The Matsch Valley is a ski tour area for connoisseurs and experts. Although there are not many short tours, there is a large array of challenging, peaceful ascents and descents. The set-off point for the following ski tours is the Glieshof car park (1,824 m).

Portlesspitze (3,074 m)

The outer Portles has a pleasant length for Matsch and, with its magnificent view of the Ortler and the Königspitze, is still a rewarding expedition.

The set-off point is the car park below the Hotel Glieshof. From here, we head out of the valley towards the Thaneihöfe farms and then up the forest to Eisa. Proceed onwards to the northwest in a beautiful, wide hollow. In varying gradients as we head towards the flat plateau at 2,850 metres. From here, we keep left over the extremely steep slopes to the summit.

Altitude difference: 1,250 m
Time: 3.5 h

Pleresspitze (3,188 m)

First we follow the forest path left of the river into the valley towards the Matscher Alm mountain pasture and hut up to the tree line, where we find wide, moderately steep slopes and hollows in front of us. Continue straight on into the large hollow of the “Planeiler Loch” and across this hollow to the steep slope below the Valvel Scharte saddle. Now we cross up the flat lands to the right, and the summit is now directly in front of us. We head up the left edge of the summit slope, over a ridge on the right and up to the highest point.

Altitude difference: 1,360 m
Time: 4 h

Rabenkopf (3,393 m)

From the set-off point we follow the forest path past the Inner Matscher Alm alpine pasture and hut (2,022 m) and on to the materials cable car at the Oberettes mountain hut.

We turn left into the valley and head onwards to the first bridge (2,240 m), take a left at the gully and proceed onwards to the next bridge. We then climb diagonally to the left over the steep slope and on to the upper valley (2,440 m), along to the far right for some distance and into the wide valley. We climb up to 2,700 metres, then to the right, through hollows, to 2,980 metres. Here we cross under a moraine on the left and into a large hollow which we climb up to 3,130 metres where we see a diagonal ridge heading up to the left. We take the ridge to the crest and then veer left to the nearby summit with cairn, small cross and summit book.

Altitude difference: 1,570 m
Time: 5 h

Weißkugel (3,739 m)

This high alpine glacier ski mountaineering tours sets the heart of every ambitious ski mountaineer.

From the Glieshof car park, follow the forest road to the valley station of the materials cable car, then turn right from the river into the valley and on to the gully. The small gully, formed by the stream, is barely recognisable in winter. From here, continue north into the valley over relatively flat terrain to an open basin, from where the steeper further trail ahead can be seen. The rock erosions to the east are steep and insurmountable, so make your ascent northeast over the clearly visible moraine ridge.

When you reach about 2,800 metres, the view finally opens up to the Matscher Ferner. Head southeast for about 50 m over the slope and into a wide hollow, and ascend the fairly steep slope of the glacier tongue.
At about 3,000 metres we meet up with the new Sommerweg trail to the Oberettes Cottage. We ascend over an open basin in a moderate eastward slope towards the Quelljoch between the rocky Inner Quellspitze (left) and the Outer Quelljoch pass. We continue onwards some distance below the Joch to the left (north) and up towards the Inner Quellspitze over beautifully terraced terrain. Before long, we reach the Hintereisjoch (3,469 metres) with the “Matscher Wandl” below. On this fairly steep south-facing slope, which can be tricky in uncertain weather conditions, the route leads upwards in hairpin bends. Just above, an ever-narrowing ridge leads to the pre-summit (ski depot). Now we head over moderately difficult boulder, where sure-footedness is a must (rope recommended!), and on to the summit.

Altitude difference: 1,920 m
Time: 6 – 7 h

Südlicher Schwemmser (3,292 m)

From the Glieshof, we follow the forest trail to the Inner Matscher Alm, straight over the meadow, up the Sommerweg trail, over the narrow slope to the right of the stream and onto the flat lands of the Saldurböden (2,380 m).
We now head northeast over a slope, and left into the large hollow which we cross, and then climb the moderate slope up to a saddle (2,800 m). From the saddle above the Saldurseen Lakes, we climb about 20 metres uphill diagonally to the right and above the lakes to the beginning of a narrow, steep gully. We climb over the gully to a plateau (2,830 m), which we cross it and climb onwards to the next level.
At an altitude of about 2,900 metres, turn left next to the rocks and continue upwards to 2,970 metres. Here we cross to our right over a steep slope to a large hollow at 3,040 metres. We cross the hollow and make our way to below the steep slope, continue up the slope and into the upper hollow on the left. From here turn left onto the ridge and then right to the summit with cairn, small cross and summit book.

Altitude difference: 1,580 m
Time: 5.5 h

Ramudelkopf (3,340 m)

From the Glieshof over the meadows a gravel road leads to the Upital Valley. In this area of stunning embankments, we leave the road on the left and climb up into the Ramudel Valley. At first it is slightly laborious as we make our way through the bushes, and then to the right of the stream through the ever-narrowing V-valley (avalanche risk!).
After the bottleneck we pass by a few gentler hollows, climb a steep slope and enter the “Ramudelloch”, where two steep flanks block off the valley: The right flank leads to the Rappenscharte saddle or the Rappenspitze, and the left to the Ramudelkopf.
We stick to the left and climb up to the saddle. From here, we continue eastwards to the Geröllgrat ridge to the right of the south-facing slope, where we continue onwards to the summit.

Altitude difference: 1,500 m
Time: 4 h

Upikopf (3,175 m)

The Upikopf is the easiest of the Matscher ski mountaineering tours.

We start from the Glieshof over the meadow up to a gap in the fence. Here, we take the forest road past the Ramudelgraben on the other side of the valley and along the gravel road to the Upital to the Upialm pasture (2,225 m). Continue straight on until you reach a rock barrier, which blocks off the valley. We pass this to the left and climb onwards to the next stretch of level ground.
We take the left edge of the valley and continue onwards until we reach a basin. We can now see the ascent way to the Upikopf, which leads over moderately steep slopes and humps. We are now heading in the direction of the Pleisenjöchl pass (3,111 m) to the right of the summit. Shortly before the Pleisenjöchl, we take a diagonal left to the summit.

Altitude difference: 1,400 m
Time: 4 h