It’s exactly 4 weeks ago already since we returned from another hiking trip to the Italian Alps. And again I choose my favourite area in the north of this autonomous Italian province. A pictorial report of this 15 day trip:
12-09-2025: The outward journey
On the Austrian side of the Timmelsjoch,
just before we entered the clouds that tend to obscure the views there!
13-09-2025: Sankt Martin–Sankt Leonard
A fairly easy circular walk from our hotel to the neighbouring,
village to get into our stride a bit.
Free range chickens on a small biological cheese farm in Aigen,
Sankt Martin in Passeier.
Old traditional homestead,
Gerichtsweg Sankt Leonard in Passeier.
The view, from the foot of the ruins of the Jaufen Burg,
over the Passeiertal, Sankt Leonard in Passeier.
14-09-2025: Quellenhof – Sankt Martin in Passeier
With the bus to the holiday resort of Quellenhof for a walk to the small hamlet of Magdfeld and back to our hotel. Sadly a heavy rain and thunder storm had destroyed a few footbridges the previous night. Which resulted in some serious detours.
A lush Alpine meadow near the hamlet of Steiner.
On the slopes of the Passeiertal above Quellenhof.
A small farm building overlooking the north-eastern slopes of the Passeiertal
A Fire Salamander, seen on the Meraner Höhenweg near Schaffler.
15-09-2025: Algunder Waal Wegen
A walk along several Walen, or small irrigation canals around Algund.
A crucifix guarding the Algunder Waal near Plars on the slopes above Meran.
The Marlinger Waal near the village of Forst.
The village which is famous for its brewery with the the same name.
An old house on the slopes above Forst
(Lahnweg Marling).
The Etsch Brücke, a foot bridge over the river Etsch,
between Forst and Algund.
16-09-2025: Walten- Bärengrübalm
One of the toughest walks of this trip, with a length of over 17 kilometres,
almost 1000 meters of elevation gain and in places very poor or missing paths.
with the Timmelsjoch in the background again obscured by clouds.
The very secluded Bärengrübalm Hütte,
overlooking the steep Pfistradtal.
View from the Bärengrübalm Hütte to Sankt Leonard,
deep down in the Passeiertal
The Bärengrübalm Hütte, which is run by and elderly lady, was actually closed. But we managed to repair her supply cable car, and made an inventory of repairs and parts she needed to get it running reliably again for next spring. Which included the generator which had been blown out during the thunderstorm a few days earlier. Luckily there were still a few solar panels available. And when we finished our work she greeted us with a hearty late lunch. We were running late after that!
17-09-2025: Around the Penserjoch
A relative short circular walk over the two mountain tops overlooking this mountain pass.
View from the Gänzekragenspitze towards the Jaufental, Penserjoch
View from the Penserjoch See on the flank of the Röthenspitze.
Nearing the summit of the Astenberg, the other mountain top overlooking the Penserjoch.
Hochebene Penserjoch
18-09-2025: Passer Schlucht
A very nice walk through the at places very narrow gorge of the passer river between Platt and Sankt Leonard. Unfortunately the weather was very good, the bright sun making it unsuitable for taking some nice photos.
In the woods above the Passer Schlucht near Platt:
“Even the longest journey begins with the first step”.
Lunch stop in the small village of Platt,
at the beginning of the gorge.
19-09-2025: Ulfastal
Another secluded side valley of the Passeiertal.
View from the Ulfaser Alm on the Passeiertal and the Jaufental.
A steep section of the path between the Obere Ulfaser Alm and the Schartalm.
A view from the balcony of the Schartalm Hütte.
The Matatzer Waal in the woods above the Ulfaser Alm.
Our hotel’s forecourt.
20-09-2025: Jaufenkamm and Ratschingtal
A lovely circular walk, too bad the weather didn't cooperate!
I hate harsh light and blue skies 😜
On the Kalcher Alm in the Ratschingstal,
close to the top of the Jaufenpass.
21-09-2025: A lazy Sunday
A short walk to the small hamlet of Mörre,
and its charming small pilgrimage church.
On the staircase in front of the pilgrimage church of Our Lady in Mörre.
A detail of the house next to the pilgrimage church in Mörre.
The pilgrimage church of Our Lady in Mörre, overlooking the Passeiertal.
22-09-2025: Dorf Tirol-Meran
It was a rainy day between Dorf Tirol and the spa city of Meran.
View from the Tiroler Steig on the Meraner Domm.
Dorf Tirol, seen from Schloß Thurnstein.
The origins of this castle date back to 1276.
Schloß Tirol seen from the hamlet of Sankt Peter.
Inside the Parish church of Sankt Peter, a small parish
on the slopes of the Mutspitze, overlooking Dorf Tirol and Meran.
23-09-2025: Into the Pfelderertal
It was wet and it was cold. And it was beautiful!
View from the Karalm into the northern part of the Pfelderertal,
with the Passeiertal and the Timmelsjoch partially obscured by clouds in the distance.
View, from the Faltschnal Alm hütte, of the northern part of the Pfelderertal
and the Lazinser Alm.
24-09-2025: Rabensteiner Alm
Another wet and cold walk with wet snow in the higher areas.
But the bad weather at least produced some nice photos!
Clouds starting to drift into the Passeiertal from the Timmelsjoch.
A few minutes later the visibility had dropped to less then 50 metres.
Luckily that didn’t last long.
Shelter on the Rabensteiner Alm with the eastern slopes of the Passeiertal in the back ground.
Again the clouds closed in when we arrived near the highest point of the hike.
They cleared when the snow turned into rain!
Looking back into the Seeber Tal just in time to capture a few rays of sunshine
poking through the clouds.
Close to the Seeber Alm hütte.
25-09-2025: Sankt Martin-Sankt Leonard
And the last hike of the holiday, more or less the same as the one on the first day.
Only the weather had improved a bit.
Floner Sankt Martin.
The eastern slopes of the Passeiertal,
seen from the hotel Jaufenblick.
One of the many foot path markers,
Haselstaude Sankt Leonard.
26-09-2025: Going home
with between 100 and 200 mm of snow.
