Descent: Spina - Santa Croce - valley station

We start the hike at the Palfries mountain station. With the Palfriesbahn, we have previously overcome around 1,250 metres in altitude in just 12 minutes. The train travels over an impressive waterfall (Ragnatscher Bach) and takes us up to the Palfries plateau.

For this descent variant to the valley station, we have chosen the shortest one. This is partly very steep, but still not dangerous. As a result of the difference in altitude, the leg and knee muscles are heavily used. For the time being, the descent leads over alpine meadows and through loose forest; from the Hinderspina it continues steeply downhill through loose forest and along rocky flanks.

On the descent we come across various alpine flowers and meadow flowers that have become rare on the Hinderspina.

From the mountain station we hike in a northwesterly direction to the mountain inn Palfries. There the mountain path branches off to the left and initially leads downhill via alpine pastures. After passing under the cable car road, the halfway developed road leads through loose forest to the Hinderspina mountain estates. At the hut we choose the path in a southeasterly direction. The steepest section of this descent begins through the forest and along overgrown rock faces. Above Heiligkreuz, the Bergweg joins the Quartirestrasse (Erzweg). We follow the road downhill until we are in front of a crossroads, where the Kürschnengasse and Tscherfingergasse as well as the Erzweg meet. Our path leads us further through the Kürschnengasse (turn right) and shortly afterwards keep right or go straight ahead. The path leads past a gravel trap and soon it joins a dirt road. Here it goes right over the bridge of the Reschubach, between the barn and the houses and then more or less along the edge of the forest and later the dry stone wall to the hamlet Oberragnatsch. It goes in the forest over the Ragnatscher Bach. Shortly before the finish we have to pay close attention to the signs at the large square. In particular, the route over the dam is not to be chosen. When we step out of the forest, we can already see the cable car valley station.