Paznauntal
The narrow Paznauntal in western Austria is 35km/22mi in length and extends southwestward from Landeck to Galtür between the Verwall group in the north and the Samnaun group in the south, and is watered by the River Trisanna. The villages in the valley are good bases for walkers and climbers, and in winter this is a relatively quiet skiing area.
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Ischgl, Austria
Ischgl (1,377m/4,518ft), the main town in the Paznauntal, is a popular summer and winter resort (numerous ski lifts; "Silvretta-Ski-Arena"). The parish church, originally Late Gothic, dates in its present Roccoco form from 1757. From Ischgl-West (1,362m/4,469ft) the Silvrettabahn (cableway) goes up to the Idalpe (2,320m/7,612ft), from which there is a ski tow in winter to the Idjoch (2,763m/9,065ft). From Ischgl- Ost a cableway ascends to the Pardatschgrat (2,620m/8,596ft).
Küchenspitze
There is an interesting climb (about five hours) from Ischgl to the Darmstädter Hütte (2,426m/7,960ft; inn; accommodation) in the Verwall group to the north, and from there it is another 3.5 to 4.5 hours to the Küchenspitze (3,148m/10,329ft), the highest peak in the Verwall group. The road continues up the valley from Ischgl to Galtür (1,583m/5,194ft; pop. 700), a winter sports resort with abundant snow, where the Paznauntal ends and the Silvretta Road begins. In 1925 Ernest Hemingway spent a holiday in Galtür and wrote a novel which he later called "Mountain Idyll".
Road up
The road up the Paznauntal forms the eastern approach to the Silvretta Road, which extends from Galtür to the Bielerhöhe. Beyond Pians the road crosses the River Sanna, passes below Schloss Wiesberg (16th C.; privately owned) and then under the bold Trisanna Viaduct (86m/282ft high, 230m/250yds long; built 1884, rebuilt 1923 and 1964) carrying the Arlberg railroad (parking lots; view) to enter the Paznauntal, which then climbs steeply through the Gfällschlucht (gorge).
See im Paznaun, Austria
The first place of any size to be found when traveling up the Paznauntal is See (1,050m/3,446ft; pop. 850), the lowest village in the valley, in the basin of what was once a lake (hence its name: See = lake). There is a chairlift to the Medrigjoch (1,834m/6,017ft) and a footpath through the Samnaun group to Serfaus. Continuing farther up this beautiful valley there are farmsteads dotted about on its meadow covered slopes. From Kappl (1,170m/3,829ft) a chairlift goes up to the Diasalpe (1,750m/5,740ft), from which there is a beautiful climb to be enjoyed up the Hoher Riffler (3,168m/10,394ft) rising to the north.
