Vertatscha round

From the Gasthof Bodenbauer (1056 m) on the cross-country ski trail to the Märchenwiese. From Märchenwiese, slightly left (east) through a sparse beech forest onto an open area below the already clearly visible Pautzrinne. Upwards through this with many hairpin turns, carrying skis for the last part of the gully to the exit on the Zlebscharte. (In winters with less snow, it can well happen that the last few meters lead over ice-covered rock, making the use of crampons necessary.) Now the first section is reached and the route could be aborted here and returned along the ascent to the starting point (sections up to about 45 degrees). From the Zlebscharte, right (southwest) to the already clearly visible Y-gully. At first with moderate incline, but at the fork of the Y the skis are exchanged for crampons and the further way to the summit is done with an ice axe and crampons. Here too, there is the option to ski down the route in reverse — but only in very good snow conditions, as the slope angle occasionally considerably exceeds 45 degrees. From the Vertatscha summit, mostly the first few meters still carrying skis westwards, then ski down the initially very steep cirque to the west into the Muldenboden (Slovenian Hochstuhl cirque). Alternatively, with good firn conditions, several approaches into this cirque are possible, as well as the south-facing descent to the summer path on the Slovenian side, which leads to the Hochstuhl. From the lowest point of the Slovenian Hochstuhl cirque, approx. 200 meters ascent to the Bielschitz saddle and further to the Vertatscha saddle, then a pleasurable descent through the Vertatscha cirque back to the starting point. From the Vertatscha saddle there is a very nice view of parts of the completed route (start of the Pautzrinne, Vertatscha ridge). The ski tour from Bodenbauer to the Vertatscha saddle is a classic and frequently undertaken ski tour in this area with approx. 800 meters of ascent.