Because the crags between the climbing hotspots of Munich and Innsbruck are so easily accessible, pretty much every climbing legend has left their mark here – from Tülfer to Glowacz. Today, the Wilde Kaiser is one of the most famous climbing areas in the Alps. We’ve put together a brief guide, which, inevitably, can never be exhaustive.
Text: Simon Schöpf
The routes are enticing even from the Gaudeamus Hut – here you’ll find solid rock at all Levels of Difficulty. On the Vordere Karlspitze, on the south face of the Wilder Kaiser, a number of well-bolted Multi-Pitch Climbing routes have been added in recent years, which can be climbed without the need for friends, nuts or a fear of death.
Take, for example, the new classics ‘Wirtskante’ – the former innkeepers of the ‘Gaudihütte’ sponsored the bolts – or ‘ABS’. The routes can be reached relatively quickly, and a restorative reward awaits at the Mountain Lodge/Hut.
This is where the Emperor’s greatest servants are to be found; this is where boundaries have constantly been pushed: the names ‘Fleischbank East Face’ and ‘Predigtstuhl West Face’ strike awe into the heart of every alpine climber.
The ‘Pumprisse’ route was the first to officially introduce Grade 7 to the Alps, but is rarely climbed today due to its audacity. Alongside it, ‘Des Kaisers neue Kleider’ (10.) soars boldly up the pillar.
Even the name is enticing: at Sonneck, you’ll find a small but excellent selection of alpine tours that are particularly recommended in autumn.
The access isn’t exactly the shortest – but that’s all part of the Koasa experience. You’ll be rewarded with magnificent scenery: the walls rise majestically from the Schneekar. Taking the descent into account, you shouldn’t underestimate the routes here.
Over 200 routes, some of which were among the toughest in the world: whilst alpine climbing history was made ‘up above’ on the Wilder Kaiser, sport climbing history was written at theSchleierwasserfall – a few decades later, following the invention of the bolt.
And you absolutely need one on a slope this steep: you need to have mastered Grade 8 if you want to enjoy yourself on the ‘Schleier’. Those who do so will find some of the most rewarding rock climbing here.
Although it’s a little further away from the main walls of the Kaiser, it’s still part of the area: the Achleiten Rock Climbing Area also boasts superb rock quality, and here too the difficult routes dominate.
People tend to climb here on sunny winter days – in summer it’s usually too hot for the small ledges.
To extend this ‘best of’ selection to cover the full range of ability levels: the Kaiserklettergarten, not far from the Gaudeamus Hut, is the ideal Starting Point for your first few metres on the rock and your first attempts at lead climbing.
After all, you have to start somewhere if you want to go on to make climbing history in the future.
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