Sulzkogel (3,016 m) is a stunning peak in the Stubai Alps in the Austrian part of Tyrol. The possibility of starting the trek at a significant altitude (2,020 m) and the lack of technical difficulties make this summit considered one of the easier Alpine three-thousanders to conquer. The peak is also perfect as a warm-up and acclimatization before more demanding tours in the region. Neunerkogel (2,640 m) is located in the immediate vicinity of Sulzkogel and is a good option for those looking to extend their trekking. In this post, I will describe the ascent of both peaks from the village of Kühtai.
Table of Contents
- The Village of Kühtai
- From Kühtai to the Speicher Finstertal Reservoir
- Sulzkogel (3,016 m) from Speicher Finstertal
- Sulzkogel – The Summit
- Ascent of Neunerkogel (2,640 m)
- Descent from Neunerkogel
- Trip Map
The Village of Kühtai
We start the day at the Branger Alm campsite near Innsbruck. After a leisurely breakfast and morning coffee, we get into the car and head towards the village of Kühtai. The journey takes us about half an hour and is quite an experience in itself: in just a dozen kilometers, we climb from an altitude of about 600 m to as high as 2,020 m. Besides, I love driving through Austrian villages: they are all so clean, flowery, and charming.
Kühtai (2,020 m) turns out to be a typical ski settlement, built up with a series of aesthetic apartment buildings. We leave the car in a free parking lot by the main road. In winter, the village must be bustling with life, but in the middle of summer, it feels a bit deserted. Nevertheless, a souvenir and grocery shop is open here. My attention is drawn to an information board outlining the rules of the “Kühtai Rodeo” cycling challenge. The challenge is to ride up to the village from three starting points: Kematen, Haiming, and Ötz. The entire route is 122 kilometers long with 4,250 meters of elevation gain. Anyone who completes the challenge in one day is granted the honorable title of “Kühtai Cowboy” or “Kühtai Cowgirl”.
From Kühtai to the Speicher Finstertal Reservoir
Just 200 meters from the parking lot exit, we leave the buildings of Kühtai behind. Since the village lies in a wide mountain pass, we almost immediately begin the actual ascent. We are now walking on open, grassy terrain, and the trail follows a dirt path that is comfortable for hiking boots. Behind our backs, a beautiful panorama of the Pirchkogel (2,828 m) and the Irzwände rock wall opens up relatively quickly. The first stage is quite steep: in just two kilometers of distance, we gain 350 meters of elevation. Most of the time the path runs along a grassy slope, but for short sections, it also leads along a dirt road, which is part of the hydroelectric power plant infrastructure.
Around 11:00 AM, an hour after leaving the parking lot, we check in at the charming Speicher Finstertal (2,300 m). This is the upper reservoir of the massive Sellrain-Silz pumped-storage power plant. It can hold up to 60 million m³ of water and was created by expanding two previously existing small cirque lakes. The reservoir allows for the utilization of a huge height difference – 1,680 meters relative to the power plant in Silz in the Inn Valley (approx. 640 m). The whole mechanism works in such a way that the water first falls from a height, setting special turbines in motion, and is then pumped back up. This reservoir alone can provide approx. 231 million kWh of energy (which is as much as 50,000–60,000 households consume in a year). The dam was built between 1977 and 1980 and is 149 m high. 4.5 million m³ of rocks excavated on-site were used to build it. Inside the wall, there is a special asphalt concrete core that seals the entire construction. Just in case, to constantly monitor the dam’s tightness, engineers installed as many as 700 special sensors in it.
Both the reservoir itself and the dam forming it make a very solid impression on me. Beyond the technical values, there are also the more prosaic – aesthetic ones. The water has a beautiful turquoise color, matching perfectly with the nearby peaks. The massive Zwölferkogel (2,988 m) towers over the reservoir with a cross glistening on its summit. A beautiful place for a second breakfast :D.
Sulzkogel (3,016 m) from Speicher Finstertal
The next kilometer and a half is spent bypassing the reservoir. About 4.5 kilometers from leaving the parking lot, we reach a fork in the trails: to the left the Gubener Weg goes towards the Schweinfurter Hütte, to the right – our route to Sulzkogel. At this point, we begin the most difficult stage of today’s excursion, during which we will have to overcome nearly 700 meters of elevation gain over a distance of 2.3 kilometers. Quite steep, right?
At first, the trail follows a dirt path running along the small Finsterbach stream. At this stage of the approach, a pleasant view of unnamed waterfalls appears to our eyes, along with a stone hill hiding our main goal of today – Sulzkogel. Shortly after, we cross the Finsterbach stream, and our trail becomes increasingly scree-covered. The path is well-visible, and the markings are dense, making it easy to choose the correct direction. From the left side, we bypass a rock step from which characteristic waterfalls descend. We are now in a small, stony valley, closed on one side by a side ridge coming off Sulzkogel, and on the other by the slopes of Gamskögele (2,912 m) and Gamskogel (2,965 m).
The following quarter-hours are spent on a laborious ascent through the boulder field. Orientation in the stony terrain is made easier by the fact that the trail remains perfectly marked. The route is purely trekking in nature – there are no technical difficulties along its entire length. One only needs to watch out for loose stones moving underfoot and sometimes falling from the slope. Around 1:20 PM, we reach a clear saddle in the main summit ridge (2,950 m). The trail now turns 90 degrees to the right, and the summit of Sulzkogel becomes perfectly visible.
Sulzkogel – The Summit
For another dozen minutes, we climb through the boulder field and… we have it! At 1:35 PM, three and a half hours after leaving Kühtai, we reach the summit of Sulzkogel (3,016 m). On the summit, there are as many as two crosses and a traditional book used for commemorative entries. For Austrian conditions, there are quite a few people on the summit.
Sulzkogel represents for me a return to the 3,000 m altitude after a long break (the last time I was this high was over two years ago, on Pico de Aneto, the highest peak of the Pyrenees). For Jaromir, however, this is a debut peak with a three at the front – this is an important moment in the life of every mountain lover, big congratulations! We spend a good 40 minutes on the summit of Sulzkogel. Satisfied, we eat snacks, take photos, and enjoy the incredible panorama. From Sulzkogel, you can perfectly see the retention reservoir glimmering below, the surrounding valleys, and dozens of peaks of the Stubai Alps. To the north, on the other side of the Inn valley, other ranges belonging to the Northern Limestone Alps are also visible. Looking towards the southeast, the sheer scale of the Stubai glaciers is quite impressive.
We descend from Sulzkogel the same way we came up. There is no other way, anyway, because from every other side the peak is much harder to access. It’s the same path, yet looking at it from the other side, many things seem different. Only now do I notice the sheep grazing (on rocks!) and two turquoise lakes located at an altitude of approx. 2,650 m. We take a longer break near the fork in the trails. I lie on the grassy slope, eat delicious peanuts, and think… I think everything is just as it should be. I missed the Austrian mountains very much and I am very happy that fate has guided me into them again.
Ascent of Neunerkogel (2,640 m)
We are back on the shore of the reservoir before 4:00 PM, which gives us the opportunity to extend the trek by an additional mountain. After a brief map analysis, the choice falls on the nearby Neunerkogel, rising to an altitude of 2,640 m. The route to this peak departs from the main trail near the dam. This section is purely trekking – the trail follows a dirt path without any technical difficulties or loose stones. However, it must be admitted that the approach is quite relentless – we gain 300 meters of elevation in just 700 meters of distance. The effort is therefore short, but incredibly intense.
We reach the summit of Neunerkogel (2,640 m) at 4:45 PM. Now we are in no hurry, so we can afford to lounge for a while on the grassy summit. Martyna even starts doing yoga :D. As for the views themselves, I have the impression they are even more beautiful than those we experienced a few hours ago on Sulzkogel. The surface of the reservoir looks gorgeous from here, blending perfectly with the surrounding peaks. I also particularly like the view towards the north, including the Kühtai pass, Pirchkogel (2,828 m), and the Irzwände rock wall. Perfect…
Descent from Neunerkogel
During the descent from Neunerkogel, another Alpine attraction awaits us. On our route, we meet… a real marmot! The animal inquisitively shows us its fluffy face for a long moment before disappearing between the stones. Awww, what a cutie! After this pleasant interlude, we continue the descent towards Kühtai. A warm, blissful evening has already settled over the Stubai Alps, so the descent is truly enjoyable. Numerous cows, grazing lazily on the vast meadows, add to the charm. In a word – an idyll.
We reach Kühtai a quarter before 7:00 PM. We quickly pack into the car, wanting to make it before the last grocery store in the area closes. By the way – can you believe that most grocery stores in Austria finish work at 7:00 PM? In moments like these, one really appreciates the Polish “Żabka” convenience stores… But returning to Sulzkogel… it was a truly successful day! Perhaps it wasn’t the most ambitious Alpine escapade, but it provided plenty of good emotions, positive fatigue, and pure wonder. And tomorrow? Tomorrow we plan to climb even higher – Schrankogel awaits!
Date of the trip: August 7, 2025
Trip statistics: 15.3 km; 1,580 meters of elevation gain
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