With my left hand clenched on via ferrata Flat line and my right hand embrace CameraI looked over my shoulder to see how the other three were walking. Not far from getting to the first pole of the day – a little saddle between two gears peaksThe driveway was very steep and felt from the rain at night, and the view was similar to a bowl of soup.
Jenny Lee smiled her signature smile, gathered in all of her warm layers, as well as a little bit of mine. Her brother, Chris, wasn’t far behind, he took a moment to frame his own picture of the mist dancing around the ridgeline. This little circus was amazing, which made it hard to leave our cameras and keep moving forward. Aneli, the last in our party, chose a different path, and was not far behind.
eagle road It is Austria’s premier hiking trail, stretching 256 miles through the heart of the Alps. We’ve only been dealing with the section in East Tyrol, the most mountainous and rugged province, for a week. Every night we stayed in a little mountaintop shelter, enjoying a warm homely meal and a comfortable bed. This also allowed us to carry enough daily gear and go further every day. This route is the European version of the Appalachian Trail, but with a much deeper history and culture surrounding it. The Eagle Road was used by soldiers in World War II to fortify sites, mountaineering pioneers used it to get to the historic climb, and many hikers today consider it a must-see.
Many of the sections are steep and rugged, yet well marked with red and white paint on the rocks, and signposts at every junction. We often joked that you hardly need a map because the route is so easy to follow. It is as if the eagle’s way is woven into the fabric of the mountains, almost a foot of rocks and glaciers and streams meandering by them. For those interested in following our steps, here are the essential logistics to make it happen.
Getting There: Planes and Trains
We chose to travel to Innsbruck, Austria, and take a 2-hour shuttle bus to Tirol. This is the traditional and easiest way to do the South Tyrol section because it is the farthest. For most of the Eagle Route, Innsbruck is the best starting point, with many trails in the peaks outside the city limits. For the far western reaches, it’s a train ride from Zurich. Or for the eastern end of the route, fly to Munich and train to Austria to begin your journey. In general, the best option is a round-trip ticket to Innsbruck.
Equipment and food: the hut experience
We stayed in a different remote mountain hut every night, starting in the quaint little village of Struden and making our way to the slightly larger town of Ködnitzhof – a total of 65 miles of hiking. Along the way, we stayed at Johanneschut The first night, set in an attractive alpine valley. The second night we stayed at Bonn Matreier HuttePerched at a height with 36 stunning views, it was warmly welcomed by the family’s owners. The next night we stayed at Matter Tauernhausin the small town of Tower. The fourth night we stayed at Calcer Townhouse, another family owned and incredibly welcoming residence. On the last day, we stayed at Gasthof Ködnitzhof.
Each hut was a little different, some with common rooms and some with private rooms, each with a menu, history and homemade flavour. These safe havens allowed us to pack light, and only carry a day bag while still feeling safe and well prepared. There were also huts in the middle of the road, giving us places to have a delicious lunch, a warm cup of coffee on a rainy day, or even a beer in the middle of the afternoon if we liked it. Some of our favorites included Esener HotAnd the SajathütteAnd the Easy HotAnd the Badner HutAnd the Stüdlhütte On our last day.
Other than the basics, like a smart first aid kit, water, headlights, and sunscreen, I had a few items that made the trip really comfortable. I wore a new pair of HOKA Mafate Speed 4s which proved to be the perfect footwear, as they dry quickly after wet days, give me great grip on loose terrain, and comfort for long hours of over eight hours each day. I wore Arcteryx Beta LT المطر rain jacketwhich proved to be explosive in a few torrential rains, and Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer Hoody For a very warm and lightweight layer. I loved Julbo Meta Sunglasses For style and function, track the entire path on Garmin Enduro 2, which I consider to be the best GPS watch on the market. This is all in a file Patagonia Slope Runner Expedition Package The prototype that has been launched since then deserves all the attention.
The weather and why you should go
Like most mountains around the world, the weather in the Austrian Alps is fickle and changes quickly. The best time to visit is from June to September, but you are never guaranteed a warm, sunny week. Even in the middle of summer it can storm for days on end. However, the huts provide a great place to dry out and heat up, so even if you’re hiking at the worst of it, the trip will still be comfortable and safe.
The biggest draw wasn’t the vastness of the place or the beauty of the peaks that surround the trail (both impressive in their own right), but instead the people we met along the way. For an entire week, we didn’t see another American. The lane was relatively empty and the people we met along the road or in the huts were almost exclusively Germans and Austrians, on vacation or a long weekend walk. This made us feel like we were locals, we hadn’t only been visiting for a week.
On top of that, every hut we entered was warm and inviting, even as we struggled our way through ordering drinks and food using the few German words we know. Most of them are family run, and you can see parents and children all helping out in the kitchen and chores all over the property. It’s an experience unlike anything you can get in the US, which makes the whole trip even richer.
For access to exclusive equipment videos, celebrity interviews, and more, Subscribe to YouTube!
Discussion about this post