The Silvretta Traverse
Overview
There are many
possible routes we can take but the main route involves relatively
short distances between comfortable huts – so the tour is pretty flexible in
terms of adding or subtracting days. The level is lower intermediate so suitable for less experienced tourers and old hands alike.
Most
of the itineraries that you could take in the area include stopping at some huts for
more than one night to day tour around them so the length of the tour could be
anything from a leisurely week to a more direct 4-5 days. I have outlined a
couple of possible itineraries below which are of different lengths. Extra days
could be made optional by doing some off piste skiing, or day tour from the
valley if necessary.
Travel
A good place
to start the tour is Galtür, Austria. Galtür can be reached by train and bus
from Innsbruck, Munich or Zurich. There is a train as far as
Landeck, from where we can pick you up and take you to the accommodation in Galtur.
Gear: We can supply
safety kit (arva etc, harness, ice axe) as usual. You will need your own ski
touring kit and crampons
Dates
: Contact us for information about dates for 2014.
In the
Silvretta the huts open early in the season so late Feb/early March would be good for powder and would avoid the busiest time.
Price: For 2014 we will be offering a complete package trip price. Contact us for details.
To get an idea of the trip we did in 2012 check out this short film:
http://vimeo.com/41974709
SAMPLE ITINERARIES
Itinerary 1
This is normally
a 6 day trip and would need a travel day at either end so you would be a way
for 8 days total. We could do the same trip but not have the day tour from the
Jamtal and make it 5 days if necessary, or even the super brief version which
would cut out both day tours (days 3 and 5) to make it a 4 day traverse
(Possibly a little too brief once you’ve made the effort to get there I would
think ..but it could be done!).
Day 1 – Ischgl to Heidelberger Hut
We can take a bus from Galtur to the ski area of Ischgl for
a few warm up runs, and then we head off the first day of the tour. From the
top of the lift system we ski to the Heidelberger hut (2264) – more down than
up on this day, over a couple of cols on the way (about 5-6 km).
Day 2. Heidelberger Hut to
Jamtal hut
From the Heidelberger hut you ski over the Kronenjoch (700m
climb). From here you can climb the Breite Krone before skiing down to the
Jamtal hut (800-900 m ski down))..
Day 3 Day tour from the Jamtal hut
The Gemsspitz (3107m) looks good – about a 1000m climb to a
good looking summit, or Hinter Jamspitz, (3156 ). If we want to extend the tour
by a day we can do a second day tour from here.
Day 4 Jamtal hut to Wiesbadener hut.
A 1000m type
day over the col below the Dreilanderspitze 3197m (which can be climbed if
time/weather allows – crampons and axe)
Day 5 Day tour from Wiesbadener hut
The Piz Buin, 3256m is the famous ski peak that most people
try to do whilst on the tour – it’s about a 600m climb from the hut with
a ridge scramble in boots and crampons at the end to reach the summit.
Day 6 – Ski out to Galtur
A 300m climb to begin with then a long gentle descent down
the Bieltal valley. Should be able to ski almost to Galtur – maybe a bit of a
walk at the end . It probably makes sense to spend the night
again in Galtür, and leave the next morning.
Itinerary 2
Almost the same but could involve no second night in any
hut.
This trip would still cover the same distance from end to
end but in less time, and would still involve an ascent of the `Piz Buin. This
trip would be 5 days of guiding plus a travel day at either end so total 7 days
away.
Day 1 – Ischgl to Heidelberger Hut
Same as itin 1
Day 2. Heidelberger Hut to
Jamtal hut
Same as itin 1
Day 3 Jamtal hut to Tuoi hut
Start early to climb to the Jamjoch (3078m),or possibly also climb the Hinter Jamspitz, (3156 )and then ski
the other side of the ridge down into Switzerland to the Tuoi Hut (2341m) – could be some good
spring snow if we time it right!
Day 4 Tuoi hut to the Wiesbadener hut.
Start early to
climb up the south side of the main ridge the Fuorcal dal Cunfin (3043m)
and
then cross over the border again in order to go to the top of the Piz
Buin before skiing down back down the Austrian side and down to the
Weisenbadener hut
Day 5 – Ski out to Galtur
Same as itin 1
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