The ultimate Montafoner family tour – 9 days
Level: T2, with parts T3
Period: End June – mid September
In this epic eight to nine day hut hike is located in the Rätikon range of the Alps, on the border between Austria and Switzerland. You will hike to the Lünersee, the Schesaplana and around the Sulzfluh. You will cross the border into Switzerland and hike back into Austria via the Drusentor. It’s all family-friendly, but be aware that for some parts (f.i. from the Totalphütte to the Schesaplana and the hike to the Tilisunahütte) you need to be sure-footed! This is not a beginners hike.
This is the ultimate trip voor hut hiking families. Many of these huts can be booked by using alpsonline.org, so it’s quite easy to organize. Hiking times mentioned below are adjusted to hiking with kids.
Day 1: Take the gondola from Latschau – Talstation Golmerbahn to Golmerbahn Bergstation (1900 m) and hike on to the Heinrich Hueterhütte (1766 m) – 7,2 km, 4 hours, ↑ 400 m, ↓ 540 m, level T2.
Day 2: Hike from the Heinrich Hueterhütte (1766 m) to the Douglasshütte (1979 m) – 4,7 km, 3 hours, 400 m, 200 m, level T2/T3. The trail steadily climbs from the hut’s level up to a highest point of approximately 2146 m before descending toward the Douglasshütte. From the Douglasshütte you have an extra hiking option to go around the Lünersee – 7 km, 3:00, ↑ 200 m, ↓ 200 m.
Day 3: Climb to the Totalphütte (2385 m) – 3,4 km, 2 hours, ↑ 500 m, ↓ 90 m, level T3. This is a relatively short route, but you can add some kilometers by hiking around the Lünersee first, or at the Totalphütte.
Day 4: Climb the Schesaplana (2964 m) – 4:00 ↑ 620 m, ↓ 620 m, level T3 (with steep sections and some cables). You will stay another night in the Totalphütte. You need to check beforehand (for instance at the Totalphütte) if you can cross the snow at the glacier at the Schesaplana without gear. Even in the middle of summer the snow section can be too challenging. This section is for experienced hikers, you can also skip this day if you wish.
Day 5: Hike from the Totalphütte (2385 m) to the Lindauerhütte (1744 m) – 11 km, 5,5 hours, ↑ 500 m, ↓ 1150 m, level T3. The day begins with a descent towards the Lünersee. Don’t forget to eat cake at the Lünersee Alpe. At the lakeshore, the trail soon starts to climb again, leading to a mountain pass with breathtaking views over the surrounding valleys. After reaching the highest point of the day, a long and at times steep descent begins. As you approach Lindauerhütte, the trail becomes more gradual, winding through meadows and forests.
Day 6: Lindauer Hütte to Tilisunahütte (2211 m) – 5 km, 4:00, ↑ 810 m, ↓ 330 m, level T2/T3. This challenging hike starts with a easy descent followed by a steep ascent of 800 meters. The last part of the ascent – the Birkengrat – may be a bit difficult for people with fear of heights. The first 50 meters have cables, but after that there is a steep part of about 100 meters without cables. Stijn was having a hard time here. The children and I found it quite manageable.
Day 7: Stay an extra night in the Tilisunahütte. Hike to the top of the Sulzfluh (2.818 m) – 4:00 – 650 m ↓ en ↑, level T2/T3. This is a beautiful hike on high altitude terrain, on a lunar landscape. The final part to the top was very icy and steep, we skipped this part.
Day 8: Hike from the Tilisunahütte across the Swiss border to the Carschinahütte (2236 m) – 6,4 km, 4:00, 400 m ↓ en ↑, level T2. Leaving Tilisunahütte, the trail gently ascends toward the border, winding through rugged karst landscapes and lush alpine meadows. The ascent is steady but not too demanding, with panoramic views opening up as you approach the crossing point into Switzerland. Once across the border, the trail follows undulating terrain, passing below the striking limestone peaks of the Sulzfluh (2,817 m). A mix of rocky paths and grassy slopes leads to Carschinahütte. Though not technically difficult, some sections require sure-footedness, particularly on rocky stretches.
Day 9: Hike from the Carschinahütte (Switzerland) to the Lindauer Hütte (Austria) and on to middle station Golmerbahn – 12 km, 5:30, ↑ 500 m, ↓ 1200 m, level T2/T3. Leaving the Carschinahütte, a steady but short ascent leads to the Drusentor, a high mountain pass marking the border between Switzerland and Austria. The descent from Drusentor towards Lindauer Hütte is steep and challenging at first, with loose rocks requiring careful footing. As you descend further, the terrain changes into lush meadows. From the Lindauer Hütte you will have several options. You can hike to the top station, middle station and ground level station of the Golmerbahn.
Good to know:
– Lunch packets can be pre-ordered (the night before) in most huts (around €7 pp).
– In most huts it is cash only.
– Swimming is possible at the Tilisunasee and Partnunsee (nice and cold!)
– In Latschau there is ample parking space ate the gondola (Golmerbahn) – free of charge.
