UKH

Hi everyone, 

I was supposed to go do an ice climbing course in Austria in a few weeks but the new travel restrictions have ruined that. I'm a Dutchman born in '86 so the chances that I will get my booster in time are slim so the organizing party has chosen to play it safe and reimburse the participants and cancel the course. No money lost so that is the upside. 

I do however, want to do some winter routes this year. Chances of me finding a partner in such a short time are limited though, so I'm mainly searching for stuff I would see myself solo easily in the Alps. I have limited winter experience but in summer I would gladly solo II/II+ terrain (Scottish winter I-III?) and am comfortable on steepish snow.

I found the classic Rubihorn Nordwand and that looked awesome but too hard with M4/WI4/4c crux moves, but I would say there should be some ridges in the vicinity that might fit my experience? Anybody have any good ideas? Or anybody want to team up? I have time off from January 15-23 with a couple of days give before. All weather dependent of course. 

Thanks!

Hi Victor,

I was 18 years in the UK and moved back to Germany in 2016 trying to do Scottish winter climbing near Munich. This is what we came up with. http://limeneve.blogspot.com/2021/02/climbing-scottish-trilogy.html. Unfortunately a wee bit too hard for soloing. Another great public transport adventure was the Benediktenwand traverse http://limeneve.blogspot.com/2021/11/winter-epic-from-kochel-via.html 

So tons to do but check the avalanche forecast! 

Best wishes,

Henning

Much appreciated! 

If you are looking for a real adventure you can try the jubiläumsgrat from the Zugspitze to the Alpspitze:

https://www.bergsteigen.com/touren/klettersteig/jubilaeumsgrat-zugspitze/

Majority is (very exposed!!!) easy scrampling and some small sections up to Grade II (short Grade III- section,  but that you can rappel that down). Usually, doing this route in  winter conditions takes two days with a biwac in a small hut about 2/3 of the rigde.

In case you are are looking for something easier and less committing then the via ferratas on the Alpspitze might be an option:

https://www.bergsteigen.com/touren/klettersteig/alpspitz-ferrata-alpspitze-...

https://www.bergsteigen.com/touren/klettersteig/schoengaenge-alpspitze-scho...

Hi Randy, thanks for the input! The Jubliläumsgrat in winter with a partner is definitely on my to do list but I first want to do it in good summer conditions! The Alpsipitze ferrata's are definitely options!

This might be useful?  https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/expedition+alpine/all_the_eastern_alps_fr...

You could also try going up from the Hollental hutte to the Riffelscharte, then up to the Sudliche Riffelspitze - I've not done it in winter, but I'm guessing it fits the bill?  It's easy VF much of the way up to the gap, then it's I+ up to the summit in summer. Cables will be buried obviously. The problem you may have is getting to the Hollental Hutte as the gorge path is regularly closed due to avalanche risk in winter. Webcam here looks down on the valley https://www.foto-webcam.eu/webcam/zugspitze-ost/2022/01/01/1420

The hut is in the bottom of the valley (click anywhere in the pic and zoom in) and the peak is one of the nearest on the ridge on the left - look at a pic when there's no snow and you see the path up. Alternatively you could go up the western side of the ridge from the Riffelriss station before the Zugspitzebahn goes into the tunnel - not sure if you can get off in winter though, and you go up the edge of a massive scree slope that's potentially a bit avalanche-prone?

Oh thanks, that does indeed help! Amazing that they made all of those public, some are pretty recent editions!