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Bürkelkopf
- Mountain hiking
Mountain hiking
- Traverse west–east
Traverse west–east

Traverse west–east (Normal route) Bürkelkopf 3030 m

Difficulty

T5-
Ascent

2:30 h, 820 m
Descent

2:15 h, 820 m

Switzerland’s northernmost threethousander

Rock faces, pillars and spires tower above a plateau of lakes and a large cwm: this is Bürkelkopf and Bürkelspitzen. Seeing its massive rock structure, it is hard to believe that this mountain can be traversed on an exciting hiking tour. Nevertheless, there are paths charted on the map. The white-blue-white markings are somewhat misleading, as there are a few precarious passages to overcome.

View from «Bei den Seen» to Bürkelkopf (09/2009) © Fredy Joss

View from the summit towards the descent to Vesulspitze in Tyrol (09/2009) © Fredy Joss

Route description

Alptrider Sattel – Flimjoch

On the signposts of Alptrider Sattel, Bürkelkopf is already mentioned. Descend northward on a white-red-white marked road to the bend at P. 2423. Continue northward up and down and on increasingly narrow trails through the ski area. From P. 2438 ascend to the lake plateau «Bei den Seen». To the west the trail ascends on scree slopes to Flimjoch and the border to Austria.

Flimjoch – Bürkelkopf

From Flimjoch follow the white-blue-white markings northward ascending on a scree crest. The itinerary leads to a steep rocky couloir with little solid rock. If you are with a group be very aware of the risk of falling rocks. In the couloir several easy climbing passages (II) need to be overcome, some metres are up to grade II. Here hiking poles are cumbersome and should be stowed away in the backpack. At the end the itinerary bends to the left to reach the western ridge of Bürkelkopf. Following the ridge strewn with scree, you reach the summit easily.

Bürkelkopf – «Bei den Seen»

From Bürkelkopf descend north-eastward on the ridge until right before the secondary summit (3029 m). Through its western face (steep) the path continues. Descend further north-eastward on the Tyrolean side on slippery, earthy terrain. The last remains of ice in this face will soon disappear. Now the path leads eastward along the foot of Bürkelspitzen and up into the breach (2866 m) between Bürkelspitzen. Back on the Swiss side descend on the fairly tiresome scree gully to the uppermost lake of «Bei den Seen» (2545 m).

«Bei den Seen» – Alptrider Sattel

From the uppermost lake of «Bei den Seen» (2545 m) hike back right to the ascent route and follow it to Alptrider Sattel. Or from the first lake descend left until ca. 2450 m, then right to the ascent route (also marked).

Additional information

Departure and arrival point

Alptrider Sattel, mountain station (2486 m)

bergbahnen-samnaun.ch

Get there Google Maps

Alptrider Sattel

Difficulty / Material: The markings are white-blue-white, but there are climbing passages up to grade II. Some segments are on brittle and slippery terrain. Dangerous when wet, snow-covered or icy.

Waypoints

Munt da Chierns (2689 m)

The variant on Grübelekopf (neighbour summit) crosses Munt da Chierns.

Laret (Samnaun) (1745 m)

Endpoint of the variant on Grübelekopf (neighbour summit)

Spatlasattel (2541 m)

The variant on Grübelekopf (neighbour summit) crosses Spatlasattel.

Neighbor summit

Flimspitz (2928 m)

From Flimjoch ca. 30 min. ascent, 20 min. back, T3. Or the continuation: from Flimspitz to Ausser Viderjoch there is a short via ferrata. Protection gear is not necessary and the grade is about T5. You can hike on along the border ridge as far as Zeblasjoch. There are several marked variants.

Grübelekopf (2892 m)

Alptrider Sattel – Alp Bella – Grübelekopf 2½ h ascent, 1¾ h descent, T3, marked. A magnificent variant: from Alp Bella ascend to Munt da Chierns (2690 m) and descend south to Laret (bus, restaurants). Grübelekopf – Laret 2¾ h, T3, marked.