Ortler High Mountain Trail

The trail is divided into seven stages, each day its own challenges and landschapes. You’ll start by hiking from the Stelvio Pass, mostly famous among bikers to Stilfs, a small cozy town in the valley. This stage involves an 18.5-kilometer, mostly descending, taking about 7.5 hours. In that time, you’ll descend over 1800 meters. Talk about a big first day! Then on stage two, from Stelvio to the Düsseldorfer Hütte, it’s a big climb again with nearly 1800 meters over 17 kilometers. This section can take eight or nine hours and has incredible views of the alpine surroundings.

Stage three is a bit shorter, 14 kilometer from the Düsseldorfer Hütte to the Zufall Hütte. It takes about eight hours and is currently impacted by trail closures. Make sure you visit the local trail page to check the trail conditions and alternative trails to Zufall. The owners of the Düsseldorfer Hütte know the conditions the best and it’s highly recommended to ask them for advice.

Next day will be your biggest day on the Ortler High Mountain Trail, from Zufall to Rifugio Pizzini, you’ll cover 11.5 kilometers over 6.5 hours, crossing 1,000 meters of elevation gain, and most spectacular, crossing a glacier. After leaving the hut you’ll climb towards the Eissee Pass from where the glacier crossing starts. Be sure to have all your glacier equipment with you and you have the experience to cross glaciers. If not, hire a guide who will bring the gear and guide you safely over the glacier. The glacier crossing ends at the Casati hut (which is closed since 2004) and from there it’s a short steep descent to Pizzini in (you’re now in Lombardy) and look back on a magical day.

A longer day awaits you on stage 5 with a 20.5-kilometer day, when you’ll descend over 2,300 meters. It should take about 8.5 hours from the Pizzini Hut to Sant’Antonio. It’s longer, but the trails are a bit less tecnical then the last days.

Hiking from Sant’Antonio to Lake Cancano on stage six, you will end by the dam and sleep at the Rifugio Monte Scale which is a bit more luxurious then the previous mountain huts. By this point you’ll either feel fit and trained from being in the alpine for almost a week, or ready for a long sleep when you arrive (or both!). Finally, you’ll leave Lake Cancano and head back to Stelvio Pass in a strenuous last push 22-kilometer hike with significant ascents and descents. Once you get back to Stelvio Pass, it will be time to celebrate a perfect week in the mountains with a cold beer!

The ideal time to hike the Ortler High Mountain Trail is between the end of June and September. During these months, the weather is mild, the huts are open, and the trail offers clear visibility, making it perfect for enjoying the panoramic mountain views. Note that this is an high-alpine mountain trail and you can expects lots of snowfields even during the summer.

Hiking the Ortler Hohenrunde will demand a good preparation and fitness. The high altitude and challenging terrain mean you need to have surefootedness and proper equipment, including good hiking shoes, weatherproof clothing, and glacier gear for stage 4. Since some parts of the trail are remote, you should carry a first-aid kit, sufficient food, and water. Hiring a mountain guide is recommended, especially for less experienced hikers, for the trail section that crosses the glacier and other technical sections. You’ll also need to check weather forecasts and trail conditions each morning before starting, as the weather can shift quickly in the alpine