RECEDING GLACIERS
VIA ALPINA DAY 24 – WEDNESDAY 15 JULY 2026
ABOVE LAKE SILVELLA – FRIKENBERG
DISTANCE HIKED: 35.5 km
ELEVATION GAIN: 885 m
TOTAL DISTANCE HIKED: 609.6 km
TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN: 32,765m
It rained all through the night. We stated dry and warm. An occasional gust of strong wind would buffet the tent, but Big Agnes stood up to the test. We were hiking through the Zillertal Alps located in the South Tryrol region, west of Balsano, Italy and South of Insbruck, Austria.
We waited for the rain to ease before breaking camp. By 6.30 in full wet weather gear we set down to descent 500m on a trail which carried a warming about being rough and sure footedness being required. As it turned, apart from one long grassy stretch on a steep slope it was not too bad at all. We made slow progress in the first km stopping frequently to take in the view of two glaciers to our right being enveloped in fog.
As we descended further the fog lifted and we could see the toe of each glacier. I find it it so sad to see this remnant of something that once was so much more majestic, now almost disappeared.
The sound of rushing rivers accompanied us till the almost the bottom of the descent.
From the bottom of the valley we turned up another valley towards Pfitscher-Joch Haus,
a 500 m climb over about 4km.
The last person we saw yesterday afternoon warned us that we will not make the hut in the same day. We knew that, but he was worried about where we would sleep and suggested asking at the farmhouse on the way if we could stay. So considerate.
The sky was begining to brighten and we had great views down into the valley and a small village Stein, as we ascended through deep grasses and then on a dirt road.
Towards the summit I thought we were passing some sort of border markers. Not as nice as the marble ones we’d seen on the border of Austria/Italy. This was further confirmed when just before the hut we passed what looked like historic military barracks. The borders on these high passes were popular smuggling routes in the old days when borders were tightly protected. The Austrian/Italian border was just a few hundred metres from the hut. We were leaving Italy.
It was a relief to reach the hut. For a while it started to feel like an impossible milestone.
Hammer got some spaghetti with meat sauce and I had a coffee and apple strudel. With hunger satisfied and milestone achieved we set off from the hut for a long descent into the Zillert valley. We passed hundreds of hikers heading in the opposite direction. So surreal after our lonely start to the day just one valley over.
We followed a series of glacial stream down the valley until we reachedd Zamserback dam. It was huge and had such an incredible green colour. And like a postcard, it was backed by a huge receding glacier. I can see why this is a popular tourist destination. The carparks were full.
We stopped at an outlook over the dam, to dry out our feet and the tent before proceeding down toward Ginsberg.
Descending behind the dam wall felt a bit eerie. All the power sitting behind a huge wall of concrete. From the dam we followed a small river downstream through nice lush pine forest with huge rock boulders interspesered along the banks. The valley was narrow being bordered by steep rising forested mountains.
We were on the way to a small village, Ginsberg where we had thoughts of staying. But since we were still descending and we were making good time we proceeded onto a larger town down the valley, Finkenberg. Being a larger town we could get accomodation and it had a Spar supermarket.
We were disappointed to arrive in Finkenberg to find that the supermarket has closed permanently. So we’ll have to wait till tomorrow when we pass through the next town to get our supplies. Finkenberg feels like a ski resort town.
As we had an internet connection, we found a hotel that was right in town. However when we got there, it was a self check-in process which required two phone calls to find out why our keysafe had no room keys in it. Turns out, some rooms have keys kept in a keysafe at the entrance while our room had an electronic lock. Eventually we got in the room, cleaned up and had a very late dinner at another hotel nearby just before the kitchen closed.
