Alpine Trails

Profile: Vent & Matschertal — Austria & Italy, Aug 3 - Aug 18, 2012

The Village

This tiny village lies at the head of Austria's Oetztal, home of the celebrated Ice Man, just across a minor range from Obergurgl. At nearly 2,000 meters, it is our highest year-round destination village. Surrounded by high mountains, the trails are well maintained and generally at user-friendly angles. There are a half dozen climbing huts, and gorgeous waterfalls are everywhere. With only one small chairlift, it is an unspoiled, low-key hiker's paradise.

The Hotel

The Hotel Post is a model of Austrian "gemuetlichkeit." All rooms have balconies facing the beautiful mountains. Each has a "Kachelofen" — a type of ceramic fireplace — which is an integral part of traditional Tyrolean homes. The cuisine is also traditional — and delicious. Knoedls, Krapfen and Kaiserschmarren — if you're not familiar with these names, you're in for a very pleasant surprise. The hotel offers a spa with sauna, steam bath, whirlpool, swimming pool, etc. The Post is run — and was built — by the Pirpamer-Moser family. Father Alois was president of the European Association of Alpine Guides when I met him. Two sons — Markus and Thomas — are also guides and manage Alpine climbing huts. The family knows well how to cater to mountain enthusiasts, in or above the village.

The Walks

With its long side valleys, Vent offers many possibilities for the hiker as well as the climber. Climbing huts — most of which are easily reached — abound. Among the favorites are the Martin Busch Hut, the Hochjoch Hospiz, the Vernagt Hut and the Similaun Hut. An exceptional walk is the Panorama Weg which leads from Vent high over the valley to the Tiefenbach Glacier, directly above Soelden, the Oetztal's largest resort. An absolute favorite is the Mutsbichel with its spectacular views of the high peaks — a perfect spot for a picnic.

When You're Not Hiking

Vent is the perfect place to put up your feet on a "rest day." The hotel spa could take up most of the day! Nearby (but not too near) is well-known Soelden, with all the shopping possibilities, mountain lifts and other amenities (and crowds) one would expect in a major Alpine resort. For those who would travel a little farther, the world famous town of Innsbruck is easily reachable as a day trip.

Come Join Us

If you are intrigued by our "small is beautiful" philosophy and would like to receive additional information or make reservations for Vent, or any of our upcoming trips, please email Sheila Duigan or call her direct at 800-291-8126.

Hiking Program 2012

Soglio (S)	Apr 14 – Apr 27	$4,000
Chamonix (F)	Jun 20 – Jul 1	$3,600
† plus Saas Fee (S)	Jun 20 – Jul 5	$4,800
Sulden (A) + Tiers (I)	Jul 14 – Jul 29	$3,500
Matschertal (I) + Vent (A)	Aug 3 – Aug 18	$3,600
Sils Maria (S)	Sep 8 – Sep 19	$4,500
†† extended hike	Sep 8 – Sep 23	$5,500
Meran (I)	Sep 28 – Oct 13	$4,100
(A) = Austria (F) = France (I) = Italy (S) = Switzerland † optional add-on to Chamonix only — see our Newsletter for details. †† extended Sils Maria Hike — see our Newsletter for details.

Chamonix · Matschertal · Meran · Sils Maria · Soglio · Sulden · Tiers · Vent
2012 Destination Guide (90kb PDF) · 2012 Newsletter (2.8mb PDF) · The Magic of the Alps (9.2mb PDF)
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Alpine Travel, Inc. · 415 Bedford Road, Suite 201C · Pleasantville, NY 10570 · tel 800-291-8126 · fax 914-747-2266