Skitourenführer Super Haute Route
Hubert Schüle, Walter Seiler, Hermann Maier, Brigitte Neufang, Rainer HillesheimScope and concept
This ambitious ski-touring guide links the Mediterranean to Vienna in roughly 100 stages, tracing the full arc of the Alps from Menton to the Wienerwald. Conceived as a modular “Super-Haute-Route,” it invites strong tourers to stitch together multi-day sections rather than attempt a single-season epic. The coverage is pan-Alpine and varied—glaciated massifs, high passes, forested trog valleys, and classic ski domains—organized into five logical sections (A–E) from Mont Blanc and the Valais through the Gotthard, Engadin, Ötztal/Stubai, and across the Austrian ranges to the edge of Vienna.
Highlights along the way include:
- A: Côte d’Azur to Mont Blanc (e.g., Refuge de Nice, Landry, Rifugio Gonella)
- B: Mont Blanc to Gotthard (Cabane de Vignettes, Zermatt–Furi, Monte Rosa Hütte)
- C: Gotthard to Brenner (Airolo, Maloja, Diavolezza, Livigno, Sesvenna Hütte, Weisskugel)
- D: Brenner to Rottenmann (Stüdlhütte, Heiligenblut, Rudolfshütte, Obertauern)
- E: Rottenmann to Vienna (Eisenerz, Sonnschienhütte, Mürzsteg, Gaaden)
Structure and usability
Each stage is presented with essential metrics (ascent, descent, distance), a concise route description, overnight/transport notes, and map references to national topo series. Section introductions sketch geography and character—usefully flagging aspects like steep valley flanks in Ticino or the transition into the Eastern Alps. The front matter adds historical context, avalanche guidance, time-planning notes, and a chapter on low-impact touring—rare and welcome in a route guide of this scale.
Route quality and safety
The strength here is thoughtful route-finding across mixed terrain with honest cautions. Many stages include variants or safer lines “bei unsicheren Verhältnissen,” showing the authors’ on-snow judgment. Expect significant cumulative elevation and occasional very steep slopes; glacier travel skills and flexible decision-making are assumed. Hut logistics are well integrated, and the cross-border progression naturally builds a formidable long-distance itinerary.
Verdict
A distinctive, big-idea guide that turns the classic haute-route concept into a continent-spanning tour. Its clear stage format, pragmatic safety notes, and hut-to-hut focus make it ideal for experienced ski tourers planning section-by-section adventures or assembling a once-in-a-lifetime traverse. Highly recommended for ambitious planners who value scope, structure, and seasoned alpine judgment.
Details
Extract- Weight
- 340g
- Pages
- 228
- Publisher
- Panico Alpinverlag