Obernberger See

Obernberger See (Brenner)

High above the Brenner Pass - between the North Tyrolean Wipptal and South Tyrolean Eisacktal - touring bikers will find heavenly trails with a devilish past. The tour via Sattelberg, Portjoch and Oberndorfer Seen opens up the border ridge from the Wipptal valley.

Description

Morbid bunkers, dilapidated summit fortresses, pitch-black tunnels: the Brenner border ridge road winds - always below the ridge edge on the Italian side - over a length of ten kilometers from the summit of the Sattelberg to the Portjoch. And reveals some of the best-preserved relics of the Second World War to mountain bikers interested in history. Those coming from the north can conquer the border ridge between today's North and South Tyrol from the Wipptal valley. Start at the small church in Vinaders (1269 m). On a wide road, you first work your way up to the Sattelalm (1633 m), which is very well managed - and after a well-earned rest on a serpentine military path up to the summit cross on the Sattelberg (2115 m). This is where the ten-kilometre-long panoramic ride to the southwest begins. Always in view: the Zillertal Alps to the east. To the west, the Pflerscher Tribulaun makes a Matterhorn impression. And deep below, the rust-red ribbon of the Brenner highway runs past Sterzing towards Lake Garda. The following scenic ride is one of the best on the way from Innsbruck to Bolzano: a never-ending rollercoaster ride on wide, well-maintained dynamite trails. Bikers in good physical condition can top it off with summit rides to the Steinjoch (2185 m), Kreuzjoch (2242 m) and Hoher Lorenzenberg (2315 m). The most spectacular part of the tour awaits at a prominent corner below the Geierskragen (2309 m): the very exposed but not difficult traverse to the Portjoch - and the descent down into the Obernberg valley. The first 150 Elevation loss is very difficult (S3) because it is steep, narrow and exposed. Technical riders ride here, everyone else pushes for a few minutes. But the trail soon becomes more and more flowy and leads to Lake Obernberg and back to the church in Vinaders. By the way: Since October 2020, there has been a new trail from Niederjoch down into the Obernberg valley that is open to everyone.

Note: The route is located on Austrian territory and leads over routes that are not approved for mountain bikers. Riding this route on a mountain bike is the responsibility of each individual, in full awareness of the legal situation.

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