Mittenwald High Trail: Challenging Climbing Experience in the Karwendel

The Mittenwald High Trail rewards experienced, sure-footed and, above all, vertigo-free hikers with a sensational view of the rugged rock formations of the Karwendel Mountains. Before you tackle the via ferrata adventure, ask at the tourist information office in Mittenwald whether the current weather conditions permit a tour on the Mittenwalder Höhenweg. Very important: If you don't have your own equipment, reserve a via ferrata set: Stefan Adam and his team from the Alpenwelt Karwendel mountain school are only a ten-minute walk from Mittenwald station and will be happy to help you. With the Regio-Ticket Werdenfels/ + Innsbruck you and your friends have a congestion-free and inexpensive journey.

Rope act on two-thousand-metre peaks

Your via ferrata experience starts at Mittenwald railway station. From here it is only a 15-minute walk to the valley station of the Karwendel cable car: cross the station square and keep to the right. From there, turn right onto Dammkarstraße. After a few metres, turn right onto Mühlenweg and follow this until you reach Weidenweg. Turn left there and cross the Isar river. Then go straight on to Arzgrubenweg and continue to the valley station of the mountain railway, which will take you to the top station at just under 2,200 metres. Once at the top, a well-signposted panoramic path leads to the start of the Mittenwald via ferrata. Pure thrills: the route, secured with wire ropes, runs partly on the ridge, along narrow wooden planks, iron clamps and ladders over a whole series of two-thousand-metre peaks: the northern (2,374 metres), middle (2,239 metres) and southern Linderspitze (2,306 metres), Sulzleklammspitze (2,323 metres) and Kirchlspitze (2,302 metres). Plan between six and eight hours for the almost 12-kilometre route and do not underestimate the 530 metres in altitude on the ascent and the 1,860 metres in altitude on the descent.

Grandiose views in all directions

The Mittenwald High Trail is the ideal route for beginners with alpine climbing experience and the most panoramic Alpine tour: from the middle Linderspitze, the panoramic view extends south to the Stubai Alps and north to the Herzogstand. The imposing Wetterstein Mountains tower in the west, while the Karwendel Valley can be admired in the east. In the south, Scharnitz and Seefelder Joch stand out most prominently. As the tour runs mainly over a ridge, it is also worth taking a look or two down into the depths.

A farewell visit to donkey star Frederico

Shortly after the Kirchlspitze, the descent to Mittenwald begins. The trail descends in serpentines between meadows and mountain pine fields. Scree and rocky passages require a high degree of concentration and surefootedness. On your way back, be sure to make a stop at the Brunnsteinhütte. There, the hut keepers Barbara and Hans-Peter Gallenberger will spoil you with homemade cakes and refreshing buttermilk. If you are lucky, you can see Frederico up close: the dwarf donkey is the secret star in the hut's own petting zoo. Now it's almost done. The roughly two-hour descent takes them via the Brunnsteinhütte to Mittenwald to the valley station of the Karwendel cable car. From there you walk back to the starting point - Mittenwald railway station. After your brave via ferrata adventure, enjoy the comfortable train ride home.