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Hike to the “Castle in the Dolomites”
Alpe di Siusi, Alpe di Siusi
Description
This route can be hiked either on a one-day or a multi-day tour. The Schlern: emblem mountain of South Tyrol, gentle giant and hiking paradise. This tour leads straight over the Seiser Alm, ascends all the way up to the Tierser Alpl, surrounded by its impressive rocky formations,...
This route can be hiked either on a one-day or a multi-day tour.

The Schlern: emblem mountain of South Tyrol, gentle giant and hiking paradise. This tour leads straight over the Seiser Alm, ascends all the way up to the Tierser Alpl, surrounded by its impressive rocky formations, and then crosses over the Schlern plateau to arrive at destination – the “Castle in the Dolomites”: The Refuge Schlernhaus mountain hut – or rather, mountain huts, given that there are 4 of them alongside each other, all built between 1885 and 1908 , in an architectural style which merges seamlessly with the surrounding countryside. The interior decor is, for the main part, in its original condition and wakens a sense of mountaineering nostalgia and an atmosphere of sociable companionship, rounded off to perfection with traditional South Tyrolean dishes.

 

What better way to experience the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites and the surrounding mountains than on a two-day hut hike to the highlights in the holiday region Seiser Alm? The first stage of our tour leads to the Schlern, whose unmistakeable form is the emblem of South Tyrol. The following day we make our way to the privately-owned Refuge Tierser Alpl hut with its distinctive red roof and on to the Seiser Alm.

Details

There are a number of variants to this tour: The “Classic” is the ascent along the tourist route, which is also the easiest of the Schlern ascents and onwards as described below to the Tierser Alpl and over the Seiser Alm and back to your set-off point, or alternatively, along the tourist route ascent back to the set-off point, or along the Prügelweg to Völs.

Day 1:

The hike begins at Compatsch on the Seiser Alm, Europe’s largest alpine pasture. The easiest and quickest way to get here is by the Seiser Alm cable car from Seis am Schlern (large free car park at the valley station). From Compatsch, head towards the Hotel Panorama (or take the chairlift) and take a right after around 1 kilometre onto trail no. 10. From here we follow the numerous bends of the trail up to the high plateau of the Schlern and the Refuge Schlernhaus (2,457 m), whose palatial aspect has led to its alternative title of “the castle in the mountains.”

 

Our tip: Sunset on the Petz, the highest point of the Schlern (2,564 m), is an absolute must-see for all nature lovers. A 15-minute walk will take you from the Refuge Schlernhaus to the summit, where a breathtaking 360 ° panorama unfolds before you as you admire the mountain peaks of the Dolomites at sunset.

Duration: 3h

Length: 9.2 km

Ascent: 827 m

 

Day 2:

We don’t have quite as much height to cover the following day .Throughout the tour the views of the Dolomite peaks, including the Rosengarten, the Langkofel Group and even the highest mountain in the Dolomites, the Marmolada, are breathtaking.The route leads over the back of the Schlern in a slight ascent towards the Roterdspitze, where the trail branches off steeply and we can see the striking red roof of the Refuge Tierser Alpl (2,441 m), ready to welcome us in for a lunch break. The landlord built the hut with his own hands and opened two climbing routes, the Via Ferrata Maximilian and Laurenzi/Maximilian- und Laurenzi-Klettersteig, both of which begin here. The hut was renovated and partly rebuilt in 2015, and is one of the architectural highlights of South Tyrol.From the Tierser Alpl we begin the ascent to the Rosszähne, which we then cross. During the return to the set-off point in Compatsch, we traverse the vast expanse of Europe’s largest alpine pasture, where a rest-break at one of the huts provides the perfect opportunity to savour the culinary delicacies of South Tyrol.

 

Duration: 4 hours

Length: 12.4 km

Ascent: 363 m – Descent: 978 m

Approach

The start and end point of this tour is Compatsch on the Seiser Alm. To get here, take the Seiser Alm cable car or with line 10 from Seis am Schlern via Kastelruth. Parking facilities are available at the valley station of the Seiser Alm car.

The road to the landscape conservation area Seiser Alm is closed to private traffic from 9.00am to 5.00pm. During this time you can get to the Seiser Alm by the Seiser Alm cable car from Siusi or by bus from Kastelruth. You can descend from Compatsch at any time.

Seiser Alm cable car

Bus service and timetables