Wildspitze, Ötztal

by Marian Anghel

A brief report on the AAC Wildspitze weekend mid-June with 4 participants: Tom, Len, Bud and myself.

18 June. We met in Vent and walkedup to the Breslauer Hütte (2844m) in the Ötztal.

19 June. During the night there had been a dusting of fresh snow. We made an easy acclimatisation walk on glacier free Urkundkolm (3134m). In the afternoon we did some crevasse rescue and rock climbing exercises in the nearby Klettergarten.

Aclimatisation on Urkundholm Peak
Photo by Bud Chawla

20 June. Overnight we had 10cm of fresh snow and it was still snowing with white-out conditions and some wind. We decided to walk up to Mitterkarjoch and assess conditions there. Using map, compass and GPS to navigate, it was about 2 hours walk on moraine and glacier with an easy climb along cables to the saddle. After a short discussion we decided to continue roped together. One hour later we reached the final slope of Wildspitze (3772m) in absolute white-out and much more powerful wind.

Here we met fresh snow wind slabs and decided to turn back, just 100m belw the peak (a rocky final passage). Everybody enjoyed the whiteout conditions and navigation problems on the descent to the Breslauer Hütte which we reached without problems!

Despite the weather conditions, we had been able to complete most of our plan. Reaching the peak had not been the most important objective. The group gelled so well that we were able to make quick decisions at the hut and on the mountain with regard to safety and our short weekend excursion left us well satisfied.

Rock climbing in the Breslaur Klettergarten
Photo by Marian Anghel

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