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Alps - Eastern Part > Kaisergebirge
Kaisergebirge
Area/Range
Kaisergebirge 

Page Type: Area/Range

Location: Tirol, Austria, Europe

Lat/Lon: 47.58579°N / 12.29851°E

Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering, Trad Climbing, Sport Climbing, Big Wall, Scrambling, Via Ferrata

Season: Summer, Fall

Elevation: 7690 ft / 2344 m

 

Page By: mvs, Gangolf Haub, charles

Created/Edited: Dec 1, 2006 / Mar 24, 2009

Object ID: 248374

Hits: 9523 

Page Score: 91.46% - 48 Votes 

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Table of Contents

0 - Introduction

1 – Overview

2 - Wilder Kaiser Climbing

3 - Geology

4 - Panorama Ackerlspitze

5 - Kaisergebirge on SP

6 - Zahmer Kaiser

7 - Wilder Kaiser

7.1 - Westkaiser
7.2 - Halten – Stock
7.3 - Central Wilder Kaiser
7.4 - Ostkaiser

8 - Getting There

9 - Red Tape

10 - Mountain Huts and Refuges

11 - Accommodation

11.1 – South / Wilder Kaiser
11.2 – West / Kufstein
11.3 – North / Kaiserwinkl
11.4 – East / St. Johann

12 - Weather Conditions

13 - Maps & Books

13.1 - Maps
13.2 - Books

14 - Page History

Images

0 - Introduction

This page is meant to be a truly international collaboration: an expatriate Brit and American joining forces with a German to work on an Austrian mountain range. So far we have not yet decided how to proceed so expect changes in the coming weeks. The first instalment is supposed to put together all logistical information and link the existing pictures in their places. Some future sections are already indicated but have to be filled in the future. Maybe they will vanish again while others pop up.

1 – Overview

 
Enlarge
Zahmer and Wilder Kaiser seen from Spitzstein (by Sebastian Hamm)

Wilder Kaiser and Zahmer Kaiser, together called Kaisergebirge – or simply Kaiser – are among the smallest of mountain ranges in the Alps. Still the names are well known in the mountaineering and climbing community, since climbing history has been written on (or hanging from) their walls and faces. Mainly Wilder Kaiser was the scene of many a historic feat with names like Fleischbank, Predigtstuhl or Totenkirchl dominating the lists. Everyone of rank and name climbed here and at all times the best climbers pushed climbing a step further with new test pieces on these walls. H. Dülfer established the classic Fleischbank Ostwand Route together with W. Schaarschmidt. F. Wiesner climbed here before emigrating to the US and kicking of the climbing movement there. A. Heckmair and L. Vörg practised on the Wilder Kaiser faces before setting out to climb the Eiger north face together with H. Harrer and F. Kasparek. G. B. Piaz, P. Preuss and H. Buhl scored FAs, some of them as improbable solos either around the turn of the 20th century or in post WW II. Though today every crack and cleft seems to have been climbed still there seems to be room for improvement like St. Glowacz’ “Des Kaisers Neue Kleider”, which introduced the 10th degree to the Kaiser.

Kaisergebirge consists of two small ranges, both consisting of little more than a single ridge. The characters of the wo ranges couldn’t be more different. Zahmer Kaiser in the north is a smooth sloped, pine covered range, popular among climbers. To the south, divided by the Kaisertal and Kaiserbachtal Valleys, which combine in the Stripsenjoch Saddle you find the wildest of mountain ranges, Wilder Kaiser. It also consists of a single ridge, running from east to west, with several short side ridges, in all about 40 different summits.

2 - Wilder Kaiser Climbing

Go there

Heli Kotter and Christian Käsweber in Vertical Tango on Fleischbank.
Picture linked with permission from Markus Stadler's site (see below)


Markus Stadler, who is the author of two climbing guidebooks about Wilder Kaiser (see below) has put together an extensive collection of routes on his own site. I (Gangolf) couldn't resist linking the picture above from his site, which he offers as freely downloadable desktop background.



Just to get an impression of the wealth of rock climbs, here is a list from a popular guidebook Bayerische Alpen Nordtirol. I'll keep this up to date with links to any trip reports we get here on Summitpost. The table is sorted by difficulty - plug yourself in whereever comfortable for a great time!

Mountain Route Grade Length
Totenkirchl North side, "Führerweg" III 10 pitches
Hintere Goinger Halt North Ridge III+ 8 pitches
Ellmauer Halt Kopftörlgrat III+ many (15+?) pitches
Predigtstuhl North Ridge "Matejak/Ostler" IV+ 18 pitches
Totenkirchl Northeast side, "Heroldweg" V 6 pitches
Kleine Halt Nortwestwand "Kaiserführe" V+ 27 pitches!
Totenkirchl Totenkirchl Express VI 18 pitches
Fleischbank East Wall, "Dülfer" VI or V/A0 15 pitches
Fleischbank Northwest Face, "Via Classica" V+ 15 pitches
Leuchsturm Alte Südwand VI+ or V+/A0 12 pitches
Fleischbank "Wiessner/Rossi" VI+ or V+/A0 11 pitches
Totenkirchl Direct West Wall, "Dülfer" VI+ or V+/A0 23 pitches
Predigtstuhl "Schüle + Hasslacher" VII- or V+/A0 10 pitches
Vordere Karlspitze Northeast Ridge / East Wall VII- 9 pitches

3 - Geology

Enlarge
Predigtstuhl and Hintere Goinger Halt (by Luidger)

The Kaisergebirge Range belongs to the northern limestone Alps and thus – believe it or not – is mainly made up from limestone. About 90% of the range consists of the so-called Wetterstein Limestone, named after the predominant rock in Wettersteingebirge to the west of the Kaiser. It builds layers of up to 1000m in thickness, which amounts to the complete height of the Kaiser faces. The remaining 10% are Main Dolomite, mainly to be found at the bottoms of the valleys.

An interesting feature of the area is that during the build-up of the Alps the formerly horizontal sediment layers got uplifted and now form angles between 50° and 90°. These layers now form a labyrinth of cracks, which results inn incredible multitude of possible routes. Thanks to the popularity of the Kaiser all (?) these routes have been established.

4 - Panorama Ackerlspitze

RegalpspitzeRegalpwandTörlwandTörlspitzenTreffauerEllmauer HaltGamshaltV. KarlspitzeH. KarlspitzeV. Goinger HaltTotenkirchlFleischbankH. Goinger HaltPredigtstuhlZahmer Kaiser
Enlarge
Summit View Ackerlspitze: Central Wilder Kaiser (by Lioba Stenner). Hide / Show labels

5 - Kaisergebirge on SP

Wilder Kaiser Zahmer Kaiser
Enlarge
Interactive Overview Map of Kaisergebirge


  1. Zahmer Kaiser
  2. Wilder Kaiser
  3. Fleischbank
  4. Scheffauer

6 - Zahmer Kaiser


Enlarge
Zahmer Kaiser seen from Scheffauer, picture by mairhofs

Zahmer Kaiser is located in the northern half of Kaisergebirge. Its Summits are located on a long ridge, the highest of them in the eastern part. Vordere and Hintere Kesselschneid as well as Pyramidenspitze are the three highest summits of the range only one of which tops 2000m.
  1. Teufelskanzel (802m)
  2. Rogerkopf (1138m)
  3. Lahnkopf (1204m)
  4. Zehnerkopf (1241m)
  5. Gamsschaukopf (1216m)
  6. Naunspitze (1633m)
  7. Petersköpfl (1745m)

  8. Einserkogel (1924m)
  9. Zwölferkogel
  10. Elferkogel
  11. Pyramidenspitze (1997m)
  12. Vordere Kesselschneid (2001m)
  13. Hintere Kesselschneid (1995m)
  14. Jovenspitze (1890m)
  15. Rosskaiser (1970m)
  16. Heuberg (1603m)
  17. Stripsenkopf (1807m)
  18. Ropanzen (1572m)
  19. Feldberg (1813m)
  20. Kohllahnerkopf (1556m)
  21. Wasserlahnerkopf
  22. Schneebichl (1470m)
  23. Scheibenkogel (1614m)
  24. Zasserlkögerl (1298m)

7 - Wilder Kaiser

TuxeckTreffauerKaiserkopfEllmauer HaltKöpfelTörlspitzeTörlspitzenkammTörlwandRegalpwand/-spitzeAckerlspitzeMaukenspitze
Enlarge
Wilder Kaiser seen from Ellmau in the south (by Lioba Stenner). Hide / Show labels


Though only a relatively small range, consisting of a single east – west ridge, Wilder Kaiser is divided into four even smaller subranges. One to the east and west each and two in the centre, where the side ridges protrude to north and south. The highest summit of Wilder Kaiser is Ellmauer Halt.

    7.1 - Westkaiser


  1. Zettenkaiserkopf (1609m)
  2. Zettenkaiser (1960m)

  3. Scheffauer (2111m)

  4. Hackenköpfe (2125m)
  5. Sonnenstein (1714m)
  6. Wiesberg (1998m)
  7. Kopfkraxen (2178m)
  8. Gamskarköpfl (2040m)
  9. Sonneck (2260m)
  10. Kleinkaiserl (2219m)
  11. Treffauer (2304m)

  12. Tuxeck (2226m)
  13. Kaiserkopf (2171m)

    7.2 - Halten – Stock


  14. Elmauer Halt (2344m)

  15. Leuchsturm (2275m)
  16. Friedrichsturm (2160m)
  17. Gamshalt (2292m)
  18. Kleine Halt (2116m)
  19. Totensessel (1745m)

    7.3 - Central Wilder Kaiser


  20. Vordere Karlspitze (2260m)
  21. Hintere Karlspitze (2261m)
  22. Totenkirchl (2190m)

  23. Christaturm (2170m)

  24. Fleischbank (2187m)

  25. Fleischbankpfeiler (1749m)
  26. Predigtstuhl (2116m)

  27. Vordere Goinger Halt (2242m)

  28. Hintere Goinger Halt (2192m)

  29. Bauernpredigtstuhl (2119m)
  30. Nördliche Törlspitze (2187m)

  31. Goinger Turm (2201m)
  32. Goinger Törlspitze (2227m)
  33. Östliches und Westliches Törleck (2198m)
  34. Höchster Törlturm (2191m)
  35. Kreuztörlturm (2173m)


    7.4 - Ostkaiser


  36. Daumen (2151m)
  37. Törlwand (2197m)

  38. Regalpwand (2227m)
  39. Regalpspitze (2253m)
  40. Regalpturm (2226m)
  41. Hochgrubachspitzen (2277m, 2284m)
  42. Ackerlspitze (2329m)

  43. Ackerlhüttenturm (1910m)
  44. Waxensteinerturm (2086m)
  45. Maukspitze (2231m)
  46. Niedersessel (1840m)
  47. Gamsflucht (2203m)
  48. Lärcheck (2122m)
  49. Kaisermanndl (1940m)
  50. Mitterkaiser (2001m)
  51. Kleinkaiser (2032m)
  52. Geschwendtner Turm (2042m)

8 - Getting There


Enlarge
Eastern part and southern side of Wilder Kaiser (by Velebit)

The popularity of Kaisergebirge mainly stems from the fact that the cities of Munich, Salzburg and Innsbruck are almost equally close to the area, between 75km and 100km. The itineraries all starts at the respective airports and end at Kufstein to the west of the range.
  • From Munich
    Munich airport is farthest away from Kaisergebirge since it lies on the other (north-eastern) side of the city. From the airport tak A92 in direction Munich. At Kreuz Neufahrn switch to A9 south which you have to leave again at Kreuz München Nord, where you switch to A99, the motorway ring around Munich. At Kreuz München Süd switch onto A8, direction Salzburg until you reach the Inntaldreieck intersection. Switch onto A93, which takes you to Kustein.
  • From Salzburg
    Take A8 west, direction Munich. At Inntaldreieck switch to A93 south until you reach Kufstein.
  • From Innsbruck
    Take A12 (Inntalautobahn) east, which will take you directly to Kufstein.

9 - Red Tape


Enlarge
Posing alpine chough (by Lioba Stenner)

1963 Kaisergebirge was set aside as a natural park, containing an area of 102 km². As a result only one lift has been built in the range and up to early 2006 the Kaisertal Valley to the west of the group was the only inhabited valley without road access in the whole of Austria. However, construction of a road was begun in May of the year. Within the natural park the usual restrictions apply.

10 - Mountain Huts and Refuges

Refuge / Hut Height SummerWinter Tel.Thumbnails
Ackerlhütte 1460June - Oct supervisedself service+43/5356/72022 
Anton-Karg-Haus 829mid May - Octclosed+43/5372/62578 
Aschenbrenner Berghaus 1140all summerall winter+43/5372/62220 
Babenstuberhütte 2300self serviceself servicen.a.
Brentenjochhütte 1273all summerall winter+43/5372/65148 
Fritz-Pflaum-Hütte 1865self serviceself service+43/8033/4179 
Gaudeamushütte 1267mid May - mid Octclosed+43/5358/2262 
Griesner Alm 1006beg May - end OctDec - March+43/5352/64443 
Gruttenhütte 1619end May - mid Octclosed+43/5358/2242
Kaindlhütte 13181. May - 1. Novclosed+49/173/1958910 
Kaisertal-Haus (Hans-Berger-H) 936mid May - end Octclosed+43/5372/62575 
Pfandlhof 783all summerall winter+43/5372/62118 
Riedlhütte 1268mid May - end Octclosedn.a. 
Stripsenjochhaus 1577mid May - end Octclosed+43/5372/62579
Vorderkaiserfeldenhütte 1384all summer / after Easter closedall winter / Dec closed+43/5372/63482
Wochenbrunner Alm 1085all summerall winter+43/5358/2180

11 - Accommodation

Each of the towns and villages of the area has a homepage with the possibility to book hotel rooms and apartments. Follow one of the links below.

12 - Weather Conditions

Kaiserwetter – the term Germans use for perfect weather – though dating back to the German Emperor Wilhelm II, who needed perfect weather for his photo ops – might also have been coined by climbers in Wilder Kaiser – and certainly is used that way today: weather perfect for climbing in the Kaiser.

13 - Maps & Books

13.1 - Maps


  • Digital Maps
  • Regular Maps
    • Kaisergebirge
      Kompass Map WK 9
      1:50.000
      ISBN: 3-85491-011-8
    • Kufstein, Kaisergebirge, Kitzbühel
      Freytag & Berndt Map WK 301
      1:50.000
      ISBN: 3-8508-4710-1
    • Kaisergebirge
      Alpenvereinskarte Blatt 8
      1:25000
      Art.Nr.: 100014
      DAV Shop


13.2 - Books


  • Hiking Guides
    • Kaisergebirge
      Kompass Wanderführer WF905
      Walter Theil
      Kompass Verlag
      ISBN: 3-85491-193-9
    • Wilder Kaiser
      Rother Wanderführer
      Sepp Brandl
      Rother Verlag
      ISBN: 3-7633-4084-X
    • Bergwanderungen, Gipfelziele und Höhenwege im Kaisergebirge
      Wilder Kaiser, Zahmer Kaiser und Umgebung
      Tobias Sessler
      Books on Demand Verlag
      ISBN: 3-8334-3435-X
    • Kaisergebirge und Kitzbüheler Alpen
      Tourenführer
      Siegfried Garnweidner
      Bruckmann Verlag
      ISBN: 3-7654-4382-4

  • Climbing Guides
    • Kletterführer Wilder Kaiser
      Markus Stadler
      Panico Verlag
      ISBN: 3-9367-4006-2
    • Kletterführer Wilder Kaiser, Band 2
      Markus Stadler
      Panico Verlag
      ISBN: 3-9367-4013-5

  • Bayerische Alpen Nordtirol (15 routes in the Wilder Kaiser)
    Richard Goedeke
    Bergverlag Rother
    ISBN: 3-7633-3016-X

  • Alpenvereinführer (Guidebooks of the German Alpine Club)
    • Kaisergebirge
      Alpenvereinführer Alpin
      Horst Höfler / Jan Piepenstock
      Rother Verlag
      ISBN: 3-7633-1257-9
    • Kaisergebirge
      Alpenvereinführer Extrem
      Pit Schubert
      Rother Verlag
      ISBN: 3-7633-1272-2

  • Climbing History
    • Wilder Kaiser. Klettergeschichte
      Horst Höfler, Pit Schubert
      AS Verlag
      ISBN: 3-9051-1194-2

    14 - Page History


    • gha – Page setup
    • Dec 3rd, 2006 mvs - A popular climbing route table.
    • Mar 3rd 2007 gha - Added Naunspitze to the list
    • Mar 5th 2007 gha - Added overview pic Zahmer Kaiser
    • May 2007 mvs - Added Fleischbank, and some links.
    • Dec 12th 2007 gha - Added Fleischbank, Scheffauer, Pyramidenspitze to the listing
    • Feb 2008 mvs - Added Totenkirchl Express to the "quick list" of rock climbs.

    Images

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