Access
The quickest approach is from the Douglass Hut, located directly at the Lünerseebahn mountain station. From there, follow the sign for “Saulajoch” over the dam and then descend slightly along the Saulajochsteig trail to the Saulajoch.
At the Saulajoch, a sign reading “Saulakopf via ferrata to the start: 10 min.” points toward the Heinrich Hueter Hut. Continue along this path until you reach the base of the east face of the Saulakopf. Just before the Heinrich Hueter Hut comes into view, you’ll reach a signposted fork in the trail. There, a path branches off to the left toward the start of the Saulakopf via ferrata. Watch out for falling rocks!
Alternatively, you can choose the approach via the Rellstal. From the Alpengasthof Rellstal, which you can reach by hiking bus from Vandans, the trail leads past the Heinrich Hueter Hut and continues to the base of the east face of the Saulakopf. Here, too, a signposted path branches off to the start of the via ferrata.
Route description
The crux comes shortly after the start: a slightly overhanging, approximately 15-meter-high wall must be climbed. After that, the steel cable continues, often vertically and exposed, toward the summit.
In the upper third, a spectacular rope bridge awaits you, which can also be bypassed. The via ferrata ends at the summit of the Saulakopf at 2,516 meters.
Descent
The descent leads from the summit of the Saulakopf back to the Saulajoch via the exposed, partially secured, and marked trail of the Saulakopf Normal Route. This section is tricky in wet conditions, fresh snow, or icy conditions.
From the Saulajoch, you can either follow the Saulajochsteig back to the Lünerseebahn mountain station or descend via the Heinrich Hueter Hut to the hiking bus stop at the Alpengasthof Rellstal.
