Hut tour South Tyrol: High above the Puster Valley - E-MTB tour from Bruneck to Brixen
Sissi Pärsch
· 08.04.2023
High above the South Tyrolean trail regions of Valle Isarco and Val Pusteria, the Starkenfeldhütte is enthroned on a sunny plateau. A wellness oasis for mountain bikers surrounded by spectacular Dolomite peaks. The landlord: Johannes von Klebelsberg (27), known as the downhill legend "Denim Destroyer". The tour: From Bruneck or St. Lorenzen up to the 2194 metre high Astjoch and on the second day a relaxed ride down to Brixen via the idyllic Rodenecker Almen and Spinges.
The tour: Bruneck - Brixen via the Starkenfeld hut
Stage 1: From Bruneck via St. Lorenzen to the Starkenfeld hut
- Length 22.2 kilometres
- Uphill 1429 metres altitude
- Downhill 305 metres
- Trail riding technique: 80 % easy, 20 % medium
Directions:
It's only a stone's throw from Bruneck to St. Lorenzen. This is where we start the tour. From here we head to Montal at the entrance to the Gadertal valley, where the ascent awaits. The start is still quite relaxed with a view towards the Pfunderer mountains. But the serpentines become tighter and you start to gain metres in altitude via the Kreuznerhof towards the Astjoch. At 2194 metres, this is the highest peak on the high plateau of the Rodenecker-Lüsner-Alm and offers a great all-round panorama. You should skip the challenging trail at the front and instead take the same route down from the summit and circle the Astjoch on the right above the Kreuzwiesenalmen pastures until you reach the alpine path, which then quickly leads to Starkenfeld.
Stage 2: From the Starkenfeldhütte to Brixen
- Length 33.4 kilometres
- Uphill 586 metres in altitude
- Downhill 1962 metres
- Trail riding technique: 50 % easy, 30 % medium, 20 % difficult
Directions:
Up to the Zumis hiking car park, you roll along a forest path across the plateau. This is followed by a varied, sometimes challenging ride along forest paths towards Zizner and on to Gifen. From Schabs, the route finally crosses to the other side of the valley and the ascent towards Spinges begins. On forest paths, over some tarmac bends and finally through a beautiful pine forest, you reach the viewpoint at the Spinges cross. Finally, a few more kilometres of trail await you to Brixen, some technically challenging, some fast on gentle forest ground, past the Neustift monastery and along the cycle path into the heart of Brixen.
The story behind the tour - From Bruneck to Brixen via the Starkenfeld hut
Forest ceiling reached. The curtain rises, the screen spreads out and shows nature cinema in blockbuster format. In the leading roles, of course, are the Dolomites. As always, the Fanes-Sennes and Puez-Geisler groups are unashamedly beautiful, battling it out here with the Sarntal Alps and the Rieserferner mountains. For the final panoramic showdown, however, the Astjoch still has to be conquered. The last, short stitch is steep, really steep. The front wheel climbs menacingly, the lungs are pumping despite the boost. Then the cross high up between the Puster and Eisack valleys - and your heart doesn't quite know whether to jump or stand still. South Tyrol likes to do that to you.
Many meditative bends up to the Astjoch
It is surprising that the extensive high plateau of the Rodeneck and Lüsner Alps is not particularly well known. Anyone thinking of South Tyrolean sun terraces quickly ends up at the Alpe di Siusi. The wide, undulating terrain here between Bruneck and Brixen, on the other hand, flies under the radar. And it buzzes well. No crowds, no cable cars, no horse-drawn carriages. Instead, there are 80 Alpine pastures over 23 square kilometres, a dense network of paths and a view that seems to go on forever. The massive Peitlerkofel and the Plose. The Neuner and the Zehner. The Heiligkreuzkofel and in front of it the Kronplatz, where we had ridden the legendary Herrensteig with its infinite number of shaped hairpin bends in the morning. After lunch, we cycled from the bike park to the other side of the valley. No problem with the E-MTB - just like the ascent to the Rodeneck plateau up to our destination today, the Starkenfeldhütte. There were many meditative bends through the secluded forest until the tour culminated later on the Astjoch with its immeasurable views. Then we focussed on the obvious. It's not far from up here to the Starkenfeldhütte, and there's a hint of hunger on the horizon.
The Starkenfeld hut host had warned us in advance that the direct route down the front was "rather challenging". And it would be presumptuous to question his judgement, because you can't deny that our host today has a certain level of biking expertise. According to the UCI, Johannes von Klebelsberg was the 52nd best downhiller in the world in 2019. So perhaps it would be better to circumnavigate the Astjoch on more relaxed trails in order to roll into the hut safe and sound.
This soon appears in the most panoramic location, watching over the wide pastures of the plateau with views as far as the Stubai Alps. The Starkenfeldhütte was rebuilt after a fire in 2017. Clear and simple with huge panoramic windows and a shingle façade. Photovoltaics on the house. Deckchairs in front of the house next to an overgrown pond. Behind the house is the cheese dairy as well as well-fed, very well-fed rabbits and four pigs that grunt and enjoy leftover dumplings - and are sure to have put on enough bacon by the end of the season ...
It looks big, the Starkenfeldhütte, at least from the outside. Yet it only has eleven rooms. The double rooms, suites and 6-bed rooms have no frills or alpine chic, but offer bathrooms, window fronts and balconies. Upstairs there is also a sauna and, above all, a huge yoga or seminar room under the gable with panoramic views of the South Tyrolean mountains. Starkenfeld has nothing in common with the typical alpine huts that can accommodate 150 guests. When the day guests leave later in the afternoon, things quiet down. Time for us to digest the apple strudel and set off on another short trail round with Johannes - he just has to slip into his jeans quickly ...
Let's use the waiting time for a brief digression on the downhiller who is better known to many as Denim Destroyer: He got into biking at the age of eight, ten years later he was Italian champion for the first time and was soon competing in UCI World Cup races. Over the years, he rode for various teams while also working as a restaurateur and setting up a branch of their Bolzano restaurant in Munich with his brother. And so in 2019, Johannes is riding a season without a team, without a sponsor, but with his own bike - and in jeans.
Before the race in Maribor, I happened to find these super-stretchy jeans in a shop and thought to myself that they would work well as racing trousers. - Johannes von Klebelsberg, alias Denim Destroyer
The "private rider" draws attention to himself in this outfit with strong results, for example with a 13th place on the very selective downhill course in Val di Sole. A UK journalist dubbed the South Tyrolean lad, who rides in jeans (with his smartphone in one back pocket and his wallet in the other), the "Denim Destroyer". Johannes accidentally became a minor star of the scene. The brands then wooed him, and the following year Johannes decided to join the GT Factory Racing team.
In spring 2022, at the age of 26, he announced his retirement from downhill racing and took over the Starkenfeldhütte a few months later. He simply no longer wanted to deal with the injuries, the back and forth between his bike and his job, and he also had goals outside of the sport. Even though he hasn't been able to watch downhill races on TV since then, "because it still hurts too much and itches too much", he has fulfilled a lifelong dream with this hut. A lifelong dream at 2000 metres above sea level, in summer and winter, with a lot of work and little time for mountain biking. But now he's taking the time for a trail ride with us.
2.5 kilos of iron under the bottom bracket - there was trouble
On the way to the Astjoch, Johannes says that he probably rode better without a team because he could do what he wanted. Later, the sponsors and mechanics were not always enthusiastic about his ideas. Not even when he welded a block of 2.5 kilograms of iron under his bottom bracket because he thought he could achieve more stability and speed with the weight. "And it really did make me ten seconds faster on my home track."
That's why he loves the riding experience on his e-MTB, because it has exactly these characteristics. And of course a few more advantages. Basically, he needs to cycle more again, he says, down and over to Kronplatz and on to the Plose. With the e-MTB, it's not an issue from up here and a great tour. But we're running out of time. In the evening light, we head back to the hut - Johannes naturally chooses the Direttissima option, the direct line.
After a three-course meal and a glass of wine and another glass of wine, it's time for a good night's sleep. After a good night's sleep, we do morning yoga with an outrageously beautiful view and enjoy an extensive breakfast. Then we set off for the descent towards Brixen. The first hikers are already walking along the high trail. Johannes' milk suppliers swing leisurely across the alpine meadows, not even letting us disturb them. Then it's time to say goodbye to this sun terrace with its far-reaching views and concentrate on the trails in the forest. From Zumis, the route is sometimes very challenging, sometimes flowing, sometimes on forest roads down to Rodeneck and on to Schabs. We have to give our hands and brakes a break every now and then. Our eyes are also happy about this, as it makes it easier for them to get used to the new scenery.
After the descent, a detour up to the Spinges cross
The wilder Pustertal valley and the high Alpine landscape are behind us, now the neighbouring Eisack valley welcomes us with almost Mediterranean mildness. A soft wind blows through the vines along the way. The sun is strong and the green is lush. Theoretically, we could now head straight to Brixen, but on the right on the opposite slope of the valley, halfway up, there is a viewing platform. With a striking cross in front of it. And as our batteries haven't had anything to do today, we take this loop up to Spinges. Just under 500 metres in altitude later, we are standing right next to the cross, looking out over the valley and deep into the Dolomites again. But also into history, as this monument is a reminder that the village maid Katharina Lanz once successfully fought back against Napoleon's forces up here. A heroic feeling, then, as we roll into the subsequent trail descent towards Mühlbach. And it wasn't to be the last fun kilometres that took us via Neustift Monastery to the pretty old town of Brixen.
Area information for the Brunico - Bressanone E-MTB tour
Arrival
The starting point of the two-day hut tour is Brunico/Bruneck, the main town in Val Pusteria/Pustertal. The quickest way to reach Bruneck by car is via the Brenner motorway, exit Brixen/Pustertal. By train, take the train to Franzensfeste and change there to the local railway line into the Pustertal, which will take you to Bruneck. You can then return by train or taxi from Bressanone/Brixen to Brunico/Bruneck (to your car) or take the direct train home.
The hut
The Starkenfeldhütte is located at an altitude of 1936 metres on the Rodeneck-Lüsner Alm between the excellent touring areas of the Pustertal and Eisacktal valleys. You can stay overnight at the Starkenfeld in suites, double and six-bed rooms and enjoy half-board with a three-course menu and sumptuous breakfast. Plus: a small sauna and rain shower in the room. What is definitely not available for relaxation purposes: Wifi and mobile phone reception.
Prices per person: in a 6-bed room: 79 euros, in a double room: 118 euros and in the suite: 138 euros. Summer season opening times: mid-May to mid-November.
The bike area
There are countless tour options in both the Pustertal and Eisacktal valleys, as they are the northern gateways to the world of the Dolomites. Various tours including descriptions and GPS data can be found on our website at www.bike-magazin.de, search term: Dolomites >>
Guided tours
Brixen: The guides at BrixBike in Stadelgasse 4 have a fixed weekly programme, plus individual camps, technical and tour offers.
Riding technique - Bike parks
The local bike school is called Plosebike. There are also two bike parks in the region. Kronplatz in Bruneck is still an insider tip despite its 17 lovingly built trail descents and is not overcrowded. At the front, the legendary, winding Herrensteig trail leads downhill for almost 8 km and 1300 metres. Opening times Kronplatz: June to the end of October.
The equivalent on the Plose, Brixen's local mountain, would be the black Sky Line. But here, too, there are various trails of all colour categories that were once carved into the slope by Gravity Logic, the trail builders from Whistler. Opening hours Bikepark Brixen: Mid-May to mid-October.
Bike shops
Forbiker in Bruneck is the name of the competent Cube store with service and spare parts. Various well-stocked bike shops with a proper breakdown service await you in Brixen. For example, Rush eMotion Bike, Profi Bike, Mister Bike or Sportservice Stricker directly at the Plose valley station in St. Andrä.
