Hiking in winter and Ski-touring Tips

Even if you are not the biggest winter sporting ace, it will never be boring. Hiking in winter, with or without snow shoes, is getting more and more popular.

Directly behind our Hotel you can start a small tour to the Spitzige Lun, the local mountain of Mals. For this mountain you have a lot of different possibilities to go uphill. Up until 1.600m you can walk perfectly well without snow shoes. On 1.600m you should put on the snow shoes, so that you don’t completely sink into the snow. When you reach the peak you’ll be rewarded by a wonderful panoramic view!

• Weißkugel 3.738m

Walking distance: 5,5 hours
Difference in altitude: 1.900m
Descent: at the beginning very steep, then very long
Difficulty: difficult
Description: The Weißkugel in the valley of Matsch is the highest mountain in the Ötztaler Alps with 3.738 metres. It takes a long advance and at the end there is a challenging climb.

Starting at Glieshof on 1.800m above sea level you go into the valley until the “Klamm”. Go past the “Gewelzbach” towards “Garten”. There is a constant ascent along the glaciers Hintereisferner and Matscher Ferner until you reach the saddle “Hintereisjoch” (3.496m). From there the steep ascension over the Eiswandl (ice-wall) starts to the peak of the Weißkugel. Wonderful descent.

• Portles 3.074m

Walking distance: 3,5 hours, starting at Thanaihof (1.824m)
Difference in altitude: 1.200m
Descent: wonderful descent without big difficulties
Difficulty: easy
Description: The Portlesspitze with 3.074 metres is a relatively easy ski-tour in the Valley
of Matsch.

Start at the Thanaihöfe and keep left towards “Kalte Wiesn”. Then go on towards Roter Kofel on 2.658m. Cross the Outer Portles and then walk on towards the peak Portles Spitze. Southeast slope with easy but very beautiful descent.

• Piz Sesvenna 3.204

Walking distance: 5 hours, starting in Schlinig
Difference in altitude: 1.738m
Descent: easy
Difficulty: medium
Description: Piz Sesvenna lies in the Sesvenna Group and belongs to the municipal territory of Mals. It is a gorgeous tour!

Starting from the idyllic mountain village Schlinig on 1.738m you go into the valley until the alpine pasture Schliniger Alm. From there take the normal route, keep right and go uphill until Schwarze Wand (Black Wall) to the Sesvenna Hut on 2.256m. Then keep left and head for the Lake Sesvenna on 2.639m. From the Lake you go towards Sesvennascharte (Wind Gap of Sesvenna) on 2.819m and then cross the Sesvenna Glacier up to the Piz Sesvenna.

Easy descent including one small ascent of about 10 minutes. You should be always careful when descending the Wand (Wall).

• Innerer Nockenkopf 2.772m

Walking distance: 2,5 hours starting from the valley station of Rojenlift
Difference in altitude: 860m
Descent: easy
Difficulty: easy

• Bärenbartkogel 3557m

Walking distance: 5,5 hours, starting from Melag
Difference in altitude: 1.657m
Descent: one of the most beautiful descents in our region
Difficulty: medium
Description: The Bärenbartkogel is situated in the Valley Langtaufers which belongs to the municipality of Graun near the Pass Reschenpass. It takes you about 40 minutes to get to the starting point of Melag. The mountains of the Valley Langtaufers belong to the Ötztaler Alps.

At the end of the Valley there is the hamlet Melag. There you can park your car and start the tour. From Melag you go into the valley along the River Karlin. After about one hour turn right and start the ascension over the glacier Bärenbartferner towards the saddle Bärenbartjoch on 3.292m
On the saddle turn left and go over the glacier towards Bärenbartkogel. It is a long and wide descent almost until Melag.

General information
The upper Vinschgau Valley for ski-tour fans! Our municipality of Mals is the second largest municipality of South Tyrol in terms of area. It reaches from the north and east with the Ötztaler Alps to the west with the Sesvennagroup, which is part of the Rhaetian Alps. In the south there is, majestically, the Ortlergroup with the mountain Ortler in the centre. All this tells you a lot about the possibilities that ski-tour fans have in our region.

Our Hotel is situated in the centre of Mals and so almost in the centre of the region. In about a 20 minute car drive you reach the most important valleys from where you can start your tours. The valleys of Matsch, Schlinig and Planeil are all part of the municipality of Mals.

In about a 30 minute car drive you reach the most important starting points in the valleys of Langtaufers and Rojen, which are part of the neighbouring municipality of Graun near the Pass Reschenpass. Switzerland is only about 10 minutes distance from Mals. And there you find the area round the Pass Ofenpass in the Valley Val Mustair, which is a famous area for ski-tours, too.

Of course we can give you information about weather and snow conditions.

The information about the current danger of avalanches in the nearby valleys is updated daily and available at the reception. If you need some secret tips, the son of the house will surely give you some, as he is an ardent ski-tour fan.