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.