High above Maso Corto stand the Similaun snowfield, where Oetzi was found, and Europe’s highest hotel
Image gallery: Maso Corto
When you reach the end of the Val Senales, past the rocks of Monte Santa Caterina and Lake Vernago reservoir, Maso Corto awaits you at the foot of the Val Senales Glacier. People were already hiking, climbing and skiing here at the end of the 19th century.
Back then, people strapped skis to their backs and tackled the ascent on foot. Then, in the 1970s, the Senales Glacier Cable Car was built on the site of what was the largest farm in the valley by area. Today, the valley station is located directly in the village. The cable car ascends over 1,000 metres, passing steep rock faces to reach the summit. At the top, the Alpin Arena Senales awaits, a high-alpine ski resort and a popular training location for international ski teams.
In the glacier world, at well over 3,000 metres above sea level, the Iceman Oetzi Peak viewing platform provides a remarkable view of the surrounding peaks and the watershed, where it is determined whether water flows towards the Black Sea or the Mediterranean. The valley floor also offers various activities. The Larix Via Ferrata and the parallel running Alpine Trail are two of them.
Among accommodations, pubs and shops, Oetzi is present everywhere in Maso Corto (Kurzras) itself, situated at over 2,000 metres above sea level: A shop, a kids' club and a show gallery bear his name. A little further away, near the neighbouring village of Vernago al Lago, is the Oetzi High Rope Park, an adventure park with fine views of the reservoir.
