Mountainhut Klosteralm & Saxalbsee Lake

Senales Valley, Merano & Surroundings

Difficulty:

Description

According to oral tradition, after the dissolution of the Carthusian monastery of Allerengelsberg in 1782, the farmed Alpine pastures of Klosteralm (open from the beginning of June to mid / end of October, depending on the weather) at 2,152 m became the property of a number of families in Certosa/Karthaus who set up a syndicate which has thirty members today. The farm was only accessible by a narrow mountain path until a transport cable car was built in 1959. Thanks to the avalanche barrier beneath the Kreuzspitze, a road link was provided as an “ancillary benefit”. Due to its steep and stony pastures, the farm has been used almost exclusively as a typical farm for young cattle.

Details

From the public car park in Certosa/Karthaus – there is also a bus stop here – we take a left past the village community hall towards the forest. We continue up along the steep and well-marked trail (no. 23) that has a few bends to the Klosteralpe hut. After about two hours of a strenuous hike, the forest opens up and you can see the first green pastures. At the farm, which also offers accommodation, we are rewarded with a superb view of the Pfossental Valley opposite and the many 3,000 m-peaks in the Texel Group. Hikers shouldn’t be put off by another hour of hiking because at an altitude of 2,460 m the unspoilt beauty of the picturesque Saxalbsse will be revealed. The crystal clear water of the mountain lake is impressive with its alternating blue-green colour, depending on the clouds, which is a clear departure from the usual brown of high mountain terrain. It would appear that the Carthusian monks, who were required by the rules of their order not to eat meat, used the mountain lake even centuries ago for their fishing needs. Today, the people of Senales have the fishing rights once again. There are two routes up to the lake, but we recommend Route A for the ascent and Route B for the descent. This will provide you with a rewarding round trip. Surefootedness is a must here.

Ascent A: From malga del convento/Klosteralm, we take trail no. 23 for about 30 minutes in a wide left-hand curve through a block slope to a wooden pole. Beyond that, at one stage passing above a large crevice, cross over a number of slopes into a small valley. There is an impressive blockfield below the trail. After a short climb to the saddle, we see the lake beyond it in in large hollow. Ascent B: From malga del convento/Klosteralm, take trail no. 23 upwards for two minutes until you see a sign “See/Kreuz” pointing to the right. Before swinging upwards towards Trumser Spitze, the well-marked trail leads into a little valley. Keeping left, we continue on to a mountain saddle to the right of the small but conspicuous Sardutspitze 2598 m. Beyond that, the trail (29A) leads over an uncomfortably steep slope and down to the lake.