Val Casies Valley / S. Maddalena
Mountain hike: To the lake Schwarzsee and mountain Hochkreuzspitze (2455 m/2739 m)
Mountain hike towards Villgraten (A)
Starting point: Gsiesertal Valley – St. Magdalena, Head of the Valley (1460 m)
Distance: 17 km
Descent: circular hike
Walking time: 7 hours
Difficulty: difficult
Altitude difference: 1387 m
Information: Line 441 www.suedtirolmobil.info
Hike from St. Magdalena through Pfoital Valley to Schwarzsee and on to Hochkreuzspitze, descending via Uwald Alm Hut.
Parking lot on payment at the head of the valley in the Gsiesertal Valley – St. Magdalena.
Coming from Lienz (A): You can reach us also padding by Lienz in Westtyrol (A). You have to cross the Austrian-Italian border between Ahrnbach and Winnebach (B100-E66) and drive on the SS46-E66 until Monguelfo. To get to Tesido and the Val Casies, we recommend to take the exit West in Monguelfo.
Train and bus: www.altoadigemobilita.info
Bus line 441
Starting from the Head of the Valley in the Gsiesertal Valley – St. Magdalena (1460 m, paid parking), turn right over the valley stream and then left, following trail marker no. 12 through the Pfoital up to the tree line. Continue straight into the valley to the Pfoialm (2134 m, no refreshments) and through the alpine valley to a junction. There, turn right and follow trail marker no. 13 to reach the Hintere Gsieser Lenke (2539 m). Beyond this col, a trail leads in a few minutes to the Schwarzsee (2455 m).
To continue to the Hochkreuzspitze, first return to the Hintere Gsieser Lenke, then turn right and follow trail marker no. 10 northwards to the summit of the Hellböden (2710 m). Along the ridge descend northwestwards into the Pfoischarte (2617 m), and from there, still on trail marker no. 10, ascend again northwestwards to the Hochkreuzspitze (2739 m).
Descent: return first to the Pfoischarte and then follow trail marker no. 12 over the southern ridge to the Uwald Alm (2042 m, refreshments available) and further back to the starting point.