Romedius Pilgrim’s Trail in the Passeiertal Valley

“It's great to be walking, especially when swapping the daily grind for a holy place.”

The Romedius Pilgrim’s Trail, from Thaur in Tyrol (Austria) to San Romedio in Trentino, is an impressive experience of nature and spirituality. Covering approximately 192 km with 9,600 m of elevation gain, the route passes important pilgrimage sites, wayside shrines, idyllic mountain pastures and majestic alpine passes.

The long-distance hiking trail consists of 12 stages, two of which run directly through the Passeiertal Valley. Below you will find a detailed description of stages 7 and 8 through the Passeiertal Valley.

Refreshment stops: Refuge Schneeberghütte, Rabenstein, Moos, Innerhütt, Pfelders, Faltschnal Alm Alp, Oberkaser, Bockerhütte

Website: https://www.romedius-pilgerweg.at/

Directions

Stage 7: St. Martin am Schneeberg (Schneeberghütte) – Pfelders

Without taking the bus: 20.9 km – 816 m ascent – 1,544 m descent

With bus transfer (Schneeberg Bridge – Moos): 13.1 km – 708 m ascent – 803 m descent

From the Schneeberghütte hut (2,355 m), follow trail no. 31 towards the Schneebergbrücke Bridge. Along the old railway tracks, the trail descends in steep switchbacks towards a larger building. From here, continue downhill on a wide path to the Schneebergbrücke Bridge (1,670 m).

At the bus stop, follow the road a few metres to the right and then continue on trail no. 31, turning onto a farm access road. Passing the farm, you initially follow a tractor track along the edge of the meadow and then descend on a steep forest path to the valley floor.

There, cross the Passer River over two bridges before climbing steeply through meadows to the small village of Rabenstein (1,419 m).

From Rabenstein, follow the E5 European long-distance hiking trail towards Moos. Walk along the road out of the valley, turn right and continue along the right-hand side of the Passer. Finally, cross the stream, follow the road briefly and turn right onto a wide path leading to Moos in Passeier (1,007 m).

In Moos, follow trail no. 8 towards the church and along the road downhill to the bridge. Cross the road and turn right onto the path above the road. The trail alternates between steep and flatter sections, crossing meadows and passing numerous farms. It leads through the hamlet of Pill and on to Innerhütt (1,422 m).

Once you reach the road to Pfelders in Innerhütt, join the Merano High Mountain Trail no. 24 towards Pfelders. Following the natural toboggan run, passing the Bergkristall climbing garden and staying alongside the stream, you eventually reach the rustic mountain village of Pfelders (1,630 m).

Variant: If you would like to shorten the stage, you can conveniently take the bus from the Schneebergbrücke Bridge to Moos (or alternatively from Rabenstein to Moos).

Stage 8: Pfelders – Spronser Lakes – Bockerhütte hut

12.4 km – 971 m ascent – 899 m descent

You start the stage in Pfelders (1,630 m) and follow forest road no. 6 towards the Spronserjoch. After the last houses of the village, turn left and then immediately right, continuing to follow trail no. 6 through the forest.

The trail crosses a forest road once and then climbs up to the beautifully situated Faltschnal Alm Alp (1,871 m).

Here, follow the wide forest road, still following trail no. 6, into the Faltschnaltal Valley. Staying alongside the stream, the trail continues comfortably into the valley.

Eventually, you follow a narrower mountain path, climbing slightly more steeply across alpine meadows until just before the head of the valley. Cross the stream and climb steeply through several switchbacks to the Faltschnaljoch ridge (2,417 m), where a fantastic panoramic view of the Texel Group awaits you.

From the pass, the trail continues over more rugged terrain in a southerly direction, traversing the mountainside towards the Spronserjoch ridge (2,584 m).

Note: In this area, it is common to encounter patches of old snow in early summer.

From the pass, descend while continuing to follow trail no. 6. Along one of Europe's highest-altitude lake districts (not all of the lakes are visible from the trail), the route descends steeply across beautiful grassy slopes to the Oberkaser Alm Alp (2,131 m).

A few metres beyond the hut, turn left onto trail no. 6 and descend steeply through numerous switchbacks to the Bockerhütte hut (1,700 m).

Recommended equipment

War sturdy hiking boots, appropriate clothing for the weather and bring sufficient water and provisions.

Author's tip

The historic crossing over the Faltschnaljoch and Spronserjoch ridges was already used in the Stone Age, around 5,000 BC.

Later, the area served as hunting grounds for the Counts of Tyrol Castle and, for centuries, as a “way of the dead” for the people of the Passeiertal Valley, who carried the deceased to St. Peter near Dorf Tirol for burial.

Hunters, shepherds and smugglers have also valued this secluded mountain pass throughout history.

According to local folklore, Pfelders was settled by people coming from the Etschtal valley.