Sellrain Valley Mountain Hut Tour

On the first stage, you begin the circuit in Sellrain and head up toward Potsdamer Hütte, covering about 9.3 km. You’ll climb through alpine meadows and forested slopes, gaining altitude steadily. The day’s work focuses on acclimatizing and gaining height without too many technical demands. The terrain is well established, the trail is clear, and your reward is reaching a well-situated mountain hut for your first night.

From Potsdamer Hütte, you’ll set off on the second stage, which is a lot longer than the first (15.9 km), toward Westfalenhaus. This section will test your stamina. You’ll cross ridgelines, descend and re-ascend multiple times, and negotiate a challenging section over Rotenkogel into the Lüsental or Lüsen Valley, depending on which variant you choose. You will face exposed paths, narrow ridges, and alpine terrain that require you be surefooted. At Westfalenhaus, you will settle in for the night in a remote hut in the Schnals / Lüsen area.

Stage three is shorter: about 6.9 km between Westfalenhaus and Pforzheimer Hütte as you cross the Zischgenscharte pass and descend through the Gleirschtal valley. In early season, you may still find old snow in the Zischgenscharte, so this section can be technical. Fixed aids, ladders, and ropes may help negotiate steep parts. You will then descend steadily into lower terrain as you approach the Pforzheimer Hut.

Stage four is shorter and covers about 5.8 km from Pforzheimer Hut to Schweinfurter Hütte. This is one of the more alpine days: you will cross steep slopes and ridges, likely passing glaciers or remnants (depending on season) in steep terrain. The descent is pretty steep, and the trail might be rugged or rocky.

On stage five, you go from Schweinfurter Hütte to Bielefelder Hütte, about 12.3 km. You’ll climb up to high passes: you will reach the Hochreichscharte (around 2,900 m) early, followed by descending and then ascending to the Niederreichscharte (about 2,700 m). Along the way, you walk over peaks like Achplatte and traverse high ridgelines. The final push brings you to Bielefelder Hütte. This is a long and demanding day in high alpine terrain, so try to get good sleep the night before!

Stage six from Bielefelder Hütte to Dortmunder Hütte is around 9.4 km. You’ll cross from Zwieselbach valley back toward Sellrain’s side, via the Finstertal. Here, you will hike an alpine traverse and ridges, descend into valleys, and see a mix of rocky terrain and meadows. The route then will bring you close to valleys and forests again as you approach Dortmunder Hütte.

Finally, the last day is the longest stage, about 24.7 km, from Dortmunder Hütte back to Sellrain. You’ll descend gradually through different terrains: alpine paths, forest tracks, ridges, and valley trails. The day is long, but less steep than the previous high passes. You’ll reach Sellrain after a full day of hiking, closing the loop.

The best time of the year to hike the Sellrain Valley Mountain Hut Tour is between late June and early September. As a high-mountain trail, the weather can change quickly, including snow and ice in the shoulder seasons. It is important to check the trail conditions before you hike and pack appropriately. If you’re unsure about the weather or safety of a certain section of the trail, you can always call the corresponding huts and they will be able to give you the most up-to-date information.

To best prepare for the Sellrain Valley Mountain Hut Tour, you should pack properly and prepare physically. First, it is crucial that you only attempt this hike if you have alpine hiking experience and are a confident hiker with rope passages and heights. If you are, then continue onward!

To pack for the Sellrain tour, you should pack as you would usually for a hut-to-hut tour: keep it light, but bring the essentials. Be sure to remember your sleeping bag liner, your first aid kit, your headlamp, and snacks for the tour.

Next, check that you’re in good condition for the trail. Your balance, strength, and cardio should be strong enough to handle seven days of black mountain trails. If you’re looking to improve your fitness further, you can train with extra exercises at home.

The Sellrain Valley Mountain Hut Tour is a difficult trail that should only be hiked by experienced alpine hikers. It follows black mountain trails throughout the tour and it is necessary to be a surefooted, confident, knowledgable hiker for this trail. You will be hiking steep climbs, crossing rope-secured passages, and will be on a lot of loose gravel and rocky terrain throughout the tour. It is important to have a strong base fitness level before attempting this trail.