Variation 8

Hochstubaihütte (3174 m) – Jochdohle (3150 m) – Hildesheimer Hütte (2900 m)

Across Glaciers To Hildesheimer Hütte

This stage leads from Hochstubaihütte across several glaciers and via Jochdohle in Stubai’s glacier ski area to Hildesheimer Hütte. Once you have passed Warenkarscharte the route is all smooth sailing. From Hochstubaihütte, which affords breathtaking views thank to its high location, you walk down a few meters in a northwestern direction and continue in the opposite direction towards Laubkarsee. At the lodge you make a right and walk down to Wütenkarferner and follow the trail which first climbs gently, then steeply for a short distance and then moderately again in a northeastern direction to Warenkarscharte (no ice). Past Warenkarscharte there is a snow field which can be a bit tricky. If you don’t feel comfortable you can circumvent it following an old, blue-blazed trail. After the snow field you switchback down a well-maintained path; after a scree field the trail levels out and descends for a short distance before climbing again. The trail continues below Stubaier Wildspitze and runs through rubble, scree and crevasse-free snowfields. Follow the drag-lift on a well-maintained and easy trail to Restaurant Jochdohle. From the restaurant it’s a gentle hike down via Gaiskarferner to a hilltop from where the trail switchbacks down to Hildesheimer Hütte.