Schwaz, Austria

The trail begins next to the Sportplatz in the village of Grinzens, just outside of Innsbruck. The trail begins as a gravel road, but within a few meters it splits. You can either take route 51 which follows the gravel road or route 52 which cuts through the forest. We chose to follow route 52 on...

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...

The hike from the Oberiss Alm mountain pastures to the Franz Senn Hut in the Stubai Valley in Tirol is a wonderful hike for the whole family. The hike starts from the Oberissalm, a remote farmhouse surrounded by alpine meadows. Here you'll find a paid parking area and working farmhouse serving f...

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 ...

This adventure starts from the Munich Hbf. Catch an early morning 1.5 hour BoB ( Bayerische Oberlandbahn) train to Osterhofen (Oberbay.) Get on the train marked Tegernsee, but be careful, the train splits into 3 parts, so make sure you're on the car that goes to Osterhofen. It's usually the last ...

The Sulzenau Hut is a popular destination for hikers in the Stubai Valley in Tirol. There are a few different routes to approach the hut, but for this adventure, we took the route that follows the WildWater Trail (WilderWasser Weg). We started this route from the Grawa Alm at the foot of the Graw...

We spent the night before this hike at the Sulzenau hut, and woke up early to watch the sunrise over the glacier, which I highly recommend. From the Sulzenau hut, follow the trail as it rises gradually up the valley floor towards the Sulzenau Ferner Glacier. On the route you'll follow a gushing s...

The hike starts from the bottom of the Gamsgarten cable car lift station at the Stubai Glacier, so it's best to park in the highest car park. (Most cars park at the lower Eisgrat cable car so the upper car park should be fairly quiet). If you're arriving by bus, this is the very last bus stop on ...

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....

This short hike is a great mini tour when you want to get up high without a whole lot of effort but enjoy some stunning glacier views. The hike to the Hildersheimer Hut is a high altitude tour on the Stubai glacier, that if done during the summer months from the top station of the Schaufeljochbah...

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...

The Heimgarten/Herzogstand trail is a famous one and there's a reason why: a great hike with outstanding views! Its close vicinity to the Kochelsee and Walchensee only make it even more attractive, since you can cool off with a swim in one of the lakes if you're done hiking and enjoying the views...

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...