The way Arthur-Hartdegen: around the Bachertal of Riva di Tures

Starting-point: Riva di Tures/Rein in Taufers (1598 mt.)
At a glance: Riva di Tures/Rein in Taufers - Malghe Covolo/Kofleralmen - Ursprungalm - Rifugio Roma/Kassler Hütte - Riva di Tures/Rein in Taufers
Highest point: the crossing of Riesernock (roughly 2380 mt.)
Altitude difference: 840 m 
Difficulty: five climbing-boots hike

Useful advice: this long alpine footpath surrounds at the height of tablelands and moraines the slopes of Bachertales. The tour is recommended only to well-trained people who don't suffer from dizziness. The itinerary offers a splendid view of the valley of Riva di Tures/Rein in Taufers, of the tops of Vedrette di Ries/Rieserferner and of Dura group. At halfway there is an exposed slope to cross (roughly 30 mt.): it is absolutely unsuitable for who suffer from dizziness, although it has been secured by a rope.

Itinerary description: in Riva di Tures/Rein in Taufers (1598 mt.) we follow the road of Valle dei Dossi/Knuttental for about 1.5 km, going inside the valley and towards some parkings. Here we turn right to cover footpath number 8 A along the huts' access road, and then we cross the Knuttenbach (river). Passing at the side of Ebnerhof we go up through a wood eastwards and then we turn left.Maintaining footpath 8 A we cross the wood till the Unteren Kofleralm and, after the next wood, we reach a plain where there is the Oberen Kofleralm (2192 mt.; 2 hours far from Riva di Tures/Rein in Taufers). Here begins a flat high-mountain path. Passing across some tablelands and huts we go on eastwards along some ascents and descents until the Ursprungsalm with its pelting mountain rivers (2396 mt.).
We cross the little river that originates from the Sasso Lungo/Lenkstein glacier arriving at a rocky slope with many icy strips. Here we take the Arthur-Hartdegen-Weg (number 8) tracked in 1910 by the Kassel group of the Austrian and German Alpenverein, as a link to Rifugio Roma/Kassler Hutte, Sasso Lungo/Lenkstein and Barmer Hütte. This path has the name of the president of this asscociation.
We go round the steep rocky slants of the Riesernock to reach the majestic rocky amphitheatre located below Collalto/Hochgall. Later we cross the moraines and many little rivers to arrive at Rifugio Roma/Kassler Hütte (Collalto/Hochgall Hütte), a splendid hut open on summer (2276 mt.). Now we take the Hüttenweg (number 1) across the wood to continue for an hour and half in the bottom-valley of Riva di Tures/Rein in Taufers (1536 mt.).

Maps: Freytag & Berndt, sheet 152 (Mayrhofen - Zillergrund - Valle Aurina/Ahrntal); Kompass, sheet 82 (Valli di Tures e Aurina).

Features
Length: 14 km
Duration: 08:00 hours
Difference in altitude: 840 m