From Innsbruck to Brixen and through the Dolomites to San Martino di Castrozza
Stage 9 - St. Andrä to Plosehütte

more info | transalp start page
stage 1 | stage 2 | stage 3 | stage 4 | stage 5 | stage 6 | stage 7 | stage 8 | stage 9 | stage 10 | stage 11 | stage 12 | stage 13
stage 14 | stage 15 | stage 16 | stage 17
goxploring main page

An easy 4 hour uphill walk on path  #4. Well marked, but not vere frequented. Many people choose to take the gondola to Kreutztal and walk from there (about 1.5 hours).


Stedman, in his guidebook, describes this stage as 'relentlessly uphill' and he is quite correct! One leaves the town of St. Andrä by walking towards the lift station, then crosses a meadow and enters the forest. Every so often, a meadow opens up and allows valley views, but for the first few hours, it's a walk in the woods.
An older couple was coming dwon the path, well, not quite the path; it seeemed they were off a bit in the forest. Curious, we asked them if they were looking for mushrooms. 'No, pintura' the man said and pointed to his paint bucket with red and white paint. And the trail was well and freshly marked from here on. Above the treeline, alpine azaleas were in full bloom.
The Plosehütte is also a popular destination in winter, there are lots of skiruns and skilifts
on the side of this mountain.
We had our first views of the Dolomites as we reached the top of the pass, and then in the evening, the mountains glowed!
The Dolomites owe their name to the Frenchman Déodat de Dolomieu (1750- 1801) who to describe the chemical composition (stratified calcium magnesium carbonate) that renders this rock so different from all the rest.

printable hut list
top