Stage 5: Grenzlandweg to Thurntaler Urban

Parade of the Sesto Dolomites

After a wonderful ascent through the Alfental valley, past beautiful alpine huts and flower-strewn mowers, they ascend in all their glory, the Sexten Dolomites and their famous Three Peaks. They are the undisputed stars of this stage and make you forget that there was once a hotly contested border, the remnants of which still stand out as a reminder in the landscape. The view from the Toblacher Pfannhorn (2.663 m) represents a high point of the Herz-Ass Villgratental and reveals much older traces in the landscape, a geological seam zone of continents, the collision of the African and European plates, along which the Pustertal valley today runs far down moves to the Vintschgau. The personal trump card is a detour to Lake Thurntaler and the Parggenspitze (2.323 m) with the "Jugendkreuz".

Descent options:

1. over the "Tafine" from the Astattsattel to Innervillgraten
2. via Sennersteig and road to Ausservillgraten
3. at the Gadein mountain station, take the cablecar to Sillian
4. from Thurntaler Rast pick-up by Herz-Ass Villgratental hiking taxi

Directions

Our hike takes us on the path no. 13 through the Roßtal past alpine pastures to the Maxer Leck (indication). We leave the alpine path there and climb on path no.13a over soft meadow grass to the Kalksteinerjöchl (2.325m), where the "Bonner Höhenweg" path also joins. We now follow the Bonner Höhenweg No. 12, leisurely go south to the Bürglerslenke and then, following a slightly ascending path, reach the Pfanntörl (2.508 m national border). From the Pfanntörl we reach the Toblacher Pfannhorn (2.663m) on the rocky ridge and see the Sexten Dolomites in all their glory. Here you also have the opportunity to spend the night in the Bonnerhütte. Following the Bonner Höhenweg past old military punkers from the First World War, we reach the Marchkinkele (2.546m). Along the old military road we come to the Hochrast (2.436m). A worthwhile destination, less than 15 minutes from the "Schwarzflecken" (legend), lies the Thuntaler See and the Thurntaler Jugendkreuz (Parggenspitze 2.323m). From here over gentle pastures to the Astattsattel (2.295m). Here there is the possibility to descend to Innervillgraten. For this purpose, the ridge is left again and descend on the Villgrater side (path no. 4) through forests and meadows to the Tafinalm (1,906m). Continue through the Tafin valley past the Lanzlisilans Schupfe jetty and through the Oberhofertal to Innervillgraten. However, the route continues along the Tiroler Jubiläumsweg "Around the Thurntaler", so we continue descending to the east and arrive in alpine meadows to the Sillianeralm (Ausseralm) with a view of the Sexten sundial and over the Puster Valley with the Lienzer Dolomites and the Carnic ridge. From there, the path leads us to the mountain restaurant Gadein.

At the Gadein mountain station, you can take the cablecar down to Sillian. Otherwise, the hiking tour can be continued via the path to the Thurntaler Rast, at the end you have the opportunity to spend the night again, or the Herz-Ass hiking taxi can pick you up there with a reservation. The last descent is now about 500m following the street, you will reach a sign (Sennersteig Ausservillgraten), which will delight us over alpine pastures and through larch and spruce forests with a beautiful view down into the Pustertal Valley and over the Carnic main ridge and the Villgrater mountains. Very soon we will come back to the road "Thurntaler Bergstraße", which we will follow past beautifully situated mountain farms with a view down to Außervillgraten. The hiking tour is thus completed.