Kaisergebirge

Between Kufstein and St. Johann in Tirol, the mountain ranges have formed and created a heaven on earth for mountaineers, climbers, and hikers.

Untouched nature is not just a thrown word here, because there are deliberately not too many roads - let alone the rumble of cable cars. Back to simplicity, feeling nature in its originality - these are the experiences with which visitors to the Kaisergebirge finally return richly gifted to civilization.

Today, a nature reserve stretches over all the peaks of the Wild and the Zahmer Kaiser. Only one chairlift turns its rounds here - from the valley station in Sparchen/Kufstein over the middle station at the Duxer Alm to the mountain station at Brentenjoch (operating from May to the end of October).

Although the Niederkaiser cannot really keep up with the wealth of its neighbors, it does not need to hide - especially not because it has a particularly spectacular natural spectacle to offer with the Schleier Waterfall. The other two, Wild and Zahm, are connected by the Stripsenjoch, a pass at 1,577 meters above sea level.

As the highest peak of the Wilder Kaiser, the Ellmauer Halt (2,344 meters) has made an impressive name for itself. The gray giant can ideally be climbed from the Gruttenhütte (in the south flank). On clear days, the view from here extends to the Großglockner and the Großvenediger. But we want to go further. The medium-difficulty normal route via the Gamsängersteig, the Hochgrubachkar, the Jägerwand, and the Maximilianstraße is well secured, but there is a risk of falling rocks due to the large number of hikers (protective helmet highly recommended!). Ascent time from the hut: 2.5 hours.

More demanding in terms of climbing, the Kaiserschützensteig impresses with its length and less security, as well as its exposure to weather and natural forces. However, the landscape it offers is incomparable. Popular starting points are the Hans-Berger-Haus and the Anton-Karg-Haus on the Kaiserbach, where the once native brown bears are said to have bathed.

The long-distance hiking trail "Adlerweg" also leads from the southern slopes of the Wilder Kaiser past the Gaudeamushütte at the foot of the Törlspitzen (open from mid-May to October), the mentioned Gruttenhütte, the Kaiser-Hochalm, and the Walleralm to the crystal blue Hintersteiner See with a public beach and several dining options.

The highest elevation in the realm of the Zahmer Kaiser is the Vordere Kesselschneid, which just barely exceeds the two-thousand-meter mark (2,001 meters). It is separated from the neighboring Pyramidenspitze by a saddle about 50 meters deep, which is a rewarding destination for hikers and the most frequently climbed peak of the Zahmer Kaiser due to its views.

The Vorderkaiserfeldenhütte near the Alpenpflanzengarten Vorderkaiserfelden (with over 300 plant species from the Alpine region) offers a good starting point if you want to climb the Pyramidenspitze - past the Naunspitze, the Petersköpfl, and the Einserkogel. You can reach the summit cross without any problems in 2.5 hours.

The Vorderkaiserfeldenhütte is also a base for the 4-day "Kaisertour", which leads from Ebbs am Zahmen Kaiser to the Steinernen Stiege and to the Hintersteiner See.