A beautiful summit hike leads from the Kristberg in the Silbertal to the Muttjöchle and finally to the Sonnenkopf ski area (Klostertal). There are great views of the Montafon mountains and the Arlberg.
If you are looking for a sporting challenge and would like to undertake a summit tour with snowshoes, Montafon is the place for you. From the Silbertal, the Kristbergbahn takes you up to the mountain station. There the snowshoes are strapped on and you follow the marking “Winterwanderweg/Muttjöchle”. The route can also be covered with touring skis and requires a good basic level of fitness. Right at the beginning it goes uphill through the Muttwald. The route is signposted up to the entrance at the Langried (ski slope), after which you follow the signs attached to the trees with the inscription “Route control” or the main track that leads through the rows of trees. A sign with the imprint “Respect your limits” indicates this advised to stay on the designated path in the forest so as not to disturb the wild animals in their retreats. On the Kristberg, this mainly affects roe deer and red deer. Especially in winter it is particularly important not to stress the animals. Designated wildlife sanctuaries should therefore be respected. The roe deer is the most common and smallest type of deer in Europe. As with red deer, only the bucks, i.e. the male animals, have antlers. The coat is brown-red to pale yellow in summer, the inside of the legs and the underbelly and anus are usually lighter. In the cold season, the animals wear their light to dark gray winter coat.Type: moderately difficult snowshoe hike, which is also possible with touring skis Total walking time: around four hours Ascent: around 630 meters in altitude Starting point: Kristbergbahn mountain station, Silbertal Requirement: good basic condition Equipment: snowshoes , (telescopic) sticks, winter-proof shoes that fit into the snowshoe bindings, avalanche transceiver advisable, daypack, thermos flask with a hot drink, snack, sun protection, warm clothing Refreshment options: Kristberg – Knappastoba, Panoramagasthof Kristberg; Sonnenkopf – Sonnenkopf Panorama Restaurant Public transport: Bus line 88 from Schruns train station to Silbertal, ski bus 90 from the Sonnenkopfbahn valley station in Dalaas; Pay attention to the weather and avalanche reports!During the summer months, the deer mainly live individually or in small groups consisting of a doe (female animal) and her kids. In winter they form so-called jumps, which usually include more than four individuals. The winter months are not an easy time for the deer, as it is often difficult to find food. Like many other wild animals, the even-toed ungulates shift down a gear and live on the back burner, so to speak, in order to use as little energy as possible. Excellent sense of smell Edible things that are hidden under the snow cover are scratched up with great effort. Grasses, herbs, young tree shoots and blackberry and raspberry leaves are on the menu. Deer have a keen sense of smell and can scent a human more than 300 meters away, allowing them to take cover early. If you do meet one of these shy forest dwellers, then it is important to keep your distance and enjoy the experience of nature from a distance. Common raven (Corvus corax) The scientific name for the raven bird is made up of the Latin corvus and the Greek corax, both meaning raven. In adult birds, the plumage is monochromatic black and, depending on the incidence of light, shiny metallic green or blue-violet. Legs and beak are also colored black. Common ravens have a large variety of vocalizations – the repertoire includes “polysyllabic” sounds reminiscent of scours, grunts, creaks, belches, creaks, whirrs up to bright xylophone sounds. Ravens are quite adaptable in terms of their habitats and inhabit high mountains, forests and semi-open and semi-open landscapes. The birds are omnivores, with animal components predominating in their diet. As an alleged pest of hunting and agriculture, the animals were ruthlessly persecuted for centuries and in some areas were completely exterminated. Because of their intelligence and their appearance, ravens appear very early on in a wide variety of contexts in myths and legends. Like other corvids, they have a strong play instinct. Typical games are “tobogganing” in the snow or swings. The path to the Muttjöchle leads through the rows of trees for about an hour and a quarter, which means that the view of the surrounding mountains is initially denied. The silence that lies over the wintry forest is striking. This is only interrupted by your own footsteps and the wooden calls of the ravens. One of the large, pitch-black birds often sits high up in a treetop and watches what is happening on the ground. With its calls, it alerts other animals to the presence of humans. With a body length of up to 67 centimeters and a wingspan of 115 to 130 centimetres, the representative of the corvid family is larger than a common buzzard. Due to human persecution, ravens were wiped out in large parts of Europe by 1940. In the meantime, the stocks have recovered to some extent, especially in western Central Europe. “Kolk”, the first syllable of the name of the raven bird, which has been attested since the 16th century, is probably of onomatopoeic origin, imitating the characteristic call of the animal. Impressive view Finally, the forest clears and reveals an impressive panorama: Rätikon , Verwall, Silvretta as well as the Lechtal Alps and the Montafon can be seen. The mountain ranges appear large and powerful, while the buildings on their slopes and in the valley are small and filigree. The last stage to the finish is in open terrain. It’s not always easy to see the way, because the wind blows the snow and blurs tracks. But the wooden summit cross with the Buddhist prayer flags attached to it is now already visible and offers a guide. Once at the top, you can sign the summit book, and a bench invites you to take a break. There are two options for the descent: Either you choose the same route back over the Kristberg (useful if the car is parked in the Silbertal). Anyone who has organized a ride or is using public transport can descend via the prepared winter hiking trail to the Sonnenkopf ski area and take the gondola from there. The valley station is in Dalaas (Klostertal), from where ski buses run regularly.
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