Moderately difficult day ski tour to the Peistakogel from the Ötztal Valley
The approach begins at the large parking lot at the edge of Niederthai. Follow the natural toboggan run along the Horlachbach stream towards the Schweinfurter Hütte.
After about an hour on the fairly flat path, you will reach the Larstighöfe farm. Continue on the toboggan run over a small bridge, past the Klein-Horlach-Alm pasture to the Groß-Horlach-Alm pasture (approx. 1960 m).
Here, a narrow path branches off sharply to the left, heading north. Follow this steep towpath to the right of the Finstertalbach stream to a small bridge. On the other side of the river, continue climbing to the Finstertalalm. Here, turn left and enter the flat Finstertal valley.
Now, continue following the stream and head straight toward the Gaißkogel. Just before the wall, branch off through stepped terrain into the Wannekar. Here, you climb up a broad ridge over beautifully stepped terrain. If you continue straight ahead, you will reach the ascent to the Große Wasserfalle on the right.
To reach the Peistakogel, however, head south, where you first have to descend a short distance into the gentle basin in front of the Peistakogel. Next, you head for the steep and avalanche-prone (!) north slope of the Peistakogel.
The summit awaits
Over the faintly visible steps in the terrain, you climb up to the gap between the lower, left-hand ridge summit (with summit cross) and the higher, right-hand summit (with cairn), in numerous switchbacks.
At the gap, you now have the choice of taking a few steps east to the Peista Cross or ascending west (possibly on foot) over the snow-covered ridge to the actual summit.
The descent is the same as the ascent, over the steep northern slope and promises fantastic powder snow. Afterwards, you glide down the steps of the Wannenkar cirque into the Horlachtal valley and back to the parking lot via the toboggan run.