Hikes in Gramais

Hike from Gramais (1,321m) over the Branntweinböden and Gufelhütte (2,095m) to the Gufelgrasjoch (2,382m) and Steinkarjoch and on to the Steinseehütte (2,061m).

Scenic circular route through the Lechtal Alps. Day 1: Gramais - Hanauer Hut (5:30 h) Day 2: Hanauer Hut - Steinsee Hut (3:30 h) Day 3: Steinsee Hut - Gramais (5:30 h)

: A Fascinating Landscape of Water and Rock The small mountain village of Gramais, tucked away in a side valley of the Lech Valley, is Austria’s smallest municipality with its 42 residents. The old mountain farms are surrounded by magnificent mountain scenery. The trail from there through the unspoiled Roßkartal valley is particularly beautiful, featuring rugged rocky terrain, five waterfalls, a charming mountain lake, and a stunning backdrop of mountain peaks. The return route over the Heinzensprossen Ridge is more alpine and challenging than the ascent to the lake.

Part of a 12-day tour crossing the Apls

A large mountain lake nestled among rugged rocky peaksNo other mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps remains as untouched and pristine today as the Lechtal Alps. There’s a good reason for this: Here, the mountains rise particularly rugged, steep, and inaccessible, making them virtually “unusable” by humans. This helps hikers there have particularly profound and lasting experiences. Especially on the trail to the surprisingly large Kogelsee, you find yourself right in the middle of this primeval world. Particularly impressive are the strangely undulating walls of the Bockkarspitzen (2,607 m), which you come very close to at the end of the hike. In contrast, there are distinct grassy peaks adorned with a profusion of flowers, especially in early summer.

1. Gramais-Boden: HM +796/-763, 8 km, max. 2087 mNN 2. Boden-Anhalter Hut (via Hahntenjoch): HM +878/-204, 8.1 km, max. 2187 mNN 3. Anhalter Hut - Boden (via Plötzigtal and Hölltal): HM +300/-973, 12.65 km, max. 2027 mNN 4 a. Boden-Hanauer Hut: HM +582/-18, 5.9 km, max. 1920 mNN 4 b. Hanauer Via Ferrata (easy variant up to cat. B/C): HM +170/-170, 1.2 km, max. 1920 mNN 5 a. Hanauer Hut - Steinsee Hut (via eastern Drehmelscharte): HM +595/-468, 5.1 km, max. 2485 mNN 5 b. Steinsee Via Ferrata: +590/-590, 4.6 km, max. 2592 mNN 6. Steinsee Hut - Hanauer Hut (via Gufelgrasjoch and Gufelseejoch): HM +729/-867, 9 km, max. 2393 mNN 7. Hanauer Hut - Boden: HM +64/-620, 5.8 km, max. 1920 mNN

Stage 1 on Friday, 15.8.: Stage 1: Vienna - Innsbruck – Hanauer Hut (1922 m) Travel to Vienna by Railjet (05:30 - 09:38) Continue from Innsbruck – Gramais (the smallest municipality in Austria with about 47 inhabitants, of which at the 2013 state election only 76.92 % voted ÖVP (!) but in 2008 still 88.57 % and at the 2013 national council election at least 85.19% ;) Travel time: about 1 hour 45 minutes, leave the car here Ascent to Hanauer Hut Ascent time: 3 hours (in my opinion quite sporty, I also found information of 5.5 h…) Overnight stay at Hanauer Hut (dormitory) Stage 2 on Saturday, 16.8.: Hanauer Hut (1922 m) - Steinsee Hut (2061 m) There are two options to hike to the Steinsee Hut: via the western or the eastern Dremel notch. The western has the advantage that we can climb the Dremel peak from it in good weather. The eastern is somewhat flatter, more comfortable and longer.  Walking time for the eastern route: 3 hours Overnight stay Steinsee Hut (dormitory) Stage 3 on Sunday, 17.8.: Steinsee Hut (2061 m) - Württemberger House (2220 m) From the hut again a short descent, then comfortably ascending to the Steinkar notch. Behind it grassy slopes or scree fields are crossed before the path ascends more steeply through rocks and then scree to the Rosskar notch. After the notch steeply down in a narrow rock gully (ropes), later down in the somewhat wider cirque on scree into a basin. Then the path crosses meadow slopes and scree fields and moderately ascends. Finally, the route goes steeply up to the Gebaudejoch. Beyond on black earth on a bad, unsecured path steeply down and across grassy slopes, which are crossed. Finally in switchbacks down to the Württemberger House. Walking time 3.45 h (we could add another mountain) Overnight stay Württemberger House (dormitory) Stage 4 on Monday, 18.8.: Württemberger House (2220 m) - Gramais – Innsbruck – Vienna I did not find a description for the direction descending from the hut, but only from Gramais ascending: In the Branntweinboden turn left onto a steep path over Stiegele (a secured section with ropes) into the Vordere and Hintere Gufel and on to Gufelsee, the most beautiful lake in the Lechtal Alps. In the Gufel turn right into Bittrich, over the lake and Bittrich notch to the Württemberger House in Obermedriol. Walking time (estimated): 4 h (almost 5 h uphill) Return trip to Innsbruck (approx. 1h 45 min) Meal at C7 Return journey to Vienna by Railjet (18:22 - 22:30)

Gramais – Oberlahmsspitze – Memminger Ht. – Parseierjoch – Augsburger Ht. – Landeck

Gramais - Kogelsee - Kogelseescharte - Hanauer Hütte - Gufelsee Scharte - Gufelsee - Gramais