The trail leads through colourful meadows along the valley floor past the striking village church to the hamlet of "Frade". Here the actual ascent begins, first through a spruce forest, then later through grazed alpine pastures until the forest clears and you reach the "Koatneralm". From the alpine pasture it is not far to the flat ridge between the Fradertal valley and the Obernbergersee lake, which you can follow from now on for some time. When you reach the ridge, the landscape opens up and offers great views of the Wipptal, the Tribulaune and the distant peaks of the Zillertal Alps. A little later you finally reach the Allerleigrubenspitze, the first peak of the tour. The terrain around the peak with its numerous small hollows and ponds invites you to take a short break. The trail then continues at a relatively leisurely pace over the ridge before the last crisp climb, which leads to the Hoher Lorenzenberg. If the panorama was already magnificent up to this point, it becomes even more beautiful when you reach the summit, with Sterzing and the distant Dolomites also coming into view. After enjoying the unique view, you finally descend via the Sandjoch to the Obernbergersee lake and from there further into the valley. At the bottom of the valley, a small meadow path winds through flowers and grasses parallel to the stream back to the starting point.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
From the car park next to the municipal office we first walk along a small field path to the stream below the church. Here the path divides, we take the left fork and hike out of the valley, past a former mill and some farms to the hamlet of "Frade". Finally, we reach a road that leads towards Fradetal. Follow this road past a small sawmill until it turns into a forest path - numerous path markings provide information on the right choice here. After a short time on the forest road, you will come to a crossroads. Turn right here and follow the forest road (no. 95) in the direction of Obernbergersee and Koatneralm; leave the turn-off after two hairpin bends, which would lead into Fradetal, on the left. Approx. 1 km further on, the forest path splits again, this time we take the path with the number 96 leading upwards and follow it further. Shortly after a bend, a path turns off to the side of the mountain at an alpine meadow, which now winds relatively straight up to the "Koatneralm" and from there to the ridge. Once there, the trail continues on a slight incline past the Allerleigrubenspitze and the Koatnerberg. Finally, below the last and highest peak of the tour, the Hoher Lorenzenberg, you reach a ridge, also called "Sattele". If you want to shorten the round tour a little, you have the option of going directly to the Sandjöchl, otherwise you have to climb another 200 m before you have conquered the Hoher Lorenzenberg and descend via its west ridge to the Sandjöchl. From Sandjöchl, take trail no. 97 via Lahnerweg and Kaserwald down to the Obernbergersee lake and from there continue along the forest path to the valley floor. Shortly before the Waldesruh inn, keep to the right and a little later you will find trail no. 95 in the sparse larch forest, which leads parallel to the stream back to the village church and from there to the car park.
TIP OF THE AUTHOR
The wonderful terrain around the Obernbergersee lake is ideal for a short breather after the tour. Here you can linger and enjoy the beauty of nature. For those looking to cool off, a jump into the (very) cool water is recommended.
