Bodenschneid-Wasserspitz-Rainerkopf Loop

East of the parking lot, walk just 150 meters along the wide hiking trail into the Valepp; then, without any signposts, a path—which at first appears unremarkable and overgrown with weeds—branches off to the left toward the Bodenalmgraben. After crossing the stream bed, the trail becomes more distinct. It winds its way upward in many switchbacks through the very steep high forest to the left of the ravine (passing a waterfall) and crosses the steep gorge to the right. An old steel cable offers (not much) assistance in climbing out of the rocky gorge wall. Beyond that, the trail climbs steeply in several switchbacks through the rocky high-altitude forest. After crossing another stream ravine, the trail ascends to the right of it all the way to the Bodenalm. Here you’ll meet trail WW 626, which heads back into the forest after passing the alpine huts. On the root-strewn trail, you’ll reach the rocky summit area, traverse to the left, and climb up the well-stepped rock face on the right to the large summit cross of the Bodenschneid.

Follow Trail 626 toward the Bodenschneidhaus only briefly until the right-hand hairpin turn, then branch off to the left onto the unmarked but clearly recognizable path along the ridge. Through mountain pine groves, the trail descends steeply to the crux on the north ridge. An approximately 10-meter-high rock face (II°) must now be climbed down, requiring some side-stepping around a rock crevice. (You can bypass this section a bit more easily to the left through a narrow mountain pine gully, but here you’ll also have to descend a wall section (-II°) with good handholds but requiring some side-stepping, and you’ll reach the foot of the crux via a gully. The route now descends through a steep, eroded gully and a root-strewn, rugged mountain pine passage to the saddle in front of the Rinnerspitz. The trail winds steeply but easily up to the unmarked Rinnerspitz.

Through a very steep and rugged mountain pine gully, we descend—partly scrambling—into the saddle in front of the Wasserspitz, where the monument to the poacher Jennerwein is located. Via a moderately steep, root-covered, and rugged trail (briefly slightly exposed), we reach the summit cross of the Wasserspitz.

Descending steeply through mountain pine gorges along the rugged north ridge, we reach the saddle of the Raineralm meadows. From here, it’s easy to follow a visible trail—first along the edge of the meadow and finally through mountain pine gorges—up to the small summit cross of the Rainerkopf. Return to the saddle and follow the alpine trail down to the Raineralm. On gravel road 626A, take the left at each fork to descend to the staffed Kühzaglalm and continue via Kühzagl back to the starting point.