Big mountain tour in Tyrol: Super trail over Galtür - desert experience on the Muttenjoch

Twenty kilometres of ascent for around six kilometres of descent - that sounds like a bad deal at first. If it weren't for the incredible landscape: the Muttenjoch Trail winds its way through the middle of the Tyrolean Verwall giants. A high mountain world of rocky peaks and ridges, connected by scree slopes as far as the eye can see.

Spring water gushes directly from the rock here and collects in crystal-clear lakes in which only the sky is reflected. A martial, moon-like backdrop in which such a narrow, fragile trail has to assert itself. So there is never a dull moment on this tour around the 2890 metre high Schrottenkopf. Neither uphill nor downhill.

The tour starts at the car park just before the village of Piel on the Paznaun road. The route leads along the Rosanna past Galtür to Wirl, where the ascent branches off towards Zeinisjoch. You can roll up to the wall of the Kops reservoir on a pleasant gradient. Then the subsequent gravel bends add a few per cent to reach the next higher terrain level: the high valley with the Verbellaalpe.

After a stop at the hut, the climb is far from over

Here you can now roll comfortably along below the Valschaviel ridge. To the left, the Verbella stream gurgles in its notch, a few fly fishermen try their luck here. The next terrain step soon piles up in front of us: the stitch to the Heilbronner Hütte. The path is even concreted here because it is so steep. Nevertheless, most bikers will have to push because pedalling takes too much energy. However, if the wind is favourable, the scent of plum strudel wafts around your nose during this slog. And the stop at the hut terrace is well worth it, especially as the climb behind it is far from over.

The Muttenjoch trail begins behind the house. With another pushing and carrying section, but as soon as the hut has disappeared from view, you can get back on your bike for two and a half kilometres. The trail now leads slightly uphill on a stony sandy track towards the Jöchli ridge. Past small lakes and through scree troughs. Only a few cotton grasses sprout from this stony desert. Not a soul in sight.

Through the valley of death up to the Muttenjoch

Until at some point we meet a crystal seeker. In broad Vorarlberg dialect, he asks us whether we also want to go to the Valley of Death? I would rather call it the "Valley of Desert Silence". Because after a somewhat rough downhill traverse, we actually find ourselves in this absolute silence. But there is life: The source of Rosanna springs up from the ground next to our feet. Fine hairpin bend lines can be seen on the steep rocky slope opposite. We still have to get up there. It's the last 270 metres up to the Muttenjoch. We hump our bikes again and trudge through a magnificent rocky landscape until the last step is finally taken at an altitude of 2620 metres.

Now it's just reward instead of effort: the 6 kilometres and 1200 metres of descent down to Mathon! The first few metres of descent are almost flowing, then the first high alpine wobbles rumble through the suspension. Take a short breather on a farm track that leads over to the Friedrichshafener hut with its bathing lake. Up to this point, the Muttenjoch trail is expressly authorised for bikers.

After the hut, you then have the choice: either hurtle down 600 metres into the valley on gravel switchbacks or dare to do what is not explicitly permitted. If you prefer the latter, choose the trail that cuts through the gravel hairpin bends, but then you have to contend with steps, tight hairpin bends and scree the size of a football all the way down into the valley.

The Muttenjoch Trail: tour data & GPS download

• Length: 25.9 kilometres
• Uphill: 1300 metres altitude
• Difficulty: difficult (up to S2)

Tip: If you don't want to push everything after the strenuous ascent downhill, you should be able to deal with high alpine steps and loose rocks.

Stefan Becker - The man behind the Supertrail Map. The Tyrolean prefers travelling in lonely mountains and loves his homeland - despite many bike bans. His motto: "It's only half as wild. People come together by talking!"

You can find the GPS data for the tour in the BIKE tour app: