Over the Ramoljoch to the Mountaineering Village of Vent

After the ascent to the Ramolhaus, the clouds had already cleared the previous evening for a brief glimpse of the peaks and glaciers in the Gurgler Valley. This increased our anticipation for the crossing over the Ramoljoch into the Vent Valley the next day. Later that evening, however, it started to snow, so we went to bed with mixed feelings.

The snowfall clearly marked the transition into the approaching autumn. It’s precisely this transitional period that always creates a special atmosphere for me in the mountains. The team at the Ramolhaus was already preparing the mountain hut for its winter closure. These were the last open days of the summer season. So I got up early to experience dawn and sunrise. Several centimetres of fresh snow lay on the terrace. The visibility was good, and I looked out at a freshly snow-covered panorama in the first faint glow of the sunrise.

In the valley, the lights of Obergurgl and Hochgurgl were visible. Behind them, the peaks of the Stubai Alps rose. To the south lay the peaks of Hochwilde, Hoher First, Langtalerjochspitze, Seelenkogel in the chain along the main Alpine ridge. The western slopes of Karlesspitze, Schalfkogel, Firnisanschneid above the Gurgler Ferner showed the first reddish alpenglow of dawn. Soon, clouds and sky began to glow in an almost surreal play of colours.

For our ascent to the Ramoljoch, we still had to wait until the sun and temperatures had risen a little. This caused some of the snow to melt, making it easier to find our way during the ascent over scree and rocks to the Ramoljoch. I could already feel the thinner air and was glad to have only about 200 metres of ascent ahead of me. The last few metres over rock are secured with ropes and steel steps. Finally, all members of the group, including the dog Ragna, stood on the Ramoljoch (3,186 m) and looked west into the Vent Valley for the first time. The onward path now leads in reverse through several vegetation zones, from snow, ice and rock over scree and grassy slopes, alpine pastures and mountain forests down into the valley floor.

Vent is one of the mountaineering villages that are committed to sustainable tourism. Vent is a starting point for numerous peaks, e.g. Wildspitze or Weißkugel, and valley crossings, e.g. the Similaun (where Ötzi’s body was found), Hochjoch and Hintereisjoch. This landscape now lay before us, offering many inspirations for future tours. But first, there was still the long descent and drive back to the car in Obergurgl, a distance of 26 kilometres. In the Ötztal, there is a good network of bus connections to the valleys and starting points of the hikes. For those who want it faster or more individually, there is also a taxi service.