Feldalphorn

Overview

Located between the south – north running valleys of Auffach to the west and Kelchsau to the east, Feldalphorn is the first higher summit of the Alpbach – Wildschönau subrange between these valleys. It is a 1923 m high summit with mostly gentle brush and meadow slopes in all directions. Nearby and slightly higher Schwaiberghorn to the south offers a good opportunity for a nice and short traverse.

Feldalphorn is a classic hiking summit and gets his visits, too, during winter and spring, as it is a nice ski touring aim. The south ridge, coming from Schwaiberghorn, splits in two subridges like a Y at Feldalphorn, thus offering several routes and trails up to this summit.

I like best the traverse Feldalphorn – Schwaiberghorn to and fro Kelchsau, a typical old Kitzbüheler village with many old houses. If you get the chance come to see the spectacular day of return of the cattle from the high Alm meadows to the valley in September.

Old farmhouse at Kelchsau village

Kelchsau cattle return

Getting There

Trailheads for Feldalphorn are:

Kelchsau to the east and

Auffach / Wildschönau to the west

to the north there is a hikers parking area at about a hight of 1500 m on Sonnberg / Oberau on the north ridge of Feldalphorn

Feldalphorn summit

Feldalphorn and small pond on Schwaiberghorn east ridge

You reach these trailheads

by car:

From Munich or Salzburg directions use highway A 8 to Inntal junction and then highway A 93 / A 12 (in Austria toll road) to exit Wörgl.

From Innsbruck direction go on highway A 12 likewise to exit Wörgl.

Turn on road number 178 and then on road number 170 until you reach Hopfgarten.

For the Auffach valley trailheads follow the signposts to Wildschönau (road number L 3) until you reach Auffach. Follow the valley road until you reach Schwarzenau with some possibilities to park near the trailheads.

For the Kelchsau trailhead leave road number 170 after the center of Hopfgarten, following the signposts to Kelchsau. Go on Kelchsauer Landstraße to Innerkelchsau with a parking area.

by train and bus:

The nearest railway station is Hopfgarten. Bus number 4064 goes to Auffach (bus stop “Auffach Melkstatt”), Bus number 4057 to Innerkelchsau (bus stop “Innerkelchsau, Gasthof Fuchswirt or Dorfwirt).

Please note that the frequency of these busses per day is not very high.

Route Overview

Feldalphorn Routes Overview:



There are several routes to Feldalphorn; I will recommend three main hiking routes and the main ski routes.


trailhead Kelchsau

Take the forest road starting at the bridge of the valley main road over Kelch creek coming down from Feldalphorn between Kelchsau Unterdorf and Kelchsau Oberdorf.
Follow this forest road up to a huge farm house. Take the right hand forest road zigzagging up to the mountain station of the Kelchsau ski area and Höhenbrandalm. Take a narrow and steep trail from there directly up to another forest road and stay left, following this road and passing by a hunters cabin to the beautiful and old Trockenbach Alm. Take the right hand trail (signposts) up to the northeast ridge of Feldalphorn leading up to the summit.

Trockenbachalm on the Kelchsau route

Upper Kelchsau route near the summit

trailhead Auffach

There are several possibilities to summit Feldalphorn from Auffach; the best ones are the forest roads Unterbergweg or, located a bit more to the south, Prädasten. Both routes (mainly forest roads) unite below Feldalm, a trail goes up from the junction to the summit, using the last bit of the north ridge.

Ponds on the north ridge

North ridge with Feldalphorn

trailhead Sonnberg / Oberau

Just follow the trail on the north ridge to Turmkogl and proceed on the north ridge to Feldalphorn. Easy hike, short.


Traverse

The simple connecting ridge Feldalphorn – Schwaiberghorn is an easy hike; the traverse can be done if starting at Kelchsau or from some parking areas south of Auffach within Auffach valley.

The traverse with the latter trailhead can be extended to the south from Schwaiberghorn to the secondary summits of Breiteggern, Wildkarspitze, Breiteggspitze before descending into Auffach valley / Alpengasthof Schönanger.

Easy but very nice hikes.

Traverse Feldalphorn - Schwaiberghorn

View of Großer Rettenstein and Großvenediger region from the traverse

Ski Routes

trailhead Auffach

Start at Schwarzenau south of Auffach and ascend through clearings to Prädasten and to the Feldalm meadows. Ascend Feldalphorn directly from the Feldalm medows. Downhill the same route.

trailhead Kelchsau

Start at Höhenbrandalm, using the ski lifts from Kelchsau to get there. Follow the Kelchsau route via Trockenbachalm and the northeast ridge. Dowenhill the same route.

The traverse to Schwaiberghorn can be done by skies, too, thus combining the ski routes to both summits.

Red Tape & Accommodation

No red tape as far as I know.

Most parking areas are without fee (2017).


You find accommodation of all kind at

Kelchsau
Auffach / Wildschönau

There is no mountain hut around. Some Alm huts sell drinks and food and maybe mountain cheese.

Gear & Mountain Condition

In summer and autumn you need normal hiking gear and good shoes. All routes are easy hiking routes; some trails can be steep and narrow, however. A good map of the area is recommended.

In winter you need full ski hike gear and your avalanche gear.
See the Tirol avalanche bulletin here.


Current Weather Kelchsau valley:

Maps

Alpenvereinskarte 1 : 50.000; Kitzbüheler Alpen östliches Blatt, Nr. 34/2, Deutscher Alpenverein, 2009; - topo map with trails

Alpenvereinskarte 1 : 50.000; Kitzbüheler Alpen östliches Blatt, Nr. 34/2 S, Deutscher Alpenverein, 2009; - topo map with ski routes

Austrian Topo Maps:

Österreichische Karte 1 : 50.000 - UTM (ÖK50):

3213, Wörgl
3219, Neukirchen am Großvenediger

Images

View Feldalphorn Image Gallery - 14 Images