Slowly, peace returns to the Brechhornhaus. Towards evening, when the mountain casts its shadow over the sun terrace, the day guests make their way back down into the valley. Now Christl, the landlady of the hut, returns to her cosy atmosphere and draws herself a beer. "Do you want another one?" Three people raise their hands: Susie, me - and another guest who has been holding on to his empty wheat beer glass for a while. Obviously a local biker who had cranked up from Westendorf. "And you? Did you come up from Kirchberg?" he wants to know. I nod: "Yes, over the Gaisberg, then over the Harlassanger down to Brügglbach and up from there." "Nice round." Christl brings our beers to the table and sits down. She doesn't often have bikers staying overnight. Most of the bikers around Kichberg are day trippers, she says. They usually come because of the trails that can be reached by cable car. "We're here for the trails too," I say, looking at Susie from the side without turning my head. Susie grins at her beer and knows what I'm hinting at. There was a discussion about the weekend together beforehand: Trails with a cable car? Or an honest tour again?
Connect the best trails in the Kitzbühel Alps with a lift
The result was this mix in the Kitzbühel Alps. A circular tour from Kirchberg to the Sperten and Windau valleys with an overnight stay in the Brechhornhaus. The route is laid out in such a way that we take the Gaisberg and Lisi-Osl trails with us - and thanks to the lift ticket, we can do them again quickly. Of course, only if we still have enough time. But speaking of time, it's now dark outside. The day guest realises this too. He quickly packs up his stuff and says goodbye to the landlady with a "Pfiadi!" We can still see him shooting down the forest road in the remaining daylight. Should we be worried? "But well!", the landlady laughs, "He always does that."
Two days in a row on the Harlassanger Trail
I'm just imagining we'd come into the dark on our tour today. The tight bends of the Lisi-Osl Trail were not easy even in daylight. You had to recognise the criss-crossing roots in good time. The Harlassanger was more Susie's thing. The path over the Anger leads through humpy alpine meadows. Always a leisurely flow, always with a view over the valley - until it suddenly picks up speed in the forest and you need your hands firmly on the handlebars again. "It was actually the most beautiful trail today," Susie summarises over her rummy cards. The mountain silhouette to the west is only faintly visible in the night sky. The landlady bids farewell to bed: "If you want another drink, take it and make it a dash. Good night!"
The next morning, the route takes us to Aschau, a small hamlet, the last in the Spertental valley. Pure tranquillity, infectious peace and quiet. The Gredwirt, a typical Tyrolean inn along the way, is unfortunately still closed. And when we reach the end of the village and still haven't found a village shop, we start to doubt whether there is one here at all. The prospect of having to continue without a snack almost ruins Susie's morning. But when we roll back into the village and ask the first passer-by, the all-clear is given. There is a small shop down on the main road towards Kirchberg. So, with freshly filled rolls and a 20-minute delay, we continue on to Oberer Grund. At the Rackstattalm, we finally make a U-turn onto the Aschauer Höhenweg. Up to this point, everything was still nice to pedal along, but now comes the turn-off to the Pengelstein. When I looked at the map, I knew that it was 500 metres uphill to get there. But not that it would be so steep: a single steep ascent with three extra ramps!
The Streif for skiers, the Fleckalm Trail for mountain bikers
There's more going on at the top of the Pengelstein. The mountain ridge is obviously popular because of its unobstructed views in all directions. Oh yes, and the cable car from Kitzbühel to the Hahnenkamm ends in the immediate vicinity. But what the Streif is for skiers, the Fleckalm Trail is for bikers. I've been looking forward to it all morning. It starts at the Ehrenbachhöhe and then winds its way down to Kirchberg over seven kilometres and 1000 metres in depth, with bumpy meadow paths, root paths in the forest, small waves, berms and Northshore elements. Plus a short section that rightly deserves the name Der Graben, because the nasty, rooted cut in the terrain requires courage and the very best riding technique. Or the right instinct for when it's time to descend. On the way, the path unfortunately leads past the sun terrace of the Fleckalm. It smells. Someone must have ordered a warm apple strudel up there. Susie would like one too. "But you go ahead on the trail, I'll just take a break," she says and obviously means it. That's the advantage of this round. The lift ticket takes you straight back to the top.
Hut tour Kirchberg (Kitzbühel Alps) - Day 1:
The tour starts at the car park of the Fleckalm cable car in the small hamlet of Klausen, just outside Kirchberg. From here, take the cycle path to the town centre, where you will find all the shops you need for a two-day tour. Sandwiches, brake pads, toothbrush? - this is the last opportunity. From the centre, we head straight up to the Gaisberg. That's 500 metres in altitude on a goods road and forest path, at the end of which the Gaisbergstüberl is enthroned. Just like the mountain station of the Gaisberg chairlift, the relaxed couch for those who want to save metres in altitude and collect trails. This is where the Lisi-Osl Trail starts, which after two thirds meets a forest path that also comes down from the Gaisberg and on which the trail can be easily bypassed (bypass as a GPS track in the download package). From here, the trail climbs another 400 metres in altitude, continuing along the western flank of the Spertental to the Harlassanger. The Harlassanger trail starts in the sun on the humpy natural meadows before it gets a little rougher in the forest. Once at the bottom, it's just one kilometre along the valley cycle path to Brügglbach and then up 700 metres in altitude to the Brechhornhaus on the well-signposted bike route. Increase the trail factor: If you want to enjoy the Lisi-Osl Trail all the way down, take the lift back up. And maybe you'll feel like trying the Gaisberg trail too.
Hut tour Kirchberg (Kitzbühel Alps) - Day 2:
From the Brechhornhaus, the trail first climbs a few metres up to the Kreuzjöchlsee lake and from there via the Wiegalm back to the Harlassanger Trail. Once you reach the bottom of the Spertental valley, follow the signs for the Aschauer Höhenweg trail. From here, the trail climbs gently into the Oberer Grund towards Stangenjoch. Pass the rustic and cosy Klooalm and continue to the Rackstattalm. Before the path to the Stangenjoch becomes steeper, the route now turns left and follows the Aschauer Höhenweg. On the eastern slopes of the Spertental valley, the route continues slightly uphill past Aschau until the final ascent to the Pengelstein begins after around seven kilometres, peppered with small ramps. Once at the top, follow the long mountain ridge to the north and, after a short descent into the Streiteggmulde, leave the path to the Hahnenkamm on the right and head straight up to the Ehrenbachhöhe for only around 100 metres. From here, the Fleckalm trail is already well signposted. In a left-hand bend, the easy bypass of the trail branches off straight ahead (sign: Fleckalm, GPS track of the bypass in the download package). Both trails cross at the Fleckalm with its restaurant and sun terrace. Around half of the descent is completed here, and a decent trail section awaits with a relaxed finish in the Bike Skill Park at the car park of the Fleckalm cable car. This is where you decide whether to head home or take the gondola up again.
Information about mountain biking in the Kitzbühel Alps
On this two-day tour with overnight stay in a mountain hut, you can experience all facets of the Kitzbühel Alps bike region. From the lift-accessed playground for trail fans in the Brixental valley to the end of the Spertental valley with lush alpine meadows on its flanks, with many quiet spots offering great views of the Wilder Kaiser, the peaks of the Kitzbühel Alps and even the Hohe Tauern. There are easier bypasses for the more challenging trail sections. This means that the group can always stay together, no matter how different their skills are. Tip: The evening in the hut is more fun in a group.
GPS data
You will find the GPS data for the tour as a free download at the end of the article.
Arrival
By car via the Inntal motorway to Kufstein Süd (toll!). If you want to save yourself the toll sticker, you can leave the motorway in Kiefersfelden and drive through Kufstein. Continue via St. Johann and Kitzbühel to Kirchberg. Coming from the west from Innsbruck to Wörgl-Ost and initially towards St. Johann, but soon turn right into Brixental Valley. Take the train via Wörgl to Brixental Valley.
Overnight stay
Alpengasthof Brechhornhaus, Achleitner family, tel. 0043/664/8158547, alpengasthof@achleitner.com. The Brechhornhaus offers space for approx. 50 people, divided into single, double, triple and four-bed rooms, most with shower and WC. There are also two camp beds for three or eight people in the house.
Tour information
Mountain bike map of the Kitzbühel Alps (1:50000) available in all tourist offices. Tour descriptions (with GPS download) can also be found on the homepage www.kitzbueheler-alpen.com
Lift tickets
Kitztrailcard (1 day valid for Fleckalm cable car and Gaisberg lift): 40 euros, single journey Gaisberg lift with bike: 10 euros, single journey Fleckalm cable car with bike: 18.30 euros
Bike shops
Toni's Pro Shop, Bahnhofstraße 2, Kirchberg, Tel. 0043/5357/2447, www.tonis-proshop.at
Riding technique courses/mountain bike hire
Bikeacademy Kitzbüheler Alpen at the valley station of the Fleckalm cable car, tel. 0043/664/9597970, www.bikeacademy.atthe skiing technique forge of World Cup star Lisi Osl
Mountain bike events
Kitzalp Bike Festival from 20th to 28th June, a classic, with the Windautal Bike Rally on 20th June, the MTB Hillclimb in Brixen on 24th June and the Bike Marathon on 27th June, info: www.kitzalpbike.com
