Obernberg am Brenner, Austria

The Nordkettenbahnen starts in the town center area of Innsbruck and takes you first to Alpenzoo and then to an end stop. These first two stops are on a funicular. Once you get to the end of the funicular, you will then transfer to the actual bahn (lift) which will take you up to the Seegrube sto...

Starting from the tennis hall in Seefeld, follow the path towards Mösern which goes across the meadows. When you get to Mösern you'll see trails for the Möserer See and the Möserer See Stube. For the hike to the Brunschkopf, you don't actually pass the lake. It's a short detour off the trail but ...

The Wolfsklamm is a narrow and rocky canyon just outside the village of Stans in Tirol, just 20 minutes from the city of Innsbruck. There are a few free parking areas in the village with signposts to the start of the trail up the canyon. I've marked the one we used as the trailhead for this hike....

Starting at the base of the Karwendelbahn, follow signs under the roadway and up the hill. From there, follow the yellow signs to the Dammkarhütte. This portion of the hike is relatively easygoing, but the last little bit up to the hut involves quite a bit of shale, so be prepared to take your ti...

Seceda is one of the most famous (and most photographed) spots in all of the Italian Dolomites. This summer I decided to finally visit it to see if it was really worth the hype, and to see if there was a way to escape the worst of the crowds.Most tourists visit Seceda from Ortisei, taking the cab...

Once you pass the toll station for the Kauntertal Glacier Road, you keep following the road past the reservoir and up to the waterfall and climbing garden. This is where you park the car and start the hike, following the signs for route 902 to the Rauhekopfhütte.For the first hour, your are mostl...

This was my first adventure during my visit to Germany.  The hike starts at the historic 1936 winter olympics venue, Olympic-Skistadion stadium.  The preserved stadium adorns the same sculptures and features found during the 1936 winter games.  After taking in the olympic history, follow the sign...

Starting at the Olympic Ski Jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (708 m), walk toward the mountains along Wildenauer Strasse and follow signs to the Partnach Gorge (Partnachklamm). There is a fee of 3 Euros per person to enter the gorge, but it is definitely worth seeing (and hearing.) If you arrive at...

Starting from the parking lot, walk 500m to the trail head. The hike begins with a gravel path that winds up an initial climb and spills out onto a gravel road. The marked trail leads to a hut that serves as the entrance to the gorge. The hut serves light food, drinks, and has free bathrooms avai...

This trail starts out right where one of the paths lead up to Zugspitze (Germany's highest mountain) but we take the route via Riffelscharte down to Eibsee. The tour starts from Hammersbach (parking available) through the spectacular Höllentalklamm gorge. At the end of the gorge, you can rest, ea...

The Krimml Waterfalls are situated in the Hohe Tauern National Park in the Salzburg region of Austria. At 380m high, they are the highest waterfalls not just of Austria, but in all of Europe. In the village of Krimml, near base of the waterfall you'll find a number of parking areas and the Wasser...

If you want to add a via ferrata on to your itinerary for the Dolomites, then the Pisciadù Via Ferrata (also known as Brigata Tridentina Klettersteig) is one of the best. A Dolomites classic! This VF is easily accessible from the village of Colfosco, on the Passo Gardena mountain pass, with a sma...

Pragser Wildsee, also known as Lago di Braies, lies in a mostly German-speaking area of northern Italy close to the border with Austria. This glacial blue lake is surrounded by towering mountains and thick evergreen forests, which can be experienced on the 2.2-mile loop trail or Alta Via 1 trail....

Starting at the Hotel Lago Di Braies, you have the option to loop around the lake to hiker's left or right. To the left is the local dock, while to the right is a chapel and barn. Either way, you will end up where you started no longer than an hour and a half later. Once you are done with the loo...

Only an hour and a half from Bolzano, or an hour from Cortina d'Ampezzo, (my home base while in the Dolomites), Lago Di Braies is a must do half day trip. This popular destination is known for it's beautiful blue water and towering surrounding peaks and it does not disappoint. Most only see the p...

The Alta Via 1 is the definite trail through the Italian Dolomites, showcasing some of the most scenic terrain in all of the Alps. It begins at Lago di Braies and ends in the town Belluno, covering 150 kilometers and over 26,000' of elevation gain.Unlike backpacking or fastpacking in the United S...