What’s a joy for Alpine Skiers is a nightmare for climbers: a winter that just won’t end. Snow in March, snow in April – and if things go really badly, snow again in May.
Whilst some are posting their favourite spring colour, ‘white’, on social media, others are putting tulips in a vase and wondering when they’ll finally be able to walk across flower-filled meadows to the crags again. And then spring does arrive, after all: with warm rain and glorious sunshine. The crags are drying out, hands are getting sweaty – it’s crag season!
Where’s a particularly good place to start the season? In the Achensee region. Here we’ll introduce you to three areas with short Multi-Pitch Climbing routes.
Text: Susa Schreiner
Sure, you could simply climb lots of single-pitch routes one after the other as training for those long summer tours. But feeling a bit of air beneath your climbing shoes and getting back into the swing of climbing away from the belay station – that’s only possible in Multi-Pitch Climbing mode. We call it getting used to the gear.
At a glance – the three areas:
A taste of ‘Little Canada’, short access routes and alpine-style climbing: that’s what the routes in the Gramai climbing area have to offer. Even the journey there is wonderful. From Pertisau, the route follows a gently ascending tarmac road to the Alpengasthof Gramai in the Karwendel Mountains – by bike, by car (toll road) or on foot. Once there, a large information board provides an overview of the routes. The access from the Gramai car park takes a leisurely 10 to 20 minutes.
Three pitches: the first, 35 metres long and graded 6, is an ideal introduction – not too hard, not too easy. This is followed by a 10-metre section graded 5b to the next belay station. If you like, you can link the second and third pitches together, adding another 35 metres of climbing. After abseiling down, there’s plenty of time for another ‘shorty’.
Tip: The route faces east – ideal for anyone who wants to soak up the spring sunshine on their back.
215 (!) metres of climbing over four pitches:
If you’ve still got energy left after that, pop over to the Gramai Waterfall for a few bouldering problems. With strong forearms, the apple strudel on the sun terrace of the Gramai Alpine Pasture tastes best anyway. Our tip: stay the night there. As soon as the day trippers have gone, peace and quiet sets in – perfect for an evening stroll across the alpine pastures.
What’s almost too hot in the height of summer is a delight in spring: climbing on south-facing rock. When it quickly gets chilly in the shade, south-facing faces are in high demand – for example, on the Rotspitz in the Rofan. The motto: 2 x 2 x 2 – tailor the world of climbing to suit you.
Whatever you decide: they’re all lovely, and with two pitches each, they can be perfectly strung together. Maria Wirtenberger, a climber from Achenkirch, also swears by the Rebitschkante on the Rotspitz East Face.
„The breathtaking view of the lake never fails to fascinate me, just as much as the exposed nature of the route.“
If you’re looking for a proper challenge, the Klobenjoch is the place for you. At 75 minutes from the Top station, the access is one of the longest in the region, but the Klobenjoch is a magnificent playground – especially on the higher grades, where steep crack climbing beckons.
Plenty of sunshine on superb, well-protected rock:
Refreshments: Are your forearms tired? Then head to the Dalfazalm, about 20 minutes from the base of the wall, and recharge your batteries with Kaiserschmarren and dumplings. Overnight accommodation is also available there. Those who feel drawn back down to the valley can round off their day’s climbing with a view of Lake Achensee.
You can find all the information on these tours and many more routes on the Achensee Region website.
Tips & Safety
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