Nürenberger Hütte to Sulzenau Hütte

Technical difficulty: 5/10
Fitness: 5/10
Objective danger: 3/10 (some technical sections over the ridge)
Landscape: 7/10
Busy: 4/10

A loop covering a small part of Stubai High Trail between Nürnberger Hütte and Salzenau Hütte passing through beautiful valleys of Stubai Valley and past azure blue lakes.

Starting point: Parking at Wilde Wasser Weg
Ending point: Parking at Wilde Wasser Weg
Length: 18km
Vertical: 1200m
Speed: Single track for most of the way. Generally quite well maintained.

Route:

Hello everyone! A few weeks ago, my friends from Colorado came over, and together we explored a beautiful loop in the picturesque Stubai Valley. Today, I’m thrilled to share our adventure with you all.

Our journey began and ended at the Wilde Wasser Weg parking lot near Grawa Alm, along the main road meandering up the valley.

We hit the trail running parallel to the road, making our way down the valley towards Tschangelair Alm. Here, a right turn led us to a trail that started climbing uphill beside a mesmerizing waterfall. With every upward stride, the cascading waters cheered us on, as if urging us to reach the skies.

Soon, after climbing a few hundred vertical meters, we connected to a forest road. As we ran, we could feel the terrain change beneath our feet, leading us to the quaint B’suchalm. But the adventure didn't end here; the trail suddenly became steeper, challenging our legs with zig-zags as we aimed for the Nürnberger Hütte.

Now, the mountain presented us with two paths westward: one over Mairspitze, one over Stubai High Trail, over a narrow ridge saddle named Niederl. We chose the Stubai High Trail. The steep trail led us straight up, with the last few hundred meters before and after the pass secured with fixed chains.

Reaching the top, we were greeted by a technical single-track trail leading towards the Sulzenau Hütte, visible in the distance. As we ran, we passed by azure lakes that mirrored the sky, with the mighty glaciers standing guard in the background. The trail unfolded the valley's beauty with every step we took.

The descent from the hut was straightforward, a path I’ve described in a previous post on this blog.

We absolutely loved every bit of this trail, and I hope you find the same joy when you explore it. Until next time, keep running and keep exploring!

Pro tip: On a hot summer day, a short side-trip to the Blaue Lacke might be worth it for a quick dip in a chilly water. Documented in this post here.

Photos by @the.running.nomad and @horner.runs