Tyrolean Traverse - Crossing Tyrol on skis: from Dreiländerspitze to Großglockner

Text and Photos: Heinz Zak

Over the course of two winters Heinz Zak, Josef Margreiter and Fred Landl completed a ski traverse of the Tyrol Region.

Fred and Josef having a break; skiing down from Similaun on Marzellferner; during ascent looking at Großvenediger.

On a New Year's Eve my friends Josef Margreiter, Fred Landl and I decided to cross our entire home country of Tyrol on the main Alpine ridge on skis.

However, this was not as easy as we thought in the beginning. The main difficulty was to have safe snow conditions for several days in a row for the sometimes extremely steep stages. It is fundamentally more dangerous to ski on a completely different side of the mountain than the one you have climbed before. Skiing down towards Granatspitze (above); Dreiländerspitze (below)

An additional difficulty was that certain sections of our large crossing simply weren't located on common ski routes, such as crossing the Zillertal Alps.

It was also important for us to enjoy our long way through Tyrol and not just to tick summits on a list. We therefore spread our project over two seasons and ultimately experienced what we had dreamed of: a wonderful time with your friends in our home mountains.

Summit ridge Großer Geiger (left); ascending from Becherhaus to Wilder Freiger (right)

Our Route: 15 days, 23800 meter ascent, 340 kilometres distance

Skiing down to Dorfertal (above); the whole track (below)

Day 1
Galtür – Dreiländerspitze (3197 m) – Jamtalhütte, (1600 Hm)

Day 2
Jamtalhütte – Kronenjoch – Heidelberger Hütte – Idalpe – Stieralpe – Pfunds, (1100 Hm)

Day 3
Pfunds – Radurschltal – Riffljoch – Kaunertaler Gletscherbahn, (2200 Hm)

Day 4
Kaunertaler Gletscherbahn – Gepatschferner – Bella Vista – Hauslabjoch – Similaunhütte/Martin- Busch Hütte (1900 Hm)

Day 5
Similaun (3603 m) - Schalfkogeljoch – Obergurgl/Hochgurgl, (1100 Hm)

Day 6
Wurmkogelbahn – Timmelsjoch – Timmelsalm – Schwarzwandscharte – Becherhaus, (1500 Hm)

Day 7
Wilder Freiger (3418 m) – Nürnberger Scharte – Laponesalm – Gasthof Feuerstein/Gschnitztal, (1000 Hm)

Day 8
Schmirntal/Valstal – Wildlahner Scharte – Schlegeis Stausee – Breitlahner/Ginzling, (1900 Hm)

Day 9
Berliner Hütte – Schwarzenstein (3269 m) – Greizer Hütte, (2000 Hm)

Day 10
Löfflerscharte – Wollbachspitze (3209 m) – Hörndljoch – St.Peter/Ahrntal, (1850 Hm)

Day 11
Kasern – Hinteres Umbaltörl – Reggentörl – Essener-Rostocker Hütte, (1250 Hm)

Day 12
Großer Geiger (3360 m) – Johannishütte, (1150 Hm)

Day 13
Großvenediger (3660 m) – Matreier Tauernhaus, (1550 Hm)

Day 14
Sillingscharte – Granatspitzscharte – Dorfertal – Kals, (1800 Hm)

Day 15
Lucknerhaus – Großglockner (3798 m), (1900 Hm)