Patscherkofel - Innsbruck's "Volcano"

With fantastic views of Innsbruck, the Wipptal Valley and the Stubai Valley, as well as plenty of huts along the way serving food and drink such as the cosy Patscherkofel-Schutzhaus at 1,970 metres, this ride combines plenty of climbing with proximity to Innsbruck. As riders leave the village of Igls to the south of Innsbruck, things get steep pretty quickly as they head through the forest and up towards the top of the Patscherkofel cable car. The long ascent makes this ride ideal for e-bikers. All that hard work is rewarded with majestiv views from the top of the Patscherkofel mountain, whose domed summit is reminischent of a volcano.
This ride begins at the intersection of the "Heiligwasserweg" and "Kurweg" roads in Igls near Innsbruck. Follow route 501 in a south-easterly direction past the golf course to the bottom of the Patscherkofelbahn cable car. Turn right onto the road ("Römerstraße") and follow it for about 1.2 kilometres, pas the reservoir and the car park of the Heiligwasser toboggan run. Before you get to the Grünwalderhof building, turn left into the forest. Ride towards Patsch and, at the intersection Greidweg/Gstill in the village, turn left onto the toboggan run. It is here that the steep climb onto the mountain begins. After 1.6 kilometres you will cross the Dorfbach stream at around 1,260 metre above sea level. After another 1.3 kilometres and 170 vertical metres you pass the Magdalenenkapelle chapel. Continue on to the Patscher Alm hut at 1,700 metres above sea level, near the mid-way station of the Patscherkofelbahn cable car. Keep heading uphill in a south-easterly direction. After 1.7 kilometres stay left and pass the Hochmahd-Alm hut to get to the top of the Patscherkofelbahn cable car and the Patscherkofel-Schutzhaus hut. The final section leads through uneven terrain up a few switchbacks to the domed summit of the mountain and the Gipfelstube hut at 2,246 metres above sea level. Return along the same route.