Verpeilspitze (3425 m) Nordgrat, Kaunertal

route: Verpeilalm (1802 m) - Verpeiljoch - Verpeilspitze (3425 m) via North Ridge (V) - Madatschjoch - Verpeilalm

 

"...the most generous enterprise in the Kaunertal ..." (climbers-paradise.com) - amazing views but a little tedious because super-long climb!

It took us about two hours to get to the Verpeiljoch, and we spend about nine hours on the ridge. We belayed most sections, although we started off short-roping and also short-roped easier sections in between.
The rock is solid and the route beautiful: straight on the ridge and straight over every gendarme! The route has been bolted by Florian Schranz. You find detailed information about this climb on his website:  http://www.eisalpin.at.

From the summit we descended southwards and headed back to the Verpeilalm via Madatschjoch.

 

More information and topo by Florian Schranz: http://www.eisalpin.at/pdf/Verpeilspitze-Nordgrat.pdf

Hochrinnegg (3058 m) Nordwand - Plattensymphonie, Kaunertal

starting point: Verpeilalm, Kaunertal
climb: 700 Hm, 14 pitches (VI-) + 2 pitches on the summit ridge
descend: very alpine!

Starting at the Verpeilalm we approached on the new "Dr Angerer Hoehenweg" in about 2 hours the base of the Northern rock wall of Hochrinnegg. The starting point of the route is between the left snow basin and the buttress and well marked with a bolt and red arrow.

  

The route has all necessary bolts, and three fantastic pitches in the grades V to VI-. The remaining pitches are easier and just as much enjoyable!

 In the third pitch.

Roland leading the 4th pitch.

The length of the tour is not to be underestimated. We are a slow climbing party and it took us 7.5 hours before reaching the summit. 

The descend is very alpine but well marked with red dots. As we descended we must have said thank you a thousand times to Florian Schranz (first ascent) or those fellow climbers that did so well with marking the way. Soon after we started our descend into the steep gorge it started to rain and finally hail. The rock was soaked pretty quickly, and made the climbing difficult and slow. It rained and hailed for an hour or so, and as it stopped and we looked back the steep terrain we came from, we hardly believed we made it safe!

It took us about three hours from the summit back to the Verpeilalm. 

The photo below has been taken on the weekend following this trip and highlights our descend.  

more infos and topo: http://www.topalpin.at/html/florians-welt-tirol.htm

Musterstein: ViaMarionundJoëlle, Wettersteingebirge

starting point: Reindlau (Leutasch)
approach: ~ 1100 Hm
climb: 250 HM
Saturday route: Reindlau - Leutascher Platt - Musterstein Grat - Meilerhuette - Leutascher Platt
Sunday route: Leutascher Platt - Söller Pass- Reindlau


We followed the Bergleintal trail, which soon leaves the forest behind and enters narrow and steep terrain. But then the trail opens up wide again on a karst plateau, the Leutascher Platt, which is surrounded by prominent rock walls of the Wetterstein range. Among those, the Musterstein builds the northern limitation of the plateau.

Looking back the Bergleintal.

We decided to climb "Viamarionandjoëlle" (V, 6 pitches), which does not end on the summit but on the western ridge of Musterstein.

Musterstein from the Leutascher Platt highlighting Viamarionundjoëlle.

The rock is incredibly rough. As I was leading the second pitch, graded III, I wondered how hard the V will be to climb ... and resigned the lead for the remaining pitches ... The sixth pitch indeed was quite steep and sustained difficult in its second part.

Roland in the third pitch (V), placing a friend just below the crux.

We used the Panico topo, which is identical to the topo in the Alpenvereinsfuehrer. The exit from the last pitch onto the ridge is marked towards the right (east) on both topos - but you are supposed to follow the groove to the left - so you will actually exit at the last bolt.

The descend is not difficult and follows the western ridge towards the Meilerhuette. Cairns are sometimes well hidden, but mark the way.

After a good afternoon spent in the rock walls, we enjoy our dinner in the setting sunlight.





Roland, Tine and Bella looking towards Musterstein while the Spaghettis are boiling.



The next morning, we get up early to hike up to the Söllerpass for sunrise. We are awarded with spectacular views, mountains and walls immersed in golden, pink and purple light, and the wonderful intense feeling of life.  



View from the Söllerpass to Karwendel.