Remember the time when I drove 10 hours across Norway to hike Trolltunga on the only sunny day of the week? I drove another 10 hours back to Oslo afterwards. Well, it felt like I was doing it all over again. This time, however, it was in the Austrian Alps. After a wonderful week of sunshine in Italy, it was time to head north again. To make the most of my final weekend, I planned on hiking to Nockspitze and cycling along the Inn River. Exciting!
Since I had to drive through the Austrian Alps, from Italy, on my way back to Germany anyway, I figured, why not stop for a couple of days? With sunshine in the forecast, it was the perfect opportunity to explore one of the most beautiful mountain regions in Europe. I have read about the hike to Nockspitze a few times. As a result, I was keen to do it myself.
Cycling in Austria
No matter how much you plan a trip, the weather always has the final say. So, after waking up to a sunny Saturday but seeing plenty of clouds hanging over the mountains, I decided to spend the day cycling rather than hiking to Nockspitze. There was always tomorrow. I didn’t want to miss the summit views by hiking in poor conditions.
Instead, I made the most of the sunshine in the valley. It turned out to be the perfect decision. This is because it gave me the chance to enjoy the scenery at a more relaxed pace. This happened before tackling the mountains the following day.
I really enjoy visiting Innsbruck. Although my last visit was only brief (read: How to do 4 countries in one day), the city left a lasting impression on me. Innsbruck is a gorgeous place. Here, traditional Tyrolean architecture blends seamlessly with modern buildings. And, of course, the Austrian Alps provide a spectacular backdrop wherever you look. This is a beautiful city that is worth a visit.
For this trip, Innsbruck was the perfect base for cycling along the Inn River. The well-maintained cycle paths, beautiful mountain views, and easy access to the surrounding countryside made for a fantastic day. This was before my Nockspitze hike.
35km one way, a quick lunch break and back to Innsbruck, finishing with a frozen yoghurt as a refreshment.
The cycling path
It was a pleasant and thoroughly enjoyable ride, and following the signs along the Inn River was easy. With the Austrian Alps rising on both sides, the scenery was spectacular for the entire journey. It was also nice to be back on a proper, well-maintained cycle path, especially after my experience cycling in Italy. Read: My holiday at Lake Garda
It turned out to be the perfect way to enjoy the sunshine while the clouds slowly drifted away from the mountains. By the end of the day, the forecast for Sunday was looking much more promising.
Just in time for my hike to Nockspitze the following morning.
Hiking to Nockspitze (Saile)
The Nockspitze (Saile) might not be the highest mountain in the Austrian Alps, but at 2,404 metres and sitting just outside Innsbruck, hiking to Nockspitze sounded like the perfect activity for a sunny day.
At the hotel, I was advised to take the Mutteralmbahn from Mutters to the 1,600-metre station. So, that’s exactly what I did. Originally, I had considered hiking directly from Axams. After all, the mountains were right there. However, I was also told that approaching Nockspitze from the Mutteralm made for a much more enjoyable hike. Since I was on a tight schedule and planned to drive back to Germany later that day, I decided to follow the advice. I’m glad I did.
After a 15-minute ride on the gondola, I arrived at the 1,600-metre starting point, already looking down over Innsbruck. I couldn’t wait to climb even higher.
Following the signs towards Pfriemeskopf, I soon found myself passing a few cows that seemed in no hurry to move out of the way. From there, the trail simply kept climbing. Sometimes it was steep, and sometimes a little less so. Nevertheless, it was always heading upwards. All 800 metres of elevation gain.
Despite the steady ascent, the views became more spectacular with every step. Looking back over Innsbruck and across the surrounding Austrian Alps made every metre of climbing worthwhile.
The view
However, the views along the way were simply breathtaking. The Austrian Alps are truly unique and absolutely stunning. The signs leading to the Nockspitze (Saile) summit were easy to follow, and despite feeling a little nervous, I kept putting one foot in front of the other.
And, after approximately 1¾ hours, including a few narrow and rocky sections, my hiking to Nockspitze adventure 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)
