Schrankogel

Peak: Schrankogel (3497m/11473ft)
Route: East Ridge (PD)
Area: Stubai Alps, Austria
Rather high for an acclimatisation peak, but the Schrankogel is a superb mountain that had the added advantage of getting us into the heart of the Stubai Alps before our planned ascent of the higher Wildspitze in the Otztal Alps later in the week. The two ranges are quite distinct, although both can be accessed from the main Otztal valley. We spent the night in the splendid Amberger Hut, which was wonderful in the way that only Austrian huts can be, and enjoyed a relative lie-in before breakfast at 6am. Fresh snow had fallen above 3000m so we packed a short rope as precaution, although I wore approach shoes throughout as there is no glacier to cross on this route. We moved up the broad and magnificent Sulztal valley, almost Himalayan in feel at this point, with the Sulztalferner glacier sunlit above. The sun had yet to reach us, and we made rapid progress up the side valley of the Schwarzenberg to the east. A steep ascent led to a superb path on top of a moraine which gave a wonderful mile or so of walking, as the sun began to light up the Mutterberger Seespitze and Schwarzenbergspitze across the valley. In the dim morning light, with a fallen signpost, I failed to spot the line of the normal route going up the south-west ridge. This was no bad thing, however, as the moraine path was truly wonderful and took us up to the Schwarzenberg glacier high above. Some rubbly material at the top of the moraine, dusty, steep and arduous for a while. Above, however, we arrived at a plateau with the east ridge towering above: clearly a much better and more interesting option than the normal route, plastered with a good few inches of fresh snow. The weather was absolutely superb: deep blue cloudless sky and crystal clarity in all directions. We were both going at our own pace, so I set off for the main ridge, enjoying the more solid slabby rock. The snow made things trickier in places, but there were no real difficulties: it was rather like a giant Crib Goch. The ridge tapers constantly until it becomes more exposed as the summit cross comes into view. The final section is quite narrow with a few awkward steps but leads quickly and directly to the summit (2.50 from the hut). The amazing and unusual clarity of light made this one of the best views I have ever had in the Alps, or anywhere. I shared the summit with a chap from Bavaria who helped me with some of the unfamiliar peaks. Close at hand, the pyramidal Schrandele, Zuckerhutl and Wilde Leck impressed, but the Schrankogel is so prominent that it is the highest point for miles around, so the main feeling was one of distant views stretching right across the Alps, from the Todi and Silvretta to the Gross Venediger and the distant Dolomites. The Wildspitze dominated the view to the south-west: a beautiful summit. I spent a long time gazing at the view until Vic arrived, and we eventually tore ourself away for the descent. This was awkward, long and tiring, and I was a tad annoyed that I'd failed to realise the obvious traverse option. But the moraine was equally good in descent and the sun-drenched Sulztal a wonderful place to linger as we neared the hut. Sadly, we'd run out of money, so had to scamper back to the car in Gries before a surprisingly lengthy hunt for valley accommodation in Langenfeld. We got it sorted in the end, however, and a fine meal of wild mushroom soup, Tyrol lamb and rosti restored some of the lost calories.