Skitour Karwendel Crossing – One of Innsbrucks finest from Innsbruck to Hall

The ski tour from Innsbruck through the Karwendel to Hall is one of the best panoramic ski tours for experts around Innsbruck. Get all info, how to get there and a proper map to not get lost in this blog

What comes up, must come down, and up again. On the 15-kilometer ski tour in on the Innsbruck’s Hall Valley, which starts at mountain station Nordkettenbahn Hafelekar, you will face and enjoy the up’s and down’s multiple times, with each being a great photo opportunity in itself. Mountain Moments will be your sidekick on this journey, so you would make the most of it. Check out the route map, photography tips and tricks – and jump on board!

Directly from the alpine metropolis and high up, this relatively secluded, long freeride tour leads across the Karwendel mountains into Halltal (Hall Valley). With several short ascents and varied descents, training in uphill and downhill skiing is included. 

This photogenic and equally challenging tour from the Nordkette to Halltal is often referred to as the “Kleine Karwendeldurchquerung” or “Karwendelreibn” in dialect, although it is still largely within the extended urban area of Innsbruck

Route description Ski tour Karwendel Crossing from Innsbruck to Hall

Ascent I

In Innsbruck’s “home ski area” Nordpark, take the two gondolas up to the Hafelekar mountain station. There you first shoulder your skis and ascend in a few minutes direction NNE to the Hafelekarspitze (2334m).

Downhill run I

From the summit of the Hafelekarspitze you descend briefly to the east to a small saddle. From here, several short gullies lead north into a large cirque. Follow this further north – until you have passed the chain of Gleirschzähne, which rise to your right.

Ascent II

At about 1800m, you have to mount your skins again and ascend to the east. You can choose either the Mandlscharte (2366m) or the Gleirschtaler Brandjoch (2370m) as the next stage, the latter being the somewhat steeper and longer variant. Both ascents are relatively direct and can hardly be missed.

Descent II

From the Mandlscharte (Mandl sadle) as well as from the Gleirschtaler Brandjoch the descent is directly on the opposite side. From the Mandlscharte one keeps a little more to the northeast, from the Gleirschtaler Brandjoch more to the east. In both cases you will reach the high plateau of the Pfeisalm(Pfeis hut) (approx. 1950m).

Ascent III

After renewed skinning, the ascent is flat and at the end somewhat steeper in an easterly direction past the impressive Rumer Spitze to the Stempeljoch (2215m).

Descent III

Through a narrow passage, you first descend a few meters in altitude on foot, before descending the wide northeastern slope towards Issanger. There it continues for a while flat along the valley floor to the east, before a forest path goes up half-right (don’t miss it!). Following this, you have to climb up for another ten minutes or so (it is only worth putting on skins here if the snow is deep), before you first follow the forest road, then a toboggan run to the valley exit.

From there it is about 200m on foot to the bus stop “Bettelwurfsiedlung”.

Variant

As a much shorter variant with return to the North Park, you can also ski from the Mandlscharte into the large, south-facing Arzler Scharte(Arzler saddle) (be careful in spring: for firn you have to descend very early here). Follow the Arzler Scharte downhill until you meet a forest road at about 1200m. Follow this first to the Arzler Alm (Azler hut) and from there back to the valley station of the Nordkettenbahnen at Hungerburg.

Information Ski Tour Karwendel Crossing from Innsbruck to Hall Valley

Public transport: From Innsbruck center take the Hungerburgbahn from the station Congress or take bus J to Hungerburg. Return from bus stop “Bettelwurfsiedlung”. 

Hike difficulty level: medium 

Average steepness/maximum steepness: 35°/38 °

Exposure: N/NE/O (descents), S/SW/W (ascents)

Duration/Distance: about 6.5h/ 15km  

Ascent/Descent: 760m/2250m 

Highest/lowest point: 2320m/750m

Start: mountain station Nordkettenbahn Hafelekar (Coord. 47.311928,11.383748)

Best time: Jan – Mar

Tips: Book: “PowderGuide Tirol: The best freeride tours” (Rieg, Schwager, Hartl, Tyrolia Verlag, 2nd edition).

One-way ticket available up to Hafelekar. If arriving by car, it may make sense to park at the end point of the tour (parking lot at the entrance to Halltal) and take the bus early in the morning to Innsbruck and from there to the Nordpark ski area (a total of over an hour). However, early departure is then a prerequisite! Topographic maps: AV map “Innsbruck and surroundings” with ski markings, 1:50.000

Special dangers: Favorable conditions necessary, especially on the ascent to Mandlscharte/Gleirschtaler Brandjoch. In spring, beware of wet snow avalanches in Halltal from the south-exposed slopes!

The best Winter Adventures in and around Innsbruck – Skiing, Freeride, Skitour and more

Fancy more Winter adventures in Tyrol and around Innsbruck? We got you covered! The best outdoor sports activities for Winter enthusiasts as eBook: Innsbruck Winter Outdoor Guide.

Here we have compiled the most beautiful locations and photo opportunities. 30 activities with numerous photo spots are selected and described in such a way that you can easily experience these wonderful adventures around Innsbruck for yourself – including track infos, and maps and all other information that you need.

You can take a closer look at the Innsbruck ebook here– – why not share it with your adventure partner in crime?