Hiking in the Montafonertal

G3VGR

Hiking in Montafon

This area of the Vorarlberg isn't too well known to British Summer visitors. The Montafon valley is enclosed by 3 alpine ranges: the Rätikon, Silvretta and Verwall groups. These ranges provide many hiking trails, catering for all levels of experience, so if daunted by the signs that read "Trittsicherheit und Schwindelfreiheit erforderlich", it's always possible to find an easier trail to hike. My first visit to the Montafon Valley was in June 2004, prior to attending the Hamradio rally at Friedrichshafen. I took a tent and camped at Schruns, the main village of the valley. Since my first visit, I've returned to the area 6 more times to camp and hike, most recently in 2017, as this area contains everything one requires make an enjoyable walking holiday. On subsequent visits, I've camped near Bludenz, the home of the Fohrenburger Brewery and Milka chocolate factory. Bludenz is well situated at the meeting point of 5 different valleys: the Montafon, Klostertal, Brandnertal, Walgau and Groß Walsertal. Each of these valleys is unique and all are served by excellent public transport links. The Montafon has a few smaller side valleys, all reachable by bus services from Schruns, the central town of the Montafon. I always purchase the Montafon-Silvretta (now Monafon-Brandnertal) card, which not only provides free travel on buses and trains and free use of all cablecars and chairlifts in the Montafon, but also in other valleys in the area. The card originally included some of the Tirol, but no longer, alas.

My visits have been made either in late June or the beginning of September. Both times have their advantages. In June, many alpine flowers are in bloom and there is plenty of snow above 2100 metres, so an ice axe is an obligatory accessory. I've found the weather at this time to be rather unsettled, with many rainy and cold days. The locals recommended late August and September. This was good advice as I've enjoyed a succession of warm sunny days at that time. Also, the higher mountain huts are open and accessible as the snows have long gone. I made travel arrangements for another visit in 2016, but had to cancel them due to ill health. After a heart valve replacement in March 2017, I returned to the Montafon in July 2017 for my seventh visit. This time, I stayed at the excellent Haus Marent in Schruns instead of camping. It was certainly nice to be back in the Montafon after a 5 year gap since the previous visit. This was probably my final trip because I had by now walked most of the trails that I was able to manage. At 70 years old I noticed I wasn't as fit and strong anymore despite the heart surgery giving me a new lease of life.

There are many excellent and varied walks in the area and by using the Montafon-Silvretta card, one can sample the delights of the different valleys. I normally make day hikes from my campsite, but have occasionally stayed overnight in some of the mountain huts, which is a great experience. Usually, my walks are planned so that I can take lunch at one of the mountain huts or preferably an "Alpe" which is a small alpine dairy. Many Alpen in Montafon produce "Sura Kees", a local speciality cheese and is delicious when accompanied by fresh milk from the dairy. The Alpen close down for the Winter around the second week in September, when the cows are moved down from the high pastures.

To plan walks, I would recommend the following publications:

Of course, the local tourist offices will also mail plenty of useful publications to help and the railway stations at Schruns and Bludenz provide combined bus and train timetables, which simplifies navigation around the area. The Montafon Tourist Office also sponsors a hiking award scheme, awarding "Montafoner Wanderschuh" badges for completion of walks to various huts. The Silver and Gold badges require some effort to attain as all the high altitude huts need to be visited. I earned the gold badge in 2012 after completing an overnight hike to the Mannheimer Hütte, which also included a traverse of the Brand Glacier and an ascent of the Schesaplana, at 2964m the highest mountain in the Rätikon.

Some of my favourite hikes:

From Malbun in Liechtenstein, over the Sareiserjoch to Nenzinger Himmel, a pretty, serene village in the Gamperdonatal. After a detour up the valley to view the Stüba waterfall, hike up over the Amantschonjoch to Brand
A high route from the Nova Stoba bergstation along the Matschuner Gratweg over Versettla (2372m) & Madrisella (2466m) to the Matschuner Joch (2425m). Then a steep 700m descent down from Heimbühel to the Vergaldnertal. After stoppping at the Vergaldner Alpe for Sura Kees and fresh milk, continuing down the valley to Gargellen
From the Alpengasthof Zeinisjoch walk up to the Verbella Alpe, where after being greeted by one of the old farm dogs, I stop for a tasty lunch - a Jausenplatte of farm cured hams, bergkäse and fresh buttermilch. If time permits, I carry on walking up further to the Neue Heilbronner Hütte for views into the Hintere Silbertal. From Verbella Alpe, the walk back to the Tafamunt cable car above Partenen takes me through mixed forest, moorland and the boggy area at the pretty Wiegensee with impressive views across to the Silvretta Alps.
From the Lünersee, along the Schweitzertor Weg, passing over the Verajoch to the Schweitzer Tor. Continue along the Rätikon Höhenweg, over the Ofapass and down to the Lindauer Hütte, passing the impressive Drusenfluh & Drei Türme. The walk ends with a stroll down the Gauertal to Latschau, not forgetting to stop at the Gauertal Haus for the best Apfelstrudel in the region. This is always my last walk of a holiday and the view back up the valley to the Drei Türme is a sight that makes me want to return next year.

Toblersee and Montafoner Tal	Wiesbadener Hütte
In front of the Ochsentaler Glacier	View to Drei Türme from the fearsome Bilkengrat
View to Switzerland through Schweitzertor	View to Zimba from the Lünerkrinne
Executive meeting in Zaluandatal - Zimba behind	Old Customs House & Ofapass - Rätikon Höhenweg
Totalp Hütte	Enjoying a Fohrenburger beer at the Lindauer Hütte
The Alvierbach in Brandnertal	View of the Drei Türme from Latschätzer Hohenweg
Descent to Lünersee from Totalp Hütte	River Litz in Silbertal
View towards Rätikon with cloud cover over Silbertal	Lünersee, Douglashütte and Seekopf
View down the Ochsental towards Silvretta-Stausee	Grazing the sweet grass in front of Zimba
Kochscher Enzian (Gentiana acaulis)	Gold-Pippau (Crepis Aurea) in June
Formarinsee in Klostertal	Silbertal, a very pretty village
Vermunt, HochMaderer and Madlener House from Bielerhöhe	Wiegensee above Partenen
Garneratal from Tübinger Hütte	Fine view of the Silvretta from Wiegensee
Nenzigasttal, a side valley of the Klostertal	The Latschätzer Hohenweg towards the Lindauer Hütte
Cloud inversion over Klostertal	Litzner Glacier near Saarbrückner Hütte
Schruns, Tschagguns, Monterfonertal and the Rätikon	View down Kromertal towards Vermunt Stausee
Through the Bürserschlucht, Brandnertal	Nenzinger Himmel in the beautiful Gamperdonatal
Silvretta peaks and Garneratal	Schesaplana and Brand Glacier
Spullersee in Lechquellengebirge	Along the Schmugglerpfad near Gargellen
On Madrisella summit - 2466m	On Schesaplana summit - 2964m
Alpenglow on Schesaplana	Along the Rätikon Höhenweg Süd at Gafalljoch
Gold class Hiking badges	Fohrenburger beer, brewed in Bludenz

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