Außerschmirn offers several distinct perspectives for a trip: ski tours with information about the ascent or terrain, a circular tour with sweeping views, and a late Baroque church building. The Ottenspitze can be viewed in two different ways: as a ski tour with a specified ascent and as a circular tour with two possible starting points. The Sumpfkopf and Gammerspitze each have their own tour features. You can choose which aspects matter for your stay based on the type of tour, starting point, and character of the landscape.

Ottenspitze: two types of tour

The ski tour to the Ottenspitze reaches an elevation of 2,179 metres. The ascent is listed as taking two hours and gaining 719 metres in elevation. The time given is for the ascent; it should therefore not be equated with the total duration of an outing. The summit elevation of 2,179 metres and the 719 metres of elevation gain are different figures: the first refers to the elevation of the destination, while the second refers to the gain during the ascent. Together with the ascent time, these figures help you gauge how long the climb will take. Another type of tour is the circular route over the Ottenspitze. It starts at the bus stop or car park at Muchnersiedlung/Lorleswald and offers views across the Wipptal as far as Innsbruck. With two possible starting points and sweeping views, it differs in planning from the ski tour, for which ascent time and elevation gain are the main considerations.

Terrain and starting points

A ski tour from Außerschmirn leads to the Sumpfkopf. The route crosses alpine meadows, passes through a short belt of woodland, then continues over open slopes dotted with individual larches before following a ridge to the summit cross. Unlike the specified ascent figures for the Ottenspitze, the Sumpfkopf is best characterised by these changes in terrain. Snow and avalanche conditions vary seasonally; take current conditions into account when planning.

The ski tour to the Gammerspitze starts at the free car park and bus stop in Lorleswald. The remainder of the ascent to the Gammerspitze is visible from Lorleswald. This makes Lorleswald relevant to planning the tour both as a starting point and as a place with a view of the further ascent. Seasonal restrictions may affect the road or car park; check current access in advance if you plan to use this starting point.

Parish Church of St Joseph

The Parish Church of St Joseph adds a cultural landmark to the mountain-related attractions. It is a late Baroque building with a projecting transept. The transept is the part of the church that runs across the nave; “projecting” means that it extends beyond the outer line of the rest of the building. “Late Baroque” identifies the building’s style, while the transept describes the layout of its floor plan. These details answer different questions: which style the building belongs to and how its floor plan is arranged. For anyone interested in architecture, it offers an independent cultural highlight alongside the ski tours.

For the wider travel overview: Schmirn.