Innsbruck-Nordkette Via Ferrata Ridge Hike – Photo Gallery From the Eastern Alps

Photo galleries, visual documentation of a particular (or your life’s) journey, are beautiful things to create and a powerful tool we use during enjoyable recollection of past events. Innsbruck-Nordkette Via Ferrata is one of these hikes that will give extra substance to your story, and more often than not, you end up having a tough time deciding how to narrow down a picture collection you wish to show to others. This is a gift and a “curse” when you are skillful with your camera, like the crew at Mountain Moments. Take your camera, your hiking equipment, and join us on this amazing and challenging thrill hike in Innsbruck.

High above the roofs of Innsbruck, on the ridge of the Nordkette, is the Innsbruck via ferrata. The probably most beautiful via ferrata of the Eastern Alps can be climbed airily, but safely, as if on a knife’s edge.  Once the first hurdle has been mastered, three to five hours of the finest via ferrata with probably the best view in Innsbruck are waiting to be discovered. 

Via Ferrata fans love the magnificent views of the Inn Valley and the Karwendel, beginners the technically easy climb along the ridge with beautiful rest areas.

Directions! This is how your Innsbruck-Nordkette Via Ferrata hike looks like on the map 

After the cable car ride from the Hafelekar mountain station, walk along the ridge to the left (west) for about ten minutes to the Geier Wally hut. The via ferrata starts behind the hut at the prominent rock. The entrance is well marked and immediately presents a first challenge with the steep, almost vertical ladder.  

The via ferrata follows the ridge always to the west over Seegrubenspitze, the Kaminspitzen and Kemacher. It takes about three hours to reach the first flat grassy section, the long saddle. Up to here, the climb is almost continuously secured. At the long saddle you can decide: descend into the valley or follow the via ferrata. The tour described here ends the via ferrata here and you start the Kärntnersteig downhill. At an altitude of about 1900m you meet a hiking trail and follow it in an easterly direction (left) back to the Seegrube station. Take the gondola down to the valley.

Alternative

From the Lange Sattel you can continue the via ferrata for about two hours. To do this, follow the hiking trail along the ridge to the western tip of the saddle. From here, you are again secured by ropes until you reach the second prominent cutting, the Frau Hitt saddle. From here, descend to the left (south) along the Schmidhubersteig trail and return to the Seegrube station. 

Photo tips for your Innsbruck-Nordkette adventure that will make your Instagram pop

The entire via ferrata is a true photo paradise. Particularly beautiful are the ascent with a view of Innsbruck (the cover picture was taken this way), as well as the north-facing cauldron with a view towards Zugspitze/Germany at Langer Sattel. 

The suspension bridge in the second part, the so-called “Bridge of Sighs”, is a particularly popular photo spot. Tip: Don’t forget the time when taking photos: If you miss the last gondola, you will be challenged with an additional 1400 meters of altitude march downhill.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Mountain Moments Photo Workshops provide Photo Tours for everybody, Alpine Experience for beginners and intermediate-level photographers with 3 to 6-hour routes, as well as Summit Experience for more advanced photographers and hikers. We have private workshops and group classes.

More information about your Innsbruck-Nordkette Via Ferrata trip

How to get there by car: From Innsbruck always in the direction of Nordkette to the parking lot of the Nordkettenbahn. 

How to get the by public transport: From Innsbruck with bus line J in the direction of Hungerburg (terminus), alternatively from Congress with Hungerburgbahn to Hungerburg station. From here take the Nordkettenbahn via Seegrube station to Hafelekar mountain station. 

Difficulty level: difficult 

Duration/distance: approx. 5-7h/ 9.3km  

Ascent/descent: 500m/640m  

Highest/lowest point: 2445m/1905m

Refreshment stop: Restaurant Seegrube

Start/finish: Nordkettenbahn valley station (Hungerburg) (coordinates: geogr. 47.286007, 11.399138) 

Tips: Note opening hours of the gondola!

Special dangers: Complete via ferrata equipment recommended or necessary (helmet, via ferrata set, gloves, shoes with good grip and profile), surefootedness and head for heights necessary. Rental equipment e.g. Alpenverein Innsbruck, Naturfreunde Innsbruck. 

The most beautiful photo spots and hikes in the Alps – experience this hiking tour and 29 other exceptional regions now.

Fancy more hikes in the mountains – and beautiful photos? Get out into nature! Experience the best hikes and locations with our new book: Alps – Photo and Hiking Guide. The 90 best Photo Locations and 30 most panoramic Hikes.

Here we have compiled the most beautiful locations and photo opportunities. 30 hikes with 90 photo spots are selected and described in such a way that you can easily experience these wonderful landscapes for yourself – including GPS tracks and hiking map and all other information. ie schönsten Orte und Fotogelegenheiten in den Bergen zusammengefasst. 30 Wanderungen mit 95 Fotospots sind so ausgewählt und beschrieben, dass auch du diese wunderbaren Landschaften selbst erleben kannst – inkl. GPS Tracks und Wanderkarte und allen weiteren Infos.

You can take a closer look at the ebook here– – why not give it as a gift to someone you want to visit and photograph these places with!

Of course, you will find all the information about this hike in the ebook. After registering, you will also receive the GPS track, so you are on the safe side and won’t get lost and will find all photo locations easily.