Remember the time when I drove 10 hours across Norway to hike the Trolltunga on the only sunny day, to then just drive 10 hours back to Oslo? Well, it felt like I did it again, but this time with the Austrian Alps. After a nice and sunny week in Italy, it was time to go back north again. So, on the last weekend on this trip I was hiking to Nockspitze and cycling along the Inn river. Exciting!
After all, I had to drive through the Alps back to Germany (and my Ferienhaus in Dietfurt) anyway, so why not stop on the way back in the Austrian Alps? It was meant to be sunny!
Cycling in Austria
No matter how much you plan something, at the end of the day (or the beginning), the weather makes the final decision for you. So, after waking up to a sunny Saturday, but plenty of clouds hanging over the mountains, I decided to spend the day cycling, rather than hiking to Nockspitze. There was always tomorrow.
I really like visiting Innsbruck. Although last time I was here, it was very briefly (read here). Innsbruck is such a gorgeous town, with the old and traditional architecture, mixed in with the modern. Not to mention the alps in the background. For this trip, it was the perfect starting point for cycling along the Inn River.
35km one way, a quick lunch break and back to Innsbruck, finishing with a frozen yoghurt as a refreshment.
It was a pleasant and very enjoyable ride and following the signage along the river was easy. In addition, I had the mountains to my left and right, so that created an amazing scenery along the way. It was nice to be back on a proper, well maintained cycling path again. Especially after my Italy experience. Perfect day to enjoy the sun while the clouds slowly disappeared.
Just in time for the hike the next day.
Hiking to Nockspitze (Saile)
The Nockspitze (Saile) might not be the highest mountain in the Alps, however, sitting next to Innsbruck and with a peak of 2404m, hiking to Nockspitze sounded like a perfect activity for a sunny day.
At the hotel I have been told to catch the Mutteralmbahn (in Mutters) to the 1600m base. So that is what I did. Originally I considered hiking directly from Axams (after all, the mountains were just there), but have been told that Nockspitze is a nicer hike to do. And, as I was on a schedule (I was planning to drive back to Germany the same day), I followed the advice. I am glad I did.
After a 15min ride in the gondola, I arrived at the 1600m starting point, looking down at Innsbruck already. I couldn’t wait to go higher! I headed up following the signage towards Pfriemeskopf, passing some cows that wouldn’t move out of the way. Otherwise, the path just went up and up. Sometimes very steep, sometimes less steep, but definitely up. All 800m.
However the view along the way was just breathtaking! The Alps are definitely unique and stunning! The signage to the Nockspitze (Saile) peak was pretty easy to follow. And even though I was a little bit nervous in my stomach (I always get nervous before big hikes or cycling trips), after approximately 1 3/4 hours and some very narrow and rocky areas, my hiking to Nockspitze was complete.
Perfect!
Hiking summary
On the way back I stopped for a quick lunch and I was back at the base in no time. To add to the fun I decided to give the gondola a miss (it was pretty busy with other hikers by then), and took the three wheeler down the hill, back to the car.
My overall trip and hike was great. And although I had a few very narrow paths parts and a few steep rocks to climb, hiking to Nockspitze wasn’t too challenging. It actually reminded me a little bit of my Mt. Olympus hike over two years ago. The 800m height difference was certainly noticable and the views over the alps and Innsbruck were just breathtaking.
Given the weather the day before, I certainly picked a stunning day to hike. I was happy!
Where is my next hike going to be… ?
(post 142)
