Gries Archives - Pitztal Holiday

1. History of the Amberger hütte

The Amberger hütte is situated at the end of the Sulztal, at a height of 2135 meters, almost surrounded by the Stubai Alps. The hut was built in 1888, rebuilt in 1936, 1974, 1999 and 2014. The hut is owned by the section Amberg of the DAV (Deutsche Alpen Verein, in english German Alpine Associaton).

Directly at the hut there is a sulfur lake (about 18 degrees warm).

Around the Amberger hütte
© www.alpenvereinaktiv.com

Cozy room for the hut visitors
© www.alpenvereinaktiv.com

2. The hiking trail

The family friendly trail starts in Gries. First you walk about two kilometers along the Fischbach creek over an asphaltic road, the rest of the trail is a gravel road.

After crossing the Vögelasbrücke (bridge), the trail to the Nisslalm branches off. The trail to the Ambergerhütte leads into the narrower valley. At 1,900 meters, it is the temptation to resist having dinner already in the nice Sulztalalm.

But the onward journey along the rushing Fischbach creek is worth it! The peculiar high valley is increasingly arid, the Amberger Hütte, at a hight of 2136 meters now is in sight. With the mountains Hinteren Daunkopf, Windacher Daunkogl and Schrankogel, it offers fantastic views of the Stubai Alps.

The trail length is 6,1 kilometer, it takes one and a half hour. The way back to the starting point goes over the same trail. So the total distance is 12,2 kilometer.

2.1 Starting point

The trail starts at the end of Gries. There is a free parking lot for hikers to the Amberger Hütte. Walk back towards the bridge over the Starkenbach, the trail starts at the other side of the river.

How to get there:

By car: From Wenns, drive out of the Pitztal to Imst. Take the B171 to Telfs. At Ötztal Bahnhof take the B186 into the Ötztal valley. Follow this road untill Längenfeld. From there, take the L239 to Gries in the Sulztal. This road is 5,81 kilometers long, at the start are a few hairpins, the road climbs 400 meters. To protect the road against avalanches during the winter, there were built 3 tunnel galleries (with a length of 488, 150 and 95 meters). There is a free parking lot at the end of Gries. Total driving is about 50 minutes.

By public transport: From Wenns, you can take the bus to Längenfeld, duration 1,5 hours. There is no bus to Gries.

2.2 Turn-by-turn directions

From Gries, you walk along the Fischbach creek, first over the asphaltic road, then it becomes a gravel road. You cross the Vögelasbrücke (bridge), here the trail to the Nisslalm branches off. Now the trail leads into the narrower valley. At a height of 1.900 meters, you pass the Sulztalalm.

20170414 Sulztalm-laengenfeld2_e97557d25a (from Oetztal.at tourismus)

The Sulztalalm
© www.oetztal.at

The peculiar high valley is increasingly arid, the Amberger Hütte, at a hight of 2136 meters now is in sight. With the mountains Hinteren Daunkopf, Windacher Daunkogl and Schrankogel, it offers fantastic views of the Stubai Alps.

2.3 Duration

For people used to heights it takes 1,5 hours to reach the Amberger Hütte. When enjoying the scenery more relaxed, taking photos etc. it will take around 2 hours.

3. Photos

ACTION: UPLOAD PHOTOS

1. The Winnebachseehütte

The Winnebachseehütte is located in the west Stubai Alps. The start of the trail is in the Ötztal, in Gries (near Längenfeld). A crystal clear mountain lake is nestled next to the hut.

At a height of 2362 meters you can enjoy the views of the magnificent mountains and a majestic waterfall. The hut is finishing point of the famous long distance trails “Adler-weg” (Ealgle-walk), etappe 48 and The Ötztal Trek route 1, etappe 3. In a ten minutes walk, you find a litlle climbing park, with 25 routes, named “Kleinkanada”.

In the summer, the hut is open from the end of June until mid October. During the winter, the hut is open from the end of February until the beginning of May. It is possible to transport your luggage by the ropeway.

During the spring of 2015, the hut was completely rebuilt and renovated, by the DAV section Hof (DAV = Deutsche Alpen Verein, in English German Alpine Association). Also due to regularly requirements, the conversion and extension had become urgently necessary. Of course, the section tried to keep, as far as possible, the original and very popular character of the cottage.

2. The trail

In the summer, from the parking place, walk along the driveway, between the houses of Winnebach, follow the marked path (no. 141) in switchbacks up into the forest. First, you follow a somewhat broader way, then the trail follows over a narrow mountain road, northwest of the Winnebach creek, on the lateral slopes into the valley.

After the tree line, a few meters down and along the Winnebach alp, further along the valley. Traverse underneath the climbing park “Kleinkanada”. In the end, the trail goes steep up to the now already visible hut.

In the winter, you take the same trail on touring skis or snowshoes, don’t take the small rising path to the left but remain on the wider path. For use of the winterroom, no key is needed.

2.1 Map

2.2 Starting point

From Gries, follow the road to Winnebach. In the second turn, there is a small parking area for the visitors of the hut. Attention: in spring snow chains are necessary. If you are using a GPS, the coördinates of the parking place are 47.072553N, 11.024842E. There is also a large parking place at the end of Gries, for the hikers to the Amberger Hütte (coördinates 47.069590N, 11.026656E).

How to get there:

By car: From Wenns, drive out of the Pitztal. In Imst, take the B171 to Roppen and Ötztal Bahnhof. Follow the B186 into the Ötztal. In Längenfeld, drive left to Gries, after the village is the parking lot.

By public transport: From Wenns, there is a bus connection to Längenfeld (change in Imst). Duration 1 hour 30 minutes. There is no bus connection between Längenfeld and Gries.

2.3 Turn-by-turn directions

From the parking place, walk along the driveway, between the houses of Winnebach, follow the marked path (no. 141) in switchbacks up into the forest.

2.4 Duration

The trail is a round trail, the hut is on the highest point. The total distance is 7,3 kilometers, the duration is 4 hours. This is only an indication, it takes longer when you stop to take pictures or if you take a break at the hut.