From Stuttgart there is one train connection a day that goes to Imst without changing trains. So Imst was our destination for this long weekend. After about 6 or 7 hours we finally arrive at the train station Imst-Pitztal. When you arrive at the train station there seems to be no town close to it. We booked a hotel in Arzl, because on the map it looked quite close to the station. But what we could not see on this map was that we have to go up a hill to reach the village. So it takes us about one hour from the train station to go to the hotel. The hotel (the only one that was still available) is very nice. On the reception we are told that dinner will be "entrecote" today. We had no idea what it is, but we said that it would be ok for us.
The dinner at the hotel was fantastic! It stared with a salad buffet, then soup, then leek and potato pastry. Then the main course entrecote (a medium beef steak) with potato with garlic dip and roasted vegetables. And afterwards a piece of cake. Great! After that we fall into bed immediately.
The next morning we enjoy a great breakfast. After breakfast the bus to Trenkwald is leaving in front of our hotel. I think we are the youngest people on this bus. All the others must be older than 60 or so.. After about one hour the bus arrives in Trenkwald. From there we plan to go up to the Verpeiljoch and then down to the Verpeil Hut. The path is very nice and we enjoy the great view around. We follow a small river for a long time. The way down from Verpeiljoch is very slippery because of many pebbles lying around. After 6 or 7 hours we arrive at the hut which is beautifully situated. Two rivers and high mountains surround the hut. We spent a lot of time lying in the sunshine and then we enjoy dinner. We sleep very well, no one snores.
The next morning after breakfast we want to go to the Kaunergrathütte. It is a beautiful view when the sun comes over the mountain and from one second to another everything is enlighten. The path is really nice, you always look at the Madatschtürme. We even see some people going up there. Then we go along a glacier up to the aperes Madatschjoch. From there there is a short fixed rope route down in the direction of the Kaunergrathütte. We decide to go up the Plangeroßkopf which is something like a little summit at 3053m high. We spent some time in the sunshine on the top and just enjoy being there. After some time we go back down and to the Kaunergrathütte. Actually we wanted to sleep there, but they were full! Therefore they asked us to go to the Riffelseehütte. This is another 3 to 4 hours walk. But before we leave the Kaunergrathütte we have a Apfelstrudel. Yummy!! The so called Cottbuser Höhenweg which connects the Kaunergrathütte with the Riffelseehütte is very beautiful. You always have a great view of the surrounding mountains. One passage contains a few ropes, but it is doable without via ferrata gear. After more than 10 hours we finally arrive at the Riffelseehütte. We have a very nice room with two other people. Dinner is Gulaschsuppe and for me Knödelteller and for Carsten Leberkäse with egg and potatoes. Really good! And I am so full afterwards! After dinner we play cards and then we fall into bed - until 4am in the morning. Then the fire bell is ringing and (almost) everybody gets up - but luckily it was only a false alarm.
After breakfast we decided to go the Offenbacher Höhenweg to the Taschachhaus. This way is very beautiful! In the beginning you walk along a small river, then you cross a place with many big stones lying around until you reach a small glacier. For the glacier we used our crampons and then we went up. That was cool. Then there are two paths up to the summit of the Wurmtaler Kopf - you can either continue to go up the glacier or walk on the ridge. We decided to take the path on the ridge - but that was not so good. Many loose pebbles made the way up very slippery. But on top of the Wurmtaler Kopf - 3228m high - you have a great panorama. Then we start to descend to the Taschachhaus - it is still far away. We pass a lake that looked like the water is green. We took many breaks on the way to the Taschachhaus and enjoyed the beautiful landscape. Now we could also see the glacier around the Wildspitze. The Taschachhaus had a nice room for us and great food. Soup, salad, Wiener Schnitzel with Pommes and Apfelstrudel! What a great evening.
In the morning after breakfast we went back down to the village Mittelberg. From there a bus took us to Imst and from there we took the train back to Stuttgart. This was another great long weekend in a beautiful landscape!
