Kleine Gaisl - from Brückele via Rossalm

Scenic but long ski tour from the Brückele parking lot in the Altpragser Tal valley via the Rossalm (refreshment stop at 2,164 m), Fossesser Ridl / Forcella Cocodain and Rote Wand to the Kleine Gaisl.

From the parking lot, we follow a mostly groomed/leveled hiking or forest trail southwest into the valley, through a steep step and again over flatter open and wooded terrain to the Rossalm. The route then leads over beautifully hilly terrain to the Fossesser Ridl / Cocodain-Scharte.

From here, you can either descend to Fosses See and take a short detour to the Rote Wand or, if conditions are safe, ascend directly towards the Rote Wand. From there you can easily reach the summit of the Kleine Gaisl. There are again two options for the descent.

We recommend an early start for this tour and a stop for refreshments at the Rossalm on the way back.

Directions: If you can find a parking space at the parking lot after the actual Brückele parking lot (approx. 200m after the barrier/traffic lights, directly in front of the bridge), the tour starts directly there on the right-hand side in the "direction of arrival".

Before the bridge over the torrent, follow a signposted and mostly groomed/leveled hiking or forest trail southwest into the valley. Follow this path for about one kilometer until you reach the end of the valley and a rock face, at the left end of which (in the direction of the view) you will find a passage. The moderately steep slope below the rock face is often used for descents, but we stay on the alpine road until we reach the Rossalm. We therefore keep to the left, cross the Kaserbach stream and follow the small alpine road in a few bends to the west up to the valley floor of the "Kaserle".

Here, too, the route is flat at first until we turn right/west at approx. 1,950m and cross the wooded slope. At around 2,070m, we cross another short steep section, after which we soon see the Rossalm hut. In a large right-hand bend, we now head towards the Rossalm (2,150m) and behind it through hilly terrain to the broad western slopes of the Kleiner Jaufen. From there we turn west again over the hilly terrain to the Fossesser Ridl / Cocodain-Scharte.

There are two options from the saddle: Descent 170m to Lago gran de Foses, crossing as far up the western slopes of the Rote Wand as possible to stay to the left of the lake in the direction of travel. After the lake, you ascend again over the southern slopes of the Rote Wand and continue over the ridge to the southeast until you easily reach the summit of the Kleine Gaisl (we did this variant on the way to the Kleine Gaisl, see GPS track).

If the conditions are safe, you can head directly from the saddle to the left / south with a slight loss of altitude to a steep north-facing slope, which should really only be tackled in safe conditions. There is often a cornice at the top!

After overcoming this, you reach the broad ridge below the Rote Wand. Continue along the long ridge on a moderate ascent over the summit of the Rote Wand (without a cross) to the summit of the Kleine Gaisl (we did this variant on the descent on the way back, see GPS track). From the Fossesser Ridl / Cocodain-Scharte you can return to the Rossalm along the ascent route (a stop for refreshments is highly recommended!) and, if necessary, take a few shortcuts along the alpine road back to the car.