Neustift to Kreuzjoch via Starkenberger Hütte
We set off for the Starkenberger Hütte from Neustift village
centre. This is either the first or final stage of the Stubai Hohenweg,
depending on the direction the route is walked. It was a hot and steep climb but
took us 20 minutes less than the 3 hours on the signpost. The path climbs in
loops through the forest and over some small alms before coming out onto the
open mountainside below the Hoher Burgstall with the hut visible at 2237m. From
the hut there is a tremendous panorama over the entire range of Stubaital
mountains and also the “hidden” valley of the Oberbergtal. From here the various
types of rock of the different ranges can be identified clearly; the light grey
rocks of the dolomite of the Kalkkögel, Serleskamm and Tribulagruppe, the darker
granite of the Habicht and the mountains between the Stubaital and the
Oberbergtal as well as the slates of the mountains near the head of the
Stubaital. Beyond the head of the valley the glaciers dominate the scene.
After coffee at the hut (where a sign points to the toilets with
no requests for payment even from those not visiting the hut’s restaurant!) we
set off on the path to Sennjoch. This winds its way through the avalanche
barriers that protect Neustift and then follows an “airy” path cut into the
rock, over scree and even a bridge. In places it is a little exposed but always
comfortably safe. Eventually the path joins the path that crosses the Hoher
Burgstall (2611m) and Niederer Burgstall (2436m) and drops down to the Sennjoch
Stüberl restaurant (2240m). The path continues downhill around the northwest
side of the Kreuzjoch avoiding the Kletterstieg over its crest to reach the
Schilck 2000 gondola cable car at Kreuzjoch (2136m). Across the valley lies the
tremendous Kalkkögel range of dolomite mountains with the Schilcker Seespitze
(2804m) as the highest point.