High Altitude Trail

The Meraner Hoehenweg mountain trail is one of the most beautiful circular hiking routes in South Tyrol (Italy). It runs around the edge of the Texel Group National Park and circles the Texel group of mountains covering a distance of approximately 100 kilometres at an almost constant altitude of approx. 1,400 metres. There are numerous points where differences in altitude of several hundred metres must be overcome.
The trail also leads to higher altitudes twice. At the southern end the Meraner Hoehenweg climbs to 1,839 metres at Hochganghaus. And the highest point of the hike is at the northern end: the Eisjoechl, at a lofty 2,895 metres.
The Meraner Hoehenweg trail is numbered “24” and was formally opened in 1985 in Katharinaberg (in the district of Schnals) in the Schnals Valley. The main initiators for the creation of the Meraner Hoehenweg and the Texel Group National Park were the then chairman of the Meran Alpine Association, Helmut Ellmenreich (d. 2002) and the then route marker, Robert Schoenweger.
For the most part, when planning and constructing the Meraner Hoehenweg, existing historic trails that had been used for many hundreds of years by mountain farmers were incorporated and joined to create a unique hiking trail.
Depending on fitness levels and stage lengths, to hike the entire Meraner Hoehenweg takes between 3 and 8 days.
Along the Meraner Hoehenweg there are snack stations, inns and refuges at regular intervals offering food and accommodation, as well as protection from rain and bad weather.
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• The Southern Meraner Hoehenweg High Altitude Trail

From Ulfas (1369 m) in the Passeier Valley the hiking route runs via the solitary Goegelehof (1295 m) to Christl (1132 m). To the south, the scene is shaped by the backdrop of the Sarntal Alps, and to the east by the Jaufen Pass.

The trail leads past Matatz (1098 m), Magdfeld (1147 m) and Vernuer (11 m) to the Hochmuth farms (1361 m). This group of farms presses like an eagle's nest against the steep slope of the Mutspitze mountain.

The route continues via the Hochganghaus (1839 m – the highest point of the southern section of the trail), the Gojener Alp (1824 m), the Tablander Alp (1788 m), Nassereith (1523 m), Giggelberg (1535 m), Hochforch (1555 m), Innerforch (1460 m), Linthof (1386 m), Kopfron (1436 m) to Katharinaberg (1245 m) into the Schnals Valley.

The southern half of the trail offers charming day-long and multi-day hikes. At some secured locations you will need a head for heights.

Best time of year:
From May to the first snowfalls (November)

Walking times:

• The Northern Meraner Hoehenweg High Altitude Trail

The trail begins in Katharinaberg (Schnals Valley). Accessibility is dependent on when the snow thaws, as the Pfossen and Pfelderer Valleys are often covered in snow until late spring and the route is subject to avalanches and landslides.

From Katharinaberg (1245 m) the hiking route runs through the Pfossen Valley to Nassereith (1534 m) and to the Vorderkaser (1693 m). It then continues via the Rableid Alp to the Eishof (2069 m). The fantastic backdrop of peaks (Texel summit 3318 m, Roteck 3337 m, Hohe Weisse 3281 m, Hohe Wilde 3481 m, Karlesspitze 3462 m and Hintere Schwaerze 3624 m) surrounds this valley like a natural amphitheatre.

From the Eishof the path continues into the valley almost as far as the valley head. The path becomes more stony and climbs steeply to the Eisjoechl (2908 m), the highest point on the route. The Stettiner Hut (2875 m) acts as a good staging post here.

The route now leads down to Pfelders (1622 m), out of the Pfelderer Valley where it joins the southern section of the Meraner Hoehenweg via Innerhuett and Ausserhuett in Ulfas (1,500m).
Best time of year:
Early summer to autumn
Orientation:
Well-marked route no. 24

Walking times:

Access Points onto the Meraner Hoehenweg High Altitude Trail

There are many different access points onto the Meraner Hoehenweg High Altitude Trail. They are signposted in the individual villages and communities.
Traditional access points include Katharinaberg in the Schnals Valley in the west and Ulfas and Pfelders (1622 m) in the Passeier Valley and Pfelderer Valley respectively in the east.
There are lifts in Dorf Tirol, Naturns, Partschins and Algund.