Overview
Hoher Seblaskogel, upper part of ski route
Alpeiner Berge and
Sellrain mountains within
Stubai range are a sort of El Dorado for ski hikes, mainly in springtime. Lisens valley offers four ski hike classics:
Lisenser Fernerkogel /
Lisener Spitze,
Zischgeles,
Längentaler Weißer Kogel and
Hoher Seblaskogel.
On sunny weekends you will be not alone. The good news is that most of the ski hikers will not summit Hoher Seblaskogel; they head mainly for Lisenser Fernerkogel / Lisener Spitze.
The bad news is: The ski ascent route to Hoher Seblaskogel has an eastern exposition. So no excuses: you have to start early (I said:
EARLY !) and you should be back early, too. Especially in springtime avalanche danger will rise during the day and there are some wicked slopes along that route.
Nevertheless Hoher Seblaskogel is a fascinating ski hike in a fascinating mountain scenery and can be recommended as an equal alternative to the mainly too crowded Lisenser Fernerkogel.
Getting There
Hoher Seblaskogel, Important signpost
The route starts at the parking area (parking fee) of
Lisens.
From Munich
From Kufstein, Innsbruck or Landeck
Route Description
Routes overview - lower part | Routes overview - upper part |
Follow the forest road starting at the parking area in southern direction until you reach
Fernerboden with the supply cablecar valley station for
Westfalenhaus.
Bear right, cross the glacier creek of Lisenser Ferner and follow the road to its end at a huntsmen cabin. Behind the cabin the track enters the woods on the orografic right side of the
Fernau creek, coming down Längental.
The ski track normally winds up steeply through the dense wood (about 100 meters altitude difference) and then traverses a bit more moderate on the north slopes of lower
Längental, which is a tributary hanging valley of Lisenser valley (that is why the first slope is so steep). In later spring it is sometimes better to follow a trail by foot which bypasses the first steep slope and reaches the ski track above it - in this case just follow that trail which starts behind the huntsmen cabin, if the snow is not too deep or has already melted away.
Lower Längental ascent | Lower Längental ascent | Upper Längental ascent |
After the slightly more moderate traverse the track reaches the
Längental Alm and impressive Längental stretches in front of you: Seblaskogel rises high in the skies and you now know why he is called Hoher (high) Seblaskogel: there is a lot of ascent work still lying in store for you.
The track follows in a moderate grade the valley floor. Soon you will recognise
Westfalenhaus high up on the south slopes of lower Längental.
If you do Seblaskogel as a
days hike it is not necessary to ascend to the hut; just follow Längental first in western and southwestern, then in southern direction.
If you intend to
stay a night in the alpine club hut, ascend the south slopes of lower Längental to the hut just before Längental turns to a southern direction. There should be a ski track up to the hut.
The valley ski track ascends the upper Längental now in southern direction. Bear right at some significant rock outcrops in the middle of the upper valley and look for a steep slope to your right which raises up to the southeast cirques of Hoher Seblaskogel. At the bottom of that slope there is a
signpost for the summer trails to Hoher Seblaskogel and to Längentaler Weißer Kogel.
If you start at Westfalenhaus you can traverse the south and east slopes of Längental above the valley ground to reach the bottom of the above mentioned slope. It depends on the snow cover and the avalanche situation how easy or tricky that traverse is. If there is not much snow you better descend into the valley to reach the ascend route.
Ascent to the summit cirque / chute | Summit and Grüne Tatzen ferner | Summit view |
Zigzag up that steep slope to its upper end; the lower part is threatened by
avalanches, so watch out! At the top of the slope the upper cirque of Hoher Seblaskogel stretches in front of you. A sort of broad chute leads up to the rests of a little glacier, the
Grüne Tatzen Ferner (which means “green paw glacier”, named after green tufts of gras growing during summer above that glacier). There is no danger of crevasses nowadays, I don´t know if that little glacier exists any more.
Ascend steep to the lowest part of the
east ridge, which drops down from the already visible summit. Then follow the ridge crest or stay below it to reach the summit; the last part has to be done by foot, it depends on the snow cover and your abilities where you leave your skies.
The summit offers marvellous views especially to Ötztaler Alpen and to the Stubai Alps / Sellrain.
Downhill is the same route. With good snow conditions - e.g. good corn snow in springtime - the ski descent is highly delightful.
Gear & Mountain Condition
A view to Schrankogel, Schrandele
Hoher Seblaskogel is a winter and spring ski tour.
Difficulty
Advanced (Beginners in company)
Reasons
A nice altitude difference of 1600 m and a long route which needs some experience in evaluating the avalanche situation. Beginners with experienced company can extend their know-how.
Grades
Beginners: easy ski-hikes with moderate altitude difference, easy routes and simple downhill slopes
Advanced: Ski hikes for the more experienced, due to higher altitude differences and/or longer and more demanding routes including steep or exposed parts and steeper downhill slopes
Difficult: Only for experienced ski hikers and mountaineers; high altitude differences (> 1.500 m), long and demanding routes including steep and difficult route parts and/or rock scrambling and/or parts with crampons / ice axe to get on a summit; steep, exposed and / or narrow downhill slopes
The difficulty rating shall give you a first advice about how demanding the ski route is. It is my personal rating. The reasons for the rating are given in the description. They are effective for “normal conditions” like good weather, normal snow conditions and a moderate avalanche danger. Due to bad conditions (weather, snow, avalanches) a lower grade can tend to be more difficult.
Afternoon avalanche over ascent route | Afternoon "avalanche waterfall" at Fernerboden |
Full avalanche gear is required.
Check the
Tirol avalanche bulletin here.
Check the
weather forecast here or
here.
Maps & Guide Books
View below summit
Maps
Alpenvereinskarte 1 : 25.000
Blatt 31/2, Stubaier Alpen / Sellrain
Deutscher Alpenverein 2009
Österreichische Karte 1 : 50.000 UMT
Blatt 2228, Neustift im Stubai
Bundesamt für Eich- und Vermessungswesen, Wien, 2005
Österreichische Karte 1 : 50.000 BNM
Blatt 146, Ötz, 1998
Blatt 147, Axams, 1997
Bundesamt für Eich- und Vermessungswesen, Wien
Guide Books
Alpenvereinsführer
Stubaier Alpen, alpin
Bergverlag Rudolf Rother, München, 2006
Rother Skitourenführer
Sellrain / Küthai
Bergverlag Rudolf Rother, München, 2007