616m
A circular tour with close views of Piz Buin and the Dreiländerspitz, visiting a popular mountain hut and crossing an easy pass, this makes an excellent day’s walk.
From the Bielerhöhe car park cross the dam wall and wander along a good path on the western side of the Silvretta Stausee. When the path forks near the end of the lake take the left branch (the right branch is for the Klostertal). Shortly after cross the Klostertaler Bach and continue round the southern end of the lake, and having crossed a second stream join the east bank trail and bear right into the Ochsental. Mountain views increase in grandeur, and glaciers and snowfields of the Dreiländerspitz, Piz Buin, Signalhorn and Silvrettahorn form a gleaming white backrop. Several minor streams are crossed as the path rises to the Wiesbadener Hut (2443m) about 2–2½hrs from the Bielerhöhe.
The Silvretta reservoir at the Bielerhöhe
The Wiesbadener Hut (Category I) has 160 dormitory places and 40 beds, and is fully staffed from the end of February to early May, and from the end of June to early October (tel 05558 4233).
A few paces beyond the hut bear left on the Edmund Lorenz Weg, a trail climbing northward with a few zigzags up to a high, stone-littered meadow – a good vantage point from which to study Piz Buin and its neighbours. Cairns and waymarks guide the continuing way into a rolling pastureland where a few minor pools are found in early summer. From here the path climbs a final slope to the 2652m Radsattel by a series of zigzags. This saddle, or pass, on the southeast ridge of the Hohes Rad marks the boundary between Vorarlberg and Tyrol.
The ascent of the Hohes Rad (2934m) is recommended if you have the time and energy. Take the left-hand path at the Radsattel. Heading north it cuts along the east side of the ridge to a point about 200m above the little Radsee, where a sign painted on a rock directs the ascent route up to the left. The way is a little exposed, and some easy scrambling is involved, but the summit is reached about 30–45mins from the Radsattel. The panoramic view makes the effort worthwhile.
At the Radsattel take the right fork at the path junction to descend northeastwards. Snow patches often lie well into summer on this side of the ridge, so caution is advised. The initial descent is steep and over rocks, then in tight zigzags down to the floor of the Bieltal shortly after passing the Radsee tarn at 2477m.
The Bieltal is a gentle, narrow valley with a rich variety of alpine flowers in early summer, and the path follows its stream most of the way through it. Towards the northern end of the valley the way curves left among hillsides thick with alpenroses, and finally brings you back to the Bielerhöhe above the Silvretta Stausee.
Piz Buin and its glacier, from the Radsattel
ROUTE 13
Galtür (1584m) – Jamtal Hut (2165m)
| Start | Galtür (1584m) |
| Valley base | Galtür |
| Distance | 10km (one way) |
| Height gain | 581m |
| Grade | 1–2 |
| Time | 3hrs (+ 2½hrs return) |
| Location | South of Galtür, at the head of the Jamtal |
The head of the Jamtal is bounded by a group of 3000m summits and a neat curtain of glaciers. Streams drain from them to gather in a little plain below the Jamtal Hut which stands amid a rocky landscape at the mouth of the wild tributary valley of the Futschölbach. The hut is a large one with good facilities, and this walk to it travels almost the full length of the valley without any complications, so you can swing along the track and enjoy the scenery without frequent reference to either guidebook or map. The route only warrants a grade slightly higher than 1 because of its length.
A sign in the village square near the tourist office in Galtür indicates the way to the hut. Heading south, a narrow road rises between buildings, then forks. Take the right branch, and soon after a sign gives two options: one (the main route) continues straight ahead, the other branches right and is signed Trittweg – see box.
Trittweg option: Turn right and walk down a tarmac drive towards a house named Büntalihof. Pass alongside the house and beyond a few other buildings to a footbridge over the Jambach. Across the stream turn left on a track. At first rising under forest, it then goes between meadows, recrosses the Jambach and joins the standard route a little north of Egg Alm.
Above Galtür the main route continues on the road on the east side of the valley, and shortly after being rejoined by the Trittweg option, an alternative track (for those in need of refreshment) crosses the Jambach to Menta Alm. For the Jamtal Hut remain on the road and you will soon come to a parking area, which marks the limit for private vehicles. Beyond this point the road is unsurfaced.
The dirt road crosses the Jambach to its west bank at 1697m. A footpath alternative route is marked on the map as beginning at the bridge, but during research this was closed. Should it be reopened, it may be worth taking this option, which remains on the east bank all the way to the hut, and has sections of farm track as well as narrow footpath to follow. It is however, slightly more demanding than the main route described. Meanwhile, in 30–40mins from the bridge over the Jambach the dirt road/track passes just below Schieben Alm (1833m, refreshments) where it then forks. Take the upper branch, in effect continuing directly ahead.
As you progress deeper into the valley, so more mountains are revealed – the Gamshorn for example, showing itself as a craggy peak with a block of moraine concealing a glacial remnant. Then the mountains that carry the Swiss border appear, with daubs of snow and small glaciers.
Galtür, where the route to the Jamtal Hut begins
In a little over 2½hrs the track crosses the Jambach for the last time at 2005m, before angling up and across the hillside below the Gamshorn. Topping a rise you pass a stone-built hut on the right and an alm building on the left, with the large Jamtal Hut seen ahead. Sloping down a little, cross the boisterous Futschölbach and walk up the final slope to the hut which stands among rocks and alpenroses at 2165m.
The Jamtal Hut belongs to the Schwaben section of the DAV, and following avalanche damage, was rebuilt in 1999. A large Category I hut, it is fully manned from mid-February to early May, and from the end of June to the end of September, with 90 beds and 100 dormitory places (tel 05443 8408). Unusually, the hut also contains an indoor climbing wall. It has been wardened by members of the Lorenz family since the hut was first built in 1882.
Routes from the Jamtal Hut
Numerous
