Blog Posts in Category: Locations

Elfer Nordturm Climbing

Alastair BegleyAustria, Rock Climbing Short Link

After a few days of paragliding we felt that it was time to return to one of our more normal activities and do some exercise! We decided to go climbing on the summit behind the launch we have been regularly using, and that I have flown over multiple times. Given the hot conditions at the moment, it was also very important that the route faced north, which made it ideal! The ascent to the route was very enjoyable with wonderful views of the Stubai valley. We were soon at the start of the Klettersteig, which we followed for the first few sections before making the very loose descent down to the huge face the route climbed up. After some faff finding the start of the route, amongst horrible loose rocks, the route was a joy to climb. It was really well bolted, with excellent rock (mostly) and enjoyable climbing. The first pitch was IV, and was mostly up a chimney, which took the ”traditional” option to get up. The second pitch looked outstanding from below, and didn’t disappoint, and it really did go at the stated grade of IV despite. Read the full article…

Hochries

Alastair BegleyBavaria, Walking Short Link

Due to a very unstable forecast we wanted to do a short walk in the morning which was close to Munich. We ended up deciding on a circuit including the Hochries. As we set off in the morning the weather was lovely, however as we approached the ridge the cloud started to build and we found ourselves in the cloud hoping that this wasn’t a sign of an impending storm, earlier than forecast. Nonetheless we continued and enjoyed some fleeting atmospheric views and some wonderful views in the brief moments without any cloud. As we descended from Feichteck the cloudbase seemed to lift slightly and meant that we had enjoyable views while walking along the ridge to Hochries. Here we enjoyed an early lunch at the Alm on the summit, before making a hasty retreat back down to the car.

Kampenwand Climbing & Paragliding

Alastair BegleyBavaria, Paragliding, Rock Climbing Short Link

Due to the potential for afternoon storms, we wanted to find a route which was easy, relatively long and not too far away from Munich. We ended up settling on heading to the Kampenwand, which had the added advantage of being able to get a lift up to the route! We linked up multiple routes along the ridge to have a full day out, climbing in the sun with wonderful views. We did not end up climbing exactly what we had originally planned, due to a mixture of ending up at the wrong start place, not wanting to do 6m of climbing to have to abseil back down (and then ending up behind a group of 3 who would have caught up) and a pitch being harder than expected, damp and runout. In the end we linked the following routes, with a few abseils along the way between the different crags: Westgipfel, Westseite, Torweg, 80m, f4 Westgipfel, Westseite, Westgrat (top section), f2 Teufelsturm, Nordwestkante, 45m, f3 Hauptgipfel, Nordseite, Nordwestverschneidung, 70m, f4+, DNF Hauptgipfel, Nordseite, Ostgrat, 150m, f2 It was a great day out in the sun, with some enjoyable climbing,. Read the full article…

Wankspitze Klettersteig

Alastair BegleyAustria, Via Ferrata Short Link

At the start of the season trying to find klettersteigs which are interesting, involve a summit and are open is a bit challenging. After our first few thoughts being dismissed as we discovered that they were not yet open, we settled on the Wankspitze Klettersteig. It was a very easy klettersteig, but it climbed a ridge to the summit of the Wankspitze and had wonderful views towards the higher mountains in Austria. The walk up to the Lehnberghaus was fairly quick in the forrest, however it was already fairly warm in the morning so we stopped for a refreshing drink before continuing with the approach to the Klettersteig. As we climbed higher we soon left the forrest and were treated to spectacular views of big limestone faces and gullies. After doing most of the ascent towards the summit we arrived at the col between the Wankspitze the Westliche Griesspitze, which is where the klettersteig started. After eating most of our lunch we set off on the klettersteig. It started with a few interesting sections, but unfortunately the rest of the klettersteig was very straightforward, however this was more than made. Read the full article…

Heimgarten

Alastair BegleyBavaria, Walking Short Link

Having previously climbed Heimgarten via the classic traverse from Herzogstand, we decided to climb it from the other side as it was an appropriate length and distance from Munich to do with Lou, Adam and Lottie. The walk initially gained altitude easily in the forrest, but we soon emerged into spring alpine meadows, which were covered in flowers. Thankfully there was a wooden walkway as some of the meadows were fairly wet, although as Adam found out, some of the wood was fairly slippery! The ascent then took us up towards the summit with wonderful views over Kochelsee, Heimgarten and the flatlands to the north. Unfortunately as we approached the summit the cloud really started to build, but we still enjoyed good views before stopping the hut for a drink and some cake. The walk down was very pleasant, and we soon warmed up after the fairly chilly stop at the hut! We took a detour near the carpark to walk down next to some waterfalls, which I took my first post-walk “swim” of the year in to clean off before driving to the campsite.

Rotwand

Alastair BegleyBavaria, Walking Short Link

After a wonderful winter of piste skiing, ski touring and ski mountaineering, I was really looking forward to getting back out walking in the mountains. It feels surprising that the first walk was at the end of April, but as the ski season just seemed to keep going we just kept skiing! Unfortunately the weather running up to the weekend wasn’t looking that great, but it at least looked dry on Saturday morning, on some forecasts. Thanks the the enthusiasm of Adam and Rob we headed out despite the dull forecast, and what a good decision that was! Adam had to be back in Munich for 2pm, so we had a relatively early start, which combined with the weather meant that the mountains were very quiet. As we were driving to the carpark at Spitzingsee there was plenty of low cloud and it looked grim, thankfully as we approached the car park we burst through the inversion layer and were treated to blue skies with some high cloud. The walk up to the Taubenstein was fairly short and as we approached the col we were treated to a wonderful view. Read the full article…

Langtauferer Spitze

Alastair BegleyAustria, Ski Touring Short Link

I planned a weekend tour from Vent last year with the plan to ski from Vent to the Martin Busch Hütte, then over the Fineilspitze to the Schöne Aussicht and then over to the Hintereisferner and back down to Vent. The tour was initially supposed to have five people, but due to major trips being re-arranged due to being postponed, injuries and covid, it ended up just being me and Yasmin on the trip. It felt very strange getting up for breakfast at 7:30 with a plan of doing a 3500m peak, however our start time was dictated by the late breakfast and the hut, combined with the plan to ski down from the hut and catch the ski lift up to just below Teufelsjoch. The ski down to the lift in the morning was wonderful as it was down a freshly groomed piste, however touring skis are not ideal for a carving descent! Unfortunately the lift opened 30mins later than we thought it would, which led to a very cold 30mins watching the chairs being slowly put on the lift and the count down to the final chair. Thankfully. Read the full article…

Fineilspitze

Alastair BegleyAustria, Ski Touring Short Link

I planned a weekend tour from Vent last year with the plan to ski from Vent to the Martin Busch Hütte, then over the Fineilspitze to the Schöne Aussicht and then over to the Hintereisferner and back down to Vent. The tour was initially supposed to have five people, but due to major trips being re-arranged due to being postponed, injuries and covid, it ended up just being me and Yasmin on the trip. The first day was a simple ski up the valley from Vent into the hut, we left Munich in plenty of time so we were in no great rush on the ski in, as we had plenty of time and our only plan for the afternoon was Apfelstrudel at the hut, and then crevasse rescue practice. The ski in was very straightforward and we only had to briefly take our skis off a few times. I have stayed at the Martin Busch Hütte a few times before, once as a child and once last year with Becky, and I remember the walk in going on with many “last corners”, and it certainly wasn’t different in Winter.. Read the full article…