From Alpine Pasture to Alpine Pasture: The Great Taste Round in Gaistal

On one side the Hohe Munde, on the other the Wetterstein Mountains, and in between a green valley, a turquoise river, lots of forest, many cows, and even more marmots: this is the Gaistal near Leutasch. And spread throughout the entire route: the numerous alpine pastures and huts! Whether at the valley floor or at high altitude, in this vast valley there are more than 10 charming and scenic alpine huts gathered. On the Hochalmen circular hike, you can hike to 6 of them: The Wangalm, the Rotmoosalm, the Steinerne Hüttl, the Tillfussalm, the Gaistalalm, and the Hämmermoosalm. What you should bring for the hike is good stamina, some sure-footedness, and lots of hunger for good hut food! Depending on stops at the huts, you will be on the trail for at least 10 hours. If you happen to linger too long at one of the huts: The hike can be shortened at several points.

The starting point of the circular hike is the beginning of the Gaistal valley, preferably early in the morning. Here, a sporty steep section awaits, where you will already ascend some elevation. Afterwards, you can continue along the forest road or a small forest path to the first lovely alpine hut: the Wangalm (1,753m). A great terrace with a view of the Leutasch awaits hikers here. You will often meet climbers who are scaling the walls of the nearby Schüsselkars.

What you shouldn't miss at the Wangalm: the Wangalmbrettl, the Kaiserschmarrn, and the view of the Wettersteinhütte.

After the first two alpine huts, a scenically impressive section of the trail follows. Behind the Wangalm, one ascends through the rocky garden in the Scharnitz Valley, with views of the rugged walls of Schüsselkars. At the large boulder, one turns off to the Scharnitzjoch and climbs a few altitude meters again via a small path. Upon reaching the pass, one can look across to the opposite Gehrenspitze, the Hohe Munde, and the Gaistal – and for the first time, the Rotmoosalm makes its appearance. The trail continues easily and with little elevation gain along the southern wall path. Some sure-footedness is required, but the views here remain impressively beautiful. After a short descent from Schönberg, one finally reaches the spectacularly located Rotmoosalm, which towers at 2,030 meters above the Gaistal, making it the highest alpine pasture in the valley.

What you shouldn't miss at the Rotmoosalm: the cheese dumplings fried in clarified butter and the homemade cakes from innkeeper Gabi.

After the Rotmoosalm, the fourth of the six huts follows: the Steinerne Hüttl (1,925m). If you have tired legs or can't part from the sun terrace of the Rotmoosalm, you can descend directly to the Gaistalalm from here; otherwise, you continue along the beautiful South Wall Trail. You go slightly uphill towards Predigstuhl again. You can still take the summit of Predigtstuhl, where a bit of sure-footedness and freedom from vertigo is required. From the pass, it goes slightly downhill to the hut. The Steinerne Hüttl is the coziest hut in Gaistal, and by 'cozy' we mainly mean 'simple': the small hut made of stone and wood has a nice, scenic terrace and a very small, good menu.

What you shouldn't miss at Steinerne Hüttl: the view all the way to the Zillertal Glacier, the refreshing drinks from the cool well.

Now we descend some altitude back into the Gaistal valley. A small path leads steadily towards the valley until the thighs start to burn a little. That’s when the Tillfussalm (1,382m) comes just in time, providing a relaxing stopover while enjoying the view from the sun terrace once again towards Hohe Munde and the peacefully grazing young calves. By the way, behind the Tillfussalm is the pretty hunting lodge where the Bavarian writer Ludwig Ganghofer once wrote his works.

Don’t miss these at the Tillfussalm: the Tillfussbrettl, homemade buttermilk, and fresh yogurt with fruit.

Along the turquoise-blue Leutascher Ache (a wonderful refreshment on hot days!) one continues to the second to last of the seven alpine pastures, the Gaistalalm (1,373m). Here you can really treat yourself and completely make up for the calorie deficit of the long hike.

What you shouldn't miss at the Gaistalalm: the dumpling duo, the alpine rösti, the homemade apple strudel (tastes just like from grandma!).

Anyone who still has enough strength in their legs can make their way from the Gaistalalm to the Hämmermoosalm. Those who have had enough or are running late can skip it and head back directly. The path along the Ganghoferweg is flat and pleasant to walk until you finally arrive at the large Alm at the beginning of the valley.

Don’t miss these at the Hämmermoosalm: the famous schnitzels, the Hämmermoos salad, and one last view of the constant companion of the tour, the Hohe Munde.

Finally, it’s time to head back via the Ganghoferweg or the forest path. At the Salzbach parking lot, you can cool your feet one last time in the natural Kneipp facility at the Leutascher Ache – after all, it's the best way to regenerate after an extensive tour!

Those who prefer a more leisurely approach can also complete the Hochalmen circular hike over two days, as all the huts offer nice overnight accommodations. Peak enthusiasts can also take in a few mountain peaks along the way. A detour to the scenic Gehrenspitze or to the Predigstuhl between Wangalm and Rotmoosalm is particularly recommended, or a climb to the "Gatterl" above the Steinernen Hüttls, from where one can gaze at the Zugspitze.