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Ski touring in Ratschings – boundless freedom
The three valleys of Jaufen, Ridnaun and Ratschings are a ski tourer’s dream with their silent mountains and unspoilt natural landscapes. Don’t let the stunning beauty of nature distract you from the essentials, though: good preparation and the right equipment are vital when it comes to ski touring. So, make sure you have all you need to safely explore this wonderful mountainscape, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced ski tourer.
The mountains around us offer plenty of opportunities for both easy and challenging tours, from unchallenging to moderately difficult ski tours on sensational powder snow to lonely, demanding tours in a fascinating world made of ice and rock. Nature never ceases to amaze!
Recommended ski tours
Ridnaun ski tour - Einachtspitze, 2,225 m
Starting point: Gasse (1,360 m) / by the main road next to the skilift
Elevation gain: 865 m
Total time: approx. 2 ½ hours
Difficulty: medium to moderate
Direction: north-east
Maps: AV map 31/3 Brenner mountains; Tabacco 038, Vipiteno – Stubaier Alps; Tabacco 039, Passeiertal valley
Access: from Sterzing into the Ridnauntal valley and on to Gasse
Ascent:
Start your ascent on the piste that takes you through the meadows above the Entholz farmsteads to the left edge of the forest. There is a farmstead there. Just behind the building, you will find the summer trail (No. 25), which leads into the forest to the right of the stream. Where the forest road converges from the left, turn right and follow the road until you reach the turn-off marked ‘Joggelealm/Einachtspitze’.
Continue following the forest road until you reach the treeline with the Wildenhütte hut at 1,930 m. From there, the path goes straight ahead over open terrain, leading you past a hay barn on a hilltop, and then left to the Joggelealm pasture, which is already visible at 2,070 m. At this point, turn left diagonally towards the north-east ridge of Mt. Einachtspitze, cross the wide hollow and take a short traverse to the left towards the ridge. Continuing along the ridge, you will be deviating slightly to the left now and then. After passing under a small rocky rise on your right, a wide ridge will finally lead you to the summit.
The descent is along the same route as the ascent all the way to the Wildenhütte hut or, snow conditions permitting, directly down the north-east flank.
Jaufental ski tour - Zinseler, 2,422 m - St. Anton (approx. 1,040 m) or Wieslhof (1,400 m)
From St. Anton: 1,382 m
From Wieslhof: 1,022 m
Total time: approx. 4 hours from St. Anton / approx. 3 hours from Wieslhof
Difficulty: medium to low
Direction: north-west to south
Maps: Tabacco 038, Sterzing – Stubai Alps
Access: drive to the Jaufental valley, Außertal bus stop
Ascent:
Start this route in St. Anton, climbing up the slope to the right of the stream. Cross the tapering meadow that leads into the forest, then follow the path straight ahead until you reach a narrow ridge. From there, the path will lead you to a meadow and finally to the road just before the Wieslhof farm. Take the forest road into the Gospeneider valley until the way widens, then keep to the right and ascend over gentle, pleasant slopes to a basin below a saddle. After the right-hand bend to the Gospeneider Jöchl (2,303 m), a broad ridge will lead you all the way to the summit.
Descent: the descent route is the same as the ascent.
Ratschings ski tour - kleine Kreuzspitze, 2,518 m - Flading car park (1,482 m)
Elevation gain: 1,036 m
Total time: approx. 3 hours
Difficulty: medium to difficult
Direction: east-north
Maps: AV map 31/3 Brenner mountains; Tabacco 038, Sterzing – Stubai Alps; Tabacco 039, Passeiertal valley
Access is through the Ratschingstal valley by the car park in Flading.
Ascent: Cross the bridge and ascend up the forest road, which leads into a small patch of woodland to the right. When you reach the clearing where the road bends, turn left into open terrain and follow the path that leads below a rocky escarpment straight ahead. Then cross a ramp and continue diagonally to the right onto a hump leading to a plain near the Klammalm pasture (1,925 m). Continue straight ahead until the way leads left into the wide valley. Follow the path to the left, which will take you along beautiful slopes to a ridge that leads to a saddle (approx. 2,250 m) between the steep ridge on the right and Mt. Fladinger on the left. From there, you can see Mt. Kleine Kreuzspitze. Proceed slightly diagonally to the right into the large hollow and then continue across the steep slope all the way to the summit.
The descent route is the same as the ascent.