Hiking to Schesaplana from Lünersee, Rätikon Alps, Austria (original) (raw)
At a height of 2965 m, Schesaplana is the highest mountain in the Rätikon Alps, a limestone mountain range that extends across Vorarlberg (Austria), Liechtenstein, and Graubünden/Grisons (Switzerland).
The peak lies on the border between Austria and Switzerland. Unsurprisingly, routes lead to the summit from both countries.
During our first visit, we ascended from Schesaplanahütte in Switzerland to Schesaplana along the Rätikon High Trail Circuit.
More recently, we hiked to Schesaplana from Lake Lünersee in Vorarlberg (the eastern route). Lünersee is easily reached by cableway from Brandnertal (Brand Valley). The hike begins with an easy-going amble around the western edge of the lake followed by a straightforward ascent to Totalphütte (2385 m). From the refuge, the trail develops into a demanding alpine path with scrambling, secured sections, and snow field crossings.
If you don’t like challenging, technical hikes, take a look at the Schafgafall hike, which also starts at Lünersee. Though less adventurous, it serves up arguably the best viewpoint of Vorarlberg’s most beautiful lake.
Keep reading to learn more about the Lünersee-Totalphütte-Schesaplana out-and-back hike.
- Schesaplana Hiking Map
- Lünersee – Totalphütte – Schesaplana Trail Difficulty
- Where to Start the Schesaplana Peak Hike
- Schesaplana Trail Description
- Where to Stay in Brand
- More Rätikon Alps and Vorarlberg Guides
- Austria Trip Planning Essentials
- Starting Point: Lünerseebahn Valley Station | Google Maps
- Trailhead: Lünerseebahn Mountain Station
- Distance: 10.3 km out-and-back
- Time Needed: 6 hours
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1001 meters
- Difficulty: Challenging (white-blue-white trail)
- Minimum Elevation: 1967 meters
- Maximum Elevation: 2965 meters
- Recommended Itinerary: 2-Week Austria Road Trip
- Where to Stay in Brand: Hotel Lün (midrange), Hotel Garni Tannleger (midrange), Bergkristall (midrange), or Hotel Sarotla (luxury)
To view an interactive map of this trail, check out our Lünersee guide.
Lünersee – Totalphütte – Schesaplana Trail Difficulty
The hike to Schesaplana follows both white-red-white mountain trails (Lünersee to Totalphütte) and white-blue-white alpine paths (Totalphütte to Schesaplana).
Beyond Totalphütte, the trail gets extremely rugged and technical. The limestone has good traction, but requires concentration. As you near the Schesaplana ridge, the limestone gives way to dark shale strata (layers), which is very uneven.
This area directly below the saddle is slippery and steep.
Before setting off, make inquiries about the snow conditions, starting with the tourist office in Brand.
During our last visit in late July, we had to navigate steep snowfields and carefully maneuver around passages where fixed cables were buried under snow.
We witnessed a lot of people struggling and unfortunately saw two falls as well as a mountain rescue operation.
Snow can make this hike treacherous. Therefore, we only recommend hiking to Schesaplana when the trail is snow-free, or almost snow-free.
Where to Start the Schesaplana Peak Hike
Lünerseebahn Cableway Mountain Station
The Lünerseebahn cableway valley station is located at the head of Brand Valley.
The cableway operates daily between mid/late May and mid/late October.
Purchase an ascent and descent ticket.
For exact operating times, dates, and prices, consult luenersee.at.
Schesaplana Trail Description
Lünerseebahn Cableway Mountain Station to Totalphütte (1:30 hours)
Exit the cableway mountain station and turn right, following the Lünersee-Rundweg.
After about 20 minutes, you’ll arrive at a signed junction. The trail to Totalphütte angles up to the right, leaving the Lünersee circuit trail.
The stony path rises slowly amidst dwarf pine and low-lying shrubs. Even with the slightest elevation, Lünersee is a mesmerizing sight to behold.
The traverse continues across more scree slopes and a gully, before zigzagging steeply uphill.
Follow the waymarks, so you don’t miss a turn.
Totalphütte is located on a small plateau above Lake Totalpsee, surrounded by stark mountain scenery. Managed by the Austrian Alpine Club, Totalphütte offers warm meals and cold beverages to day visitors and overnight guests. The terrace, spread with picnic tables, is a joyful place, where hikers and climbers gather for meals post-summit.
Totalphütte to Schesaplana (2 hours)
The trail leads east across a depression, initially along a comfortable and relatively-smooth path.
The barren mountainscape, a duet of gray limestone and white snow, looks harsh and brutal, especially when compared to the softer green and blue scenery around Lünersee.
The Schesaplana-bound route curves around a basin and then steeply ascends rock steps, marked with white-blue-white blazes and poles.
After crossing an impossibly steep snow field (which we bypassed on the downward journey), the trail continues along a rise.
The ascent continues in stages to Tote Alpe.
At the signed trail junction, head right to Schesaplana (1 hour). The left path leads to Gamsluggen (45 minutes), Schesaplanahütte (2:15 hours), and Gafalljoch (2 hours).
About 20 minutes later you’ll come to another signed junction, which marks the start of the Südwandsteig. Ignore that trail and continue right again.
The trail twists up a rock-littered slope, which presents little difficulty, despite how daunting it may look. There are cairns marking the way.
It leads to “Kaminle,” a “break” in the ridge that runs southwest from Felsenkopf. This rugged section is secured with a cable.
This was tricky for us, because the cables were buried beneath the old snow.
Eventually, the trail curves around a basin, ushering you to the southeast flank of Schesaplana, characterized by sharp rock layers of shale, limestone, and gypsum (“Heller Kalk, Gips, dunklen Tonschiefer” in German). The chain-secured path runs through a shallow “ditch.”
With people descending through the narrow “ditch,” we opted to ascend/scramble on the right side of the chain.
The final stretch to the Schesaplana ridge is the most slippery, due to the deep, sandy-paste terrain.
As soon as you crest the ridge, the trail eases. Luckily, it’s only a few more meters to the Gipfelkreuz-crowned summit (150 meters / 5 minutes).
The peak overlooks Brandner Glacier, Brand Valley, and the main Rätikon chain that straddles the border between Austria and Switzerland.
Unsure of the weather and nervous about the descent, we didn’t linger long.
Schesaplana to Lünersee (3 hours)
The descent was tricky in several places, mostly because of the snow.
By the time we reached Totalphütte, the sky darkened at an exponential rate. Within seconds, we felt the first drops of rain and heard the awakening rumble of the encroaching thunderstorm.
We abandoned our plans to eat lunch at Totalphütte and hurried back down to the lake.
By the time we reached the cableway mountain station, we were completely soaked. We patiently waited an hour to descend, as the cabelway doesn’t operate during a thunderstorm.
All in all, the hike felt like an accomplishment.
Where to Stay in Brand
Brand is the main holiday town in Brandnertal. We recommend staying in Brand, for the best accommodation and restaurant options and easy transit connections to Lünersee and Bludenz.
Top Choice – Midrange | Hotel Lün is a lovingly-run, carbon-neutral hotel with 15 rooms in Brand, about halfway between the Palüdbahn and Dorfbahn cableways. This small hotel stands out with its organic, homemade breakfast and rejuvenating wellness area (3 saunas, tea bar, and relaxation room). Read our Hotel Lün review.
Midrange | Hotel Garni Tannleger B&B offers modern well-kept rooms in the village of Brand. Guests are treated to a lovely breakfast. If you stay here 2+ nights during the summer season (May – October), you will be given a premium guest card, which gives you free and unlimited use of the local cableways (including the Lünersee cable car).
Luxury | Hotel Sarotla is a luxury hotel with an on-site restaurant, bar, and wellness area directly across from the Dorfbahn cableway valley station and next to a golf course in the heart of Brand.
More accommodations in Brand | Bergkristall (midrange), Hotel Sonne (midrange), Valavier Aktivresort (family-friendly luxury)
More Rätikon Alps and Vorarlberg Guides
Vorarlberg, Austria:
Rätikon Alps, Liechtenstein:
Lech am Arlberg, Vorarlberg:
- Lech am Arlberg Summer Hiking Guide
- Lake Formarinsee to Lake Spullersee, Lechquellen Mountains
- Oberlech – Göppinger Hütte Hike
- Rüfikopf – Stuttgarter Hütte Hike
- Spuller Schafberg Peak Hike, Lechquellen Mountains
Silvretta Alps / Montafon, Vorarlberg:
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Austria Trip Planning Essentials
Use our Austria Travel Guide and Austria blog archive to plan a unique and memorable trip to Austria.
When to Visit Austria
We recommend visiting Austria between June and October for hiking and between December and March for skiing and winter adventuring.
Summer Travel | Summer in Austria
Autumn Travel | Autumn in Austria
Winter Travel | Winter in Austria, Salzburg in December, Vienna in December, Vienna in January, Skiing in Schladming
Getting around Austria
Austria has an excellent public transit system. We’ve used it extensively to travel throughout the country. We highly recommend using transit if you’re visiting cities (Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Graz, etc…), and/or doing hut-to-hut hikes.
Some areas like Mayrhofen, Schladming and Lech am Arlberg have wonderful seasonal transit systems in place (e.g. summer hiking buses). However, if you’re not visiting during the high season, bus frequencies are significantly reduced and it’s far easier to get around with your own vehicle.
If you’re planning on visiting multiple destinations across Austria, we recommend renting a car.
Use these road trip itineraries for trip planning inspiration:
Start in Vienna | 2-Week Austria Road Trip
Start in Salzburg, or Munich | 1-Week Austria Road Trip
Start in Munich | 10-Day Bavarian Alps & Tyrolean Alps Road Trip
Car Rental
We recommend using the Discovercars.com car rental reservation platform to search for and book car rentals. This easy-to-use booking platform compares car rental deals from 500+ trusted providers, so that you can choose the best option for your trip.
If you’re driving into Austria from a neighboring country, don’t forget to purchase a vignette at/near the border.
Hiking in Austria
Where to Hike in Austria
Read Austrian Alps Hiking Destinations for an overview of where to hike in Austria, with tips on specific trails and where to stay. Also check out Best Day Hikes in Austria and these region-specific hiking guides:
Tyrol | Innsbruck Hikes, Lake Achensee Hikes
Salzburg | Salzburg Hikes, Filzmoos Hikes
Styria | Schladming Hikes
Vorarlberg | Vorarlberg Hikes, Lech am Arlberg Hikes
Lower Austria | Vienna Mountains Hikes
Hut to Hut Hiking in Austria
Austria is a premier hut-to-hut and long-distance hiking destination. The quality of the mountain huts are superb. We particularly love the high-alpine trails, which are called Höhenwege in German. We’ve summarized our favorite multi-day hikes in Trekking Austria. If you’re new to hut hiking, read this in-depth guide to Hut to Hut Hiking in Austria.
What to See & Do in Austria
1. Visit a gorge like the Liechtenstein Gorge in Salzburg, or Wolfsklamm Gorge in Tyrol.
2. Bathe in the thermal pools of an Austrian Therme like Aqua Dome in Tyrol
3. Stay in a thermal spa hotel like Rogner Bad Blumau in Styria, EurothermenResort Bad Ischl in Upper Austria, or the Aqua Dome Hotel in Tyrol.
4. Hike to a mountain lake like Lake Tappenkarsee in Salzburg or Lake Drachensee in Tyrol.
5. Go Wine Tasting in South Styria.
6. Marvel at the culture, music, and architecture of Vienna.
7. Eat heartwarming mountain food in an Almhütte at Grosser Ahornboden in Tyrol, or Ursprungalm in Styria.
8. Drive the Grossglockner High Alpine Road in Hohe Tauern National Park.
9. Visit the castles, monasteries, and wine taverns of the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
10. Watch a Krampus Run: Krampus Parade in December.
Austrian Hotels
- Best Hotels in the Austrian Alps
- Best Hotels in Lech am Arlberg, Vorarlberg
- Wellness Hotel Theresa, Zillertal, Tyrol
- Hotel Eder in Maria Alm, Salzburg
- Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel in Tyrol
- Seehotel Einwaller in Pertisau, Lake Achensee, Tyrol
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