Ski Touring recommended route Stage 5

Weißkugel and Hochjoch Hospiz

Ski Touring · Vent
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  • Weisskugel landscape
    Weisskugel landscape
    Photo: Ötztal

Selected alternatives for you

    WEISSKUGEL -> HOCHJOCH HOSPIZ

    difficult
    Distance 18.6 km
    8:00 h
    1,360 m
    1,790 m
    3,739 m
    2,294 m
    Ascent over the saddle in the rear ice (3,270 m) and Egg (3,219 m) –> descent Hintereisferner –> ascent over the Hintereisferner to the Hintereisjoch (3,460 m, 4 - 4.5 h) –> across the south ridge to the Weißkugel (3,739 m, 1 h) –> descent Hintereisferner to Hochjoch Hospiz (2,413 m, 2 h);

    Author’s recommendation

    Reservation of hut sleeping places necessary!
    Logo Ötztal
    Responsible for this content
    Ötztal  Verified partner 
    Difficulty
    difficult
    Overall difficulty
    difficult

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Experience
    Landscape
    Highest point
    3,739 m
    Lowest point
    2,294 m
    Best time of year
    Jan
    Feb
    Mar
    Apr
    May
    Jun
    Jul
    Aug
    Sep
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    Nov
    Dec

    Track types

    Show elevation profile

    Safety information

    Avalanche Danger Scale

    1 (LOW)
    Avalanche release is only possible with a large additional load on very few, extreme steep slopes. No spontaneous avalanches (so-called slides) are expected. Generally safe conditions.

    2 (MODERATE)
    Avalanche release is likely with a large additional load especially on the specified steep slopes. Larger avalanches are not expected. The snow cover is generally well consolidated except at some steep slopes. Careful route selection on the specified steep slopes and exposures.

    3 (CONSIDERABLE)
    Avalanche release is already likely with little additional load especially on the specified steep slopes. Occasionally some medium, sporadically large avalanches are possible spontaneously. The snow cover on many steep slopes is only moderately to weakly consolidated. Experience in avalanche assessment necessary. Avoid specified steep slopes and exposures as much as possible.

    4 (HIGH)
    Avalanche release is already possible with little additional load especially on the specified steep slopes. Occasionally many medium, often also large avalanches occur. On many steep slopes, the snow cover is only weakly consolidated. Route choice limited to moderately steep terrain and attention to avalanche run-out zones. Much experience in avalanche assessment needed.

    5 (VERY HIGH)
    Numerous large avalanches, even in moderately steep terrain, expected spontaneously. Safe operation in ski areas is no longer possible at this warning level. The snow cover is generally weakly consolidated and unstable. Avoid tours.

    See also at lawine.tirol.gv.at

    Tips and suggestions

    Ski Touring Rules

    • Observe applicable regulations in all activities in nature and when choosing routes (e.g., wildlife protection areas, hunting restricted areas, reforestation zones, information boards, etc.)
    • Respect quiet zones for wildlife and avoid feeding areas as well as loud noise
    • In winter, cross forest areas only on cleared paths and routes, animals react very panicked to untraceable noise.
    • Recognize wildlife habitats, avoid wildlife if possible. Observe wildlife only from a distance. Dogs must be kept on a leash; it is absolutely irresponsible to let dogs run free in the forest during the critical winter period.
    • Proper time planning: start early enough and return before darkness. In spring, you should be back at the hut by midday (avalanche danger)
    • Never ski through reforestation and young growth areas.

    Ötztal Tourism assumes no liability for the listed routes and recommends taking a mountain guide. Glacier crossings are only possible with a rope and in a group.

    Before starting a tour, inform the valley about the destination and the expected return time. Carrying an avalanche transceiver is strongly recommended.

    More info about ski tours in the Ötztal: https://www.oetztal.com/skitouren

    Public transport

    Travel comfortably and safely by train to the Ötztal station. The final station or drop-off point is the ÖTZTAL station. Afterwards, travel conveniently and quickly by public transport or local taxi companies through the whole valley to your desired destination! The current bus schedule is available at: http://fahrplan.vvt.at

    Directions

    The car trip to the ÖTZTAL. Located in Tirol, the Ötztal valley branches off to the south as the longest side valley of the Eastern Alps. The journey by car leads travelers through the Inn valley to the valley entrance and then along the Ötztal. In addition to the toll motorway, country roads can also be used. With the route planner, your trip can be quickly and conveniently determined: To the route planner: https://www.google.at/maps

    Parking

    In the mountaineering village Vent, the following parking options are available to you.

    - In summer in front of the village (parking meter, coins or EC card only) and at the valley station of the chairlift (at the ticket counter of the cable cars)

    - In winter only at the valley station of the chairlift.

    Cost: € 5.00 per day/car

    Coordinates

    DD
    46.783423, 10.792136
    DMS
    46°47'00.3"N 10°47'31.7"E
    UTM
    32T 636796 5182656
    w3w 
    ///basins.hesitating.tenants
    Get there by train, car, bike, or on foot!

    Equipment

    Recommended ski tour equipment

    The "normal ski touring equipment" consists of touring skis with touring bindings, telescopic poles, climbing skins, crampons, digital avalanche transceiver, avalanche shovel, avalanche probe, first aid kit and a mobile phone. A "complete glacier equipment" consists of a harness, two prusik slings or ascenders of different lengths, two HMS carabiners, ice axe, crampons and a rope. A backpack with appropriate contents should be carried, including spare clothing, sun protection, cold protection, provisions and enough to drink! For hut overnight stays, do not forget to bring hygiene articles and a hut sleeping bag!

    DIFFICULTY RATING

    • Easy: easy, short to moderately long routes with ascents that do not or only briefly exceed 25°.
    • Medium: moderately difficult, moderately long to long routes with ascents that do not or only briefly exceed 35°.
    • Difficult: difficult, long to very long routes with ascents reaching 40° or more, and climbing passages up to level II difficulty (UIAA).

    Localization

    Parts of this content were machine translated using German as the source language

    Similar routes nearby

    • Over the Finailspitze to Schöne Aussicht
    • From Fluchtkogel to the Vernagthütte
    • Similaun 3.606 m
    • Hintere Schwärze
    • Hauslabkogel
     These suggestions were generated by our system
    Difficulty
    difficult
    Overall difficulty
    difficult

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Distance
    18.6 km
    Duration
    8:00 h
    Ascent
    1,360 m
    Descent
    1,790 m
    Highest point
    3,739 m
    Lowest point
    2,294 m
    Multi-stage route Insider tip Summit route

    Statistics

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