Overview
Urkundkolm from the SE
Urkundkolm (also known as Urkundholm in some sources) is rather a small summit if you compare it to its neighbours. Scarcely a shoulder of the higher Ötztaler Urkund. It's placed on the southern face of the Wildspitze massif, over the valley of Vent and not too far away from the international border between Austria and Italy. The main route from Vent is not difficult up to the Breslauer Hut, but the final 300-400 meters after the hut are climbed by a small path often covered by scree. This final section is sometimes rather steep and could be -at the very least- uncomfortable for simple hikers.
Getting There
Vent area map
Urkundkolm is placed in the southern slopes of the Wildspitze massif, overlooking the valley of
Vent (Venttal). The main trailhead is the small village of Vent, 1900 meters high above sea level.
If you drive your own car, drive westwards from Innsbruck until you reach the exit of the highway marked as "Ötztal". That's where you enter the valley of Ötz, known some years ago because of the finding of a neolithic mummified corpse (
"Ötzi") somewhere in the upper glaciers. Keep driving south until you pass by Sölden. Shortly afterwards, take the road to your right marked "Vent" and keep going until you reach the end of the road. There's not a lot of parking space in Vent, you might need to leave the car at the entrance of the village.
The closest airport is placed at Innsbruck (85 km away). Other major airports to consider would be Bozen (in Italy, 204 km away) or Munich (285 km away). From any one of them additional transport would be obviously required.
Or you might prefer to reach Vent by
train. In that case, your final destination would be Sölden. Between Sölden and Vent another kind of a transport would be required.
Public
buses also run from Innsbruck to Sölden and Vent.
Red Tape
Though Urkundkolm should pose no problem for experienced climbers (or even hikers) in summertime, always remember that we are talking about a high mountain area. The summit is 3134 meters high, and some short sections of the final climb (after the Breslauerhütte) are rather steep. Therefore, all the usual alpine cautions apply here:
- Never go alone
- Always carry the necessary material, and know how to use it (crampons and ice axe are mandatory whenever the mountain is covered by snow)
- Overconfidence kills. If in doubt about your abilities, turning back is always the safe decision.
Camping and huts
To the best of my knowledge, there are no restrictions to camping in the area. Nevertheless, be sensible and try not to step on anyone's toe. Respect private properties and always ask before bringing your tent up.
About three hours uphill from Vent, on the major
route to Wildspitze, there is a big mountain hut: the
Breslauerhütte.
External Links
Austrian railways main page.
dmiki - Mar 23, 2010 9:37 am - Voted 10/10
Alternate spellingis Urkundholm
dmiki - Mar 23, 2010 9:47 am - Voted 10/10
HeightIn addition to the 3134 m mentioned, some maps (and signs along the route) state 3140 m as the height, while the summit cross (with rubber stamp and ink provided for those wishing to register) has a plaque with 3113 m written on it.
dmiki - Mar 23, 2010 10:48 am - Voted 10/10
CoordinatesI think they should be ~ Latitude=46.87328°, Longitude=10.87664°
eza - Mar 23, 2010 11:12 am - Hasn't voted
Re: CoordinatesThanks for everything, I'm making the proper corrections