Stubai mountain lakes: Alfaier See (Variant 2 - Start mountain station Elferbahnen)

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At this lake, situated just half an hour‘s walk away from “Innsbrucker Hütte”, sunrise is without a doubt the best time to enjoy this great spectacle of nature. The panoramic mountain view with the summit outline of the “Tribulaune” and the low-lying “Gschnitztal” – all the way through to the Zillertaler Alps in the east – is truly a marvel to behold. In spring, the lake, situated in a cirque basin, is fed by the melted snow and ice of the mighty “Habicht”, one of the peaks of the Seven Summits. Depending on the availability of this melted snow and ice, its water level can fluctuate between eight and twelve metres. The lake’s surrounding area is characterised by a collection of imposing boulders and smoothcut rock slabs. Just like its basin, these glaciers are a testament to the last ice age, when ice covered the Alps a thousand metres thick. Only the highest peaks, such as that of the Habicht, jutted out from the sheer mass of ice. The flora-rich mountain meadows surrounding the lake and cabin have been used by farmers for centuries as grazing grounds for their Tyrolean mountain sheep. The lake’s name is derived from the lower-lying (and very old) Alfair Alm.

TOUR DESCRIPTION
You travel to the mountain station with the Elferbahnen cable cars and then past the sundial in the direction of the Pinnisalm. A path leads gently upwards towards the Pinnisalm, which you reach after around one hour of walking. From there, follow the forest path into the valley for around 45 minutes until you reach the Karalm. From the Karalm, an easy route leads through numerous winding paths to the Innsbrucker Hütte in approximately 1 ½ hours. From there, you follow the Stubai High Trail and reach the Alfaier See after about 30 minutes. On your way back down the valley, start by taking the same route as far as the Pinnisalm. From there, follow the forest path and pass the Issenangeralm and the Herzebenalm, until you reach the district of Neder. From Neder follow the path along the stream until you reach the valley station of the Elferbahnen. You should plan around 4 hours for the entire descent. If you want to skip the section from the Karalm to Neder, you can pay to use the
shuttle service (tel.: +43 (0)5226 2877).