It is a precious habitat, home to both people and wildlife – a place where we can breathe deeply and reconnect with ourselves. And it is exactly this space we want to protect. How, you might ask?
Comfortable hike across the sunny high plateau of the Rodenecker-Lüsner Alp with magnificent views of the wide Brixen basin, the Eisack Valley and the Dolomites.
The beautiful panorama is normally the reward once you've climbed up to the highest point of a tour. But not on this hike to the Astjoch ridge: here there is a viewing platform right where you start at the Zumis car park. But don't let this hold you back from the hike itself, as a wealth of wonderful routes await you, crossing wide open meadows and pastures before finally reaching the Astjoch ridge itself. High above the Lüsner valley, it boasts exceptionally wide views of the Alps, over the Pustertal valley and the Dolomites. To help you get your bearings, the names of the countless mountain ranges and peaks that you can see have been engraved into a stone slab in the ground. A large part of the hike passes through nature conservation areas, where farmed mountain pastures alternate with upland moors and little marshy valley cuttings. The route also promises a number of curiosities to enjoy on the way, such as the little Alpine chapel Pianer Kreuz.
ACCESSIBILITY:
Suitable for: >People with electric wheelchairs/motors >seniors >families >mountain bikes
Trail surface: Non-asphalted forest road with good surface Arrival: people with disabilities can reach the huts by requesting a driving permit at the Mühlbach forestry station: +39 0472 849 764. Barrier-free toilets: at Zumis parking lot Sun/shade: First section through the forest, then sunny
Bars/Restaurants: >Naturhotel Runa (accessible via a short, steep climb). >Starkenfeldhütte (loose gravel flooring, one step to the bar area)
Starting from the Zumis parking lot, we follow forest road no. 4 on a natural surface, which leads eastwards at a constant moderate gradient of 8%. For about 2 km, the trail winds through sparse larch and red spruce forests and finally leads into open pastures in the area of the Naturhotel Runa (1832 m), a popular alpine inn, which can be reached via a short but somewhat steep climb. From here, follow the hiking trail in the direction of Starkenfeldhütte (signpost no. 2). This section of the trail includes some steep inclines (some >16%) and leads us to a small church dedicated to St. Clare and St. Bartholomew (1901 m). The path then becomes less strenuous. We leave the forest and reach the sunny high plateau of the Rodenecker and Lüsner Alm, surrounded by wide meadows and pastures dotted with small typical wooden huts. The path leads us gently up and down to a beautiful vantage point with an information board about the surrounding mountain peaks. The view of the Dolomites and the Isarco Valley is enchanting. Passing several small mountain lakes, we reach the Starkenfeldhütte hut with its cheese dairy (1936 m) after around 5.5 km. If you want to continue, after a pleasant panoramic hike of around 1 km and a few successive ascents of 12%, you will reach the Astmoos natural monument: a wide, very damp and marshy area covered with dense cushions of moss
Route data
Easy
Distance
13,0 km
Duration
3 h
34 min
Ascent
260 m
Decent
260 m
Technical skills
Physical condition
Scenary
Highest point
1.961 m
Lowest point
1.728 m
public transportation
Almbus Shuttle no. 415 from Mühlbach
How to get there
Follow the Brenner highway A22, exit Brixen-Nord, continue on the Pustertal state road to Mühlbach, where we turn right onto the country road to Rodeneck. Up to the villages Gifen and Nauders, we follow the signs to the Rodenecker-Lüsner Alm and finally reach the parking lot of Zumis (1725 m).
