Wildspitze

Peak: Wildspitze (3772m/12362ft)
Route: Mitterkarjoch/Normal Route (PD)
Area: Otztal Alps, Austria
The highest peak in the Tyrol, and the second highest in Austria, the Wildspitze is also a very beautiful objective. It takes the form of a tent-like pyramid soaring above extensive snowfields. It was an obvious target for our short trip, and is unsurprisingly popular. It gives a straightforward but excellent route over the Mitterkarjoch: much more interesting and varied than we had anticipated, as it breaks down into four distinct parts. Breakfast was at 5.30am, late by Alpine standards, and we were away by 6.15. The route initially climbs into the Mitterkar, a glacial bowl of rubble and boulders which has presumably lost a great deal of its ice in recent years. A decent path winds through the moraines until the upper cwm is reached. The dim light gave way to Alpenglow on the Hinterer Brochkogel high above while behind a cloud inversion formed in the Vental. We passed one big guided party just before the cairns ran out as the upper cwm was reached. This is guarded by steep rock walls, with the summit of the Wildspitze high up on the right of the cwm, cloud streamers curling over the cornices. The actual Mitterkarjoch, which is the key to the whole route, is a tight col above a hidden rock couloir that rises steeply to the north. A dry glacier, just shallow ice, rapidly diminishing, leads up to the couloir, so we donned crampons and headed upwards, behind another guided party. The route up was pleasant, frozen solid after a cold night. Eventually, the glacier gives way to a small bergschrund and then a 150ft via ferrata section, which takes the couloir on its solid left-hand side up a series of cables. I would imagine that, until fairly recently, this couloir was a tracked out snow plod. Now the cables take you on to fairly solid ground up the left walls. Some surprisingly strenuous hauls needed, tricky work in crampons, and we were initially stuck behind the one small guided party that now remained in front of us. However, the steepness eases quite quickly and gives way to a long and very enjoyable diagonal traverse, eventually gaining the atmospheric Mitterkarjoch itself, where the environment and ambience changes suddenly and utterly from rock to snow as you enter the white world of the upper snowfields. The small col gives access to the summit glacier and is a tremendous spot with new views to the west over the Pitztal to Glochturm and a galaxy of other peaks. Cloud in the valleys just added to the atmosphere, particularly as wisps enveloped us from time to time. We geared up for the glacier crossing, which was a delight. Horizontal initially, it then rears up and crosses three or four crevasses. At this point, we were joined by climbers from the Pitztal side, but it never got overly crowded. The glacier crossing ends at a shallow col below the final rocky (at this time of year) summit pyramid. We removed ice gear and scrambled to the top (3 hours), very enjoyable despite the altitude. Verglassed rocks and my ancient Alpine boots (badly worn soles!) made it a little trickier than it might have been. Banks of cloud filled the Otztal and Pitztal with the high summits rising above, a spectacular view. Looking over the Stubai to the Schrankogel was particularly satisfying, and the nearby peaks on the Italian border were also notable, like the Similaun and Weisskugel. We deliberately timed the descent to perfection after a wonderful stay on the summit, avoiding the biggest guided parties on the scramble, then romping down the glacier to ensure we had the couloir to ourselves: this worked perfectly and we made rapid progress back to the hut. After enjoyable crampon work down the dry glacier, we took a long rest in the upper Mitterkar, enjoying the high Alpine ambience for one last time, then the long trudge through the moraines back to the Breslauer Hut (the first team down, just before midday) for Bergsteigerressen (wurst and pasta) and coffee. Thus fortified, we made our way down to Stablein in hot sunshine.