The Crodarotta summit rises high over the Vernagt reservoir at the centre of the picturesque Schnalstal Valley in South Tyrol. The dramatic views across the reservoir and the rest of the valley will stay with you forever.
The castle of the Noblemen of Senales once stood where the parish church of Monte Santa Caterina/Katharinaberg now stands with its tower reaching for the heavens was once. However, the Carthusians had it destroyed in 1350. In earlier times, there was a proto-historic human settlement here. A Bronze Age sickle element with silica and Iron Age ceramic artefacts are proof that this area has been used for thousands of years. It would appear that a pre-historic trail ran along here coming up from Vinschgau.
This tour, that can be done from early spring to late autumn, depending on the weather, takes us along the highest grain farm in Europe. Grain was cultivated at this altitude right up to the second half of the last century, when the construction of the dam and reservoir also changed the climate of the Schnalstal Valley. There are archaic structures along this trail that have only changed slightly during the development of mountain farming over thousands of years.
Finailspitze (often spelt Fineilspitze) is a fascinating tour in the Schnalstal Valley offering landscape and archaeological treasures. There is a spectacular view from the summit to the glacier world of the Ötztal Alps: in the east to the Niederjoch glacier with Similaun, Marzellspitze, and to the Hintere Schwärze, in the south towards the Tisental Valley, Schnalstal Valley with the Schlandrauner Mountains opposite, to the Hochjochferner glacier with a view of the Weißkugel. We are following in the footsteps of Ötzi, the Iceman.
A hike with amazing views of probably the oldest meadows in South Tyrol
Section of the Archaeological Trail A 7 - The Archaeological Hiking Map with additional information is available free of charge at the archeoParc Schnalstal or at the Tourism Office Schnalstal Valley
According to oral tradition, after the dissolution of the Carthusian monastery of Allerengelsberg in 1782, the farmed Alpine pastures of Klosteralm (open from the beginning of June to mid / end of October, depending on the weather) at 2,152 m became the property of a number of families in Certosa/Karthaus who set up a syndicate which has thirty members today. The farm was only accessible by a narrow mountain path until a transport cable car was built in 1959. Thanks to the avalanche barrier beneath the Kreuzspitze, a road link was provided as an “ancillary benefit”. Due to its steep and stony pastures, the farm has been used almost exclusively as a typical farm for young cattle.
The archaeological trail from Vent to Maso Corto/Kurzras leads through captivating mountain landscape that was already used many centuries ago by shepherds with their flocks.
The Gletschersee ski run is an easy, blue slope and brings from the glacier to the glacial lakes. From there you can continue on the valley descent to Maso Corto/Kurzras, reach again the glacier with the chairlifts or reach the glacier opposite slopes by Hintereis chairlift.
Alpine hike to the one-time highest grain farm in Europe the Finailhof farm (1,973 m).
The entire Merano High Mountain Trail (no. 24), one of the most stunning trails in the entire Alpine region, is 100 km in length, requires four to six days of hiking and is accessible from the beginning of July to the end of September (depending on the snow situation). At a relatively consistent altitude, this trail connects, to an extent, the high mountain climate of the Texel Group and the sub-Mediterranean climate of the Etschtal Valley. The hike through the various segments gives us a good insight into the world of the mountain farmers who worked to create and maintain this mountain and cultural landscape over the centuries.
An extremely interesting and beautiful trail through Pfossental valley, part of the Texelgruppe Nature Park. This is the largest nature park in South Tyrol and if you’re lucky, you’ll see some of the fauna that lives here.
The archaeological trail rises from Vernago/Vernagt to Giogo Basso/Niederjoch with its spectacular views and on to Tisenjoch, a reminder of the discovery site of Ötzi the Iceman, crosses the border and continues on to the village of Vent (A).
This high-Alpine trail presents the hiker with dramatic views and scenic highlights.
A lovely gentle meditation or pilgrimage path which takes you through the fragrant larch woods of Madonna di Senales/Unser Frau to a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. There are a number of quiet, shady resting places with carvings and statues by local artists and craftsmen.
Easy and magnificent path from the mountain hut Vorderkas/ inn Jägerrast to the mountain pasture Eishof, also suitable for children and elderly people. In the further course more and more surefootedness is required.
Tips: the informational boards along the Alpine Pasture Experience Trail (Almerlebnisweg) are interesting. Not far from mountain pasture Rableid, there is a lime kiln, in which the limestone from the Hohe Weiße mountain was fired to make building lime, which was also presumably used to construct the monastery in Certosa/Karthaus.
The fourth stage of the Merano High Mountain Trail involves a moderately difficult hike from Monte S. Caterina/Katharinaberg through Pfossental Valley to the Mountian pasture Eishof.
The archaeological trail A4 begins in Maso Corto/Kurzras, passes a number of idyllic mountain lakes and drops down into the Vinschgau Valley. Having descended along a gentle forest path, past an old timber mill, you arrive in the small, picturesque village of Corces/Kortsch.
This challenging glacier tour for experienced Alpinists, featuring magnificent views of the Ötztal Alps, begins in the Vernago/Vernagt car park with limited parking spaces.
An easy but fascinating archaeological trail from Monte Santa Caterina/Katharinaberg up to Obermairalm Mountain Hut, along an almost level trail to Dickeralm Mountain Hut, through a beautiful larch forest to the Linthof farm and from there to the gondola lift that takes us down to Naturno/Naturns in a few minutes.
The untouched Lagauntal Valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in South Tyrol. The trail up to the former Heilbronn hut and the Tascheljöchl provide a breathtaking long-distance view of numerous 3000m-peaks. On the way to Berglalm Mountain Hut, we pass through idyllic high mountain terrain with expansive larch forests.
For centuries now, the inhabitants of St. Martin im Kofel, located above Laces/Latsch, have been making the pilgrimage over the Niederjöchl pass (2,662 m a.s.l) to the pilgrimage site of Madonna di Senales/Unser Frau, in order to pray together with the people of Senales for a good harvest.
This archaeological trail begins with a ride on the glacier train from Maso Corto/Kurzras to the summit station, then there’s a short climb to Grawand and its imposing summit cross; it passes over the ridge and drops down to the small Finailsee lake, goes on to the Finailhof farm, once the highest grain farm in the region, passes unhurriedly by Raffeinhof farm to Tisenhof farm and then into the village of Vernago/Vernagt with its wonderful dam and reservoir.
The Lazaun high plateau is marked by the power of the glacier, for example, by an active block glacier and a high moor. You will find very distinctive Alpine flora here, including the dwarf willow (Salix herbacea), the smallest tree in the world. With any luck, the attentive observer will also be treated to rare sightings of local fauna. Numerous marmots live up here in addition to rock partridge and snow grouse.
This unglaciated peak on the southern edge of the Ötztal Alps is on the border between Italy and Austria and is one of the easiest 3000 m-peaks to climb in the mountain range. It offers a wonderful panorama view towards the southern Schnalstal Valley and the Weißkugel (3,739 m a.s.l.).
The Nockspitze is the main viewing mountain in the Schnalstal Valley. The view from the summit, high over the Vernagt reservoir, across the entire Schnalstal Valley is breathtaking. The descent can be combined with an interesting hike through Alpine pastures.
