TREKKING IN THE ZILLERTAL ALPS
by
Allan Hartley
2 POLICE SQUARE, MILNTHORPE, CUMBRIA, LA7 7PY
About the Author
Allan has been passionate about mountains and photography since his early teens. He has climbed extensively throughout the Alps, discovering Austria by chance many years ago while trying to avoid atrocious weather conditions in the higher mountains of the Western Alps. He believes Austria remains one of mountaineering’s best kept secrets, better suited to the average mountaineer than the higher mountains to the west.
In addition to Austria and the Alps, Allan has climbed from East Africa to the Falkland Islands, the Greater Ranges of Nepal and Pakistan, the Zagros Mountains of Iran and the Al Hajr mountains of the Arabian Peninsula. A long-standing member of the Austrian Alpine Club (UK), Sektion Britannia, he is also a member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild, an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society and a holder of the International Mountain Leaders Award. His home is on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. For more about Allan, visit www.allanhartley.co.uk.
Other Cicerone guides by the author
Trekking in Austria’s Hohe Tauern
Trekking in the Alps (contributing author)
Trekking in the Stubai Alps
© Allan Hartley 2003, 2012
Second edition 2012
ISBN-13: 978 1 85284 717 3
First edition 2003
ISBN-13: 978 1 85284 370 0
Printed in China on behalf of Latitude Press Ltd
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
All photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.
Acknowledgements
To the many members of the Austrian Alpine Club (UK) who have accompanied me over several decades visiting the Zillertal, particularly my wife Marilyn and daughter Zoe, the late Helmut Meier, Robert Hampson, the Jays, Ken and Christine Talbot, Alan Nuttall, Mike Garrett, Rob Stevenson, Martin Haydon, Wilf Bishop, Ray Johnson, Terry O’Donnell, Jim Cox, Len Reilly, Sarah Phillips, Ged O’Neill, American cousin Mike Macken and finally evergreen Kiwi Doug Ball.
This book is dedicated to Helmut Meier, friend and companion on many an alpine journey, who was killed in a tragic accident while descending from the Dristner in the Zillertal.
Advice to Readers
While every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. If we know of any, there will be an Updates tab on this book’s page on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, 2 Police Square, Milnthorpe LA7 7PY, United Kingdom.
Warning
Mountain walking can be a dangerous activity carrying a risk of personal injury or death. It should be undertaken only by those with a full understanding of the risks and with the training and experience to evaluate them. While every care and effort has been taken in the preparation of this guide, the user should be aware that conditions can be highly variable and can change quickly, materially affecting the seriousness of a mountain walk. Therefore, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law, neither Cicerone nor the author accept liability for damage of any nature (including damage to property, personal injury or death) arising directly or indirectly from the information in this book.
To call out the Mountain Rescue, ring the international emergency number 112: this will connect you via any available network. Once connected to the emergency operator, ask for the police.
Front cover: Above Friesenberg Haus with the Hochfeiler in the distance
CONTENTS
The Rucksack Route and South Tyrol Tour
The Zillertal valley and Mayrhofen
Emergencies and mountain safety
