Ascent to the Grosses Wiesbachhorn, the 9th highest mountain in Austria

Two-day trek to the Grosses Wiesbachhorn in the High Tauern Mountains

Starting point

We left the car in the Kaprun Hochgebirgsstauseen parking house. Parking is free here. Alternatively, there is a bus from Kaprun to the dam.
 

Description of the hike

1. day

From the covered parking area, the trail climbs through the woods to the lower reservoir. Along the way we cross several streams that are almost dry at this time of year. The first views open up when the path takes us above the edge of the reservoir. Ahead of us is a long valley and above us are steep slopes. Along the water, the path climbs only slightly and quickly fades away, and soon we are on the embankment of the second reservoir. There are refreshments here and buses bring groups of tourists who walk along the dam in the pleasant midday heat as if they were on a promenade. On the opposite shore the situation is different. Here, a few enthusiasts climb the ferrata on the wall of the dam and only porters and tourists with the highest goals go up.

We climb up the serpentines on a steep slope and the weather gets a little worse, but it rains only a little and that doesn't stop us. We end the first day at the Heinrich Schwaiger Haus hut with other walkers preparing to summit tomorrow. In the evening, thanks to the forecast, the mood is good both outside and in the hut, but even so no one stays up past ten.
 

2. day

In the morning we all set off together, but in the first few metres of the way to the ridge the unity breaks up into groups of those who came together. We are among the first to cross a section where we have to use our hands and which is secured with a rope. On the ridge we get a view of the summit itself and the glaciers on both sides of the ridge. There used to be a solid glacier here, but it is diminishing year by year and no longer reaches the ridge.

After a kilometre, the slope rises again and the climb turns serpentine again, but by then we are already below the summit itself and the whole of the Taurus Mountains are visible around us. Before half past nine we reach our desired destination and shortly afterwards we start our descent along the same route or we will have not only to go down, but also to drive home.
 

Difficulty

The ascent is outside the glacier, but otherwise it has all the parameters of the difficulty of the ascent in the Alps. Crossing a large elevation, the wide path through the alpine meadow is replaced by a narrow path with sharp rocks.
 

Water availability

At the starting point of the trek, at the dam and at the hut you can refill your water supply.
 

Sleeping options

Overnight at the Heinrich Schwaiger Haus, sleeping in a room or in a common room for twenty people. Dinner and breakfast in a package for a reasonable price, we took only breakfast and bed and breakfast.
 

Mountain peaks

We successively climbed the peaks of Höhenburg (2108 m), Unterer Fochezkopf (2989 m), Oberer Fochezkopf (3159 m), Grosses Wiesbachhorn (3564 m)
 

Danger

The route leads partly in rocky terrain, where easy climbing is necessary. Another danger is the altitude, which can already cause breathing problems or slight headaches.
 

Food

We had our own cooking, but there is a bistro and cottage on the way, so no need.