mountains. It is Suncream 100 advisable to bring all the kit you even though Soap – Fairy (or similar) for 50 on this hutting holiday there may be clothes opportunities for shopping. 2 litre water bottle 75 Washkit (60g soap, 30ml 230 If you are an experienced hutter you will have shampoo, 30ml toothpaste, and a standard kit. Everyone agrees that keeping for the gentlemen, 4ml shaving 100 your kit as light as possible is greatly to be oil and razor. Ladies may wish encouraged. We strongly recommend that the to add about 100g for feminine total weight of your rucksack and kit should not hygiene articles.) exceed 25lb (11kg) including a litre of water - Universal sink plug and a few 100 remember you have to carry it!. pegs Ramblers Worldwide Holidays 2013 15/10/13/ GS