KAT-Walk kompakt E1: Hopfgarten - Hohe Salve - Brixen im Thale

We take the Salvenbahn gondola from Hopfgarten to the middle station (1157m). From there we follow the sign leading to “Rigi, Hohe Salve” and walk to the right, beneath the ropes of the gondola, towards Gasthaus Tenn. Above the inn the route continues on a narrow road until the junction “Tennerwald 1231 m.” We turn right there and continue for a short bit along the road in the direction of “Salvenalm, Rigi, Hohe Salve”. After about 100 m we turn into the steep dirt track on the left. We follow the track uphill through the forest and meadows towards Hohe Salve until we get to a wider forest road. Now in three turns across the alpine pasture area uphill to Kälberalm and the mountain inn Rigi (1537m, 1 hour from the middle section). We continue on a steep forest path in several turns through the ski area up to the Hohe Salve summit and the pilgrimage chapel and mountain inn(1.829m; 1hour from Gasthof Rigi).
On the south-eastern side of the summit starts the descent in the direction of “Filzalmsee/Brixen” along a hiking path which leads downhill in several turns to the well-visible lake Salvensee. Shortly after the reservoir we leave the path and turn to the left on a steep path leading across a ski run to Filzalmsee lake. We now continue on this path downhill, always following the sign “Filzalmsee, Brixen”. The beautiful path soon runs into the forest and then past a small chapel, the Jordankapelle. Now the route leads over open terrain down to the forest road to Filzalm mountain inn and the same-named lake. From there it is only a few metres to the middle station of the gondola (1 ¼ hrs from Hohe Salve). Now we can either take the gondola back to the valley and our destination Brixen im Thale or we continue on foot and follow the sign “Hof, Brixen im Thale” and walk along path 95 towards the valley. Shortly after the path enters the wood we find another steep but well-built hiking path to our left leading to Brixen. At the fork to Oberkaslach at 1013m above sea level we find various routes that lead to Brixen. Our route is the one marked with a cable car symbol/Brixen and leads to the left through the ditch. At the other side of the ditch we walk along alpine pastures downhill until we get to an access road which we follow further on downhill until the village road. Now we keep to the left and walk to the centre of Brixen im Tahle. (1hour from Hochbrixen middle station)