Normal Route from Kerschbaumer Törl

Approach

The base of the climb is the Kerschbaumer Törl Pass. You reach this from Lienzer Dolomitenhütte (see main page for "getting there" info) by hiking south along the Laserzbachtal Valley. You can use a forest road or a shortcutting footpath. Both meet again shortly before the trail to Kerschbaumer Törl turns off to the west.

From Klammbrückl (also see the "getting there" section of the main page) you have to hike out south through Kerschbaumer Tal until you reach Kerschbaumer Schutzhütte. From here turn east to ascend to the Kerschbaumer Törl Pass.

Route Description

General data
  - Start altitude: 2285m
  - Summit altitude: 2613m
  - Prevailing exposition: S and E
  - Type: 2h 30min marked scree covered trails, 15min class I scramble
  - Protection: marked but without protection

Effort: 400m of altitude gain, 3km distance to the summit.

Power: 2 - UIAA I

Psyche: 2 - exposed scramble

Orientation: 1 - easy in good weather

From Kerschbaumer Törl descend into the valley between Simonskopf and Kerschbaumer Törlkopf (haystack with lots of sheep grazing). Circumvent Törlkopf on its western side and scramble up to the ridge north of the spire. Follow the ridge for a while until you reach the base of Teplitzer Spitze. Here a narrow ledge trail leads around the mountain only to reach a cirque to the south of the mountain.

The traverse through the cirque is a little tricky to find. Though there are blue marks they are sparse and you have to look closely to find the next one. Head for the shoulder to the right, directly beneath Teplitzer Spitze. From here you need to cross a scree field, always climbing steeply upwards. I assume that you can see the destination (a shoulder above Ödkarscharte Pass) from here in clear weather, in the fog we were scrambling through nothing could be seen. The scree scramble is far from safe - there are no places to place protection and the ground is shifting constantly. There is not much exposure here so you'll get away with bruises when slipping here...

From the shoulder turn north and follow the blue marks through several chimneys to the south ridge of Teplitzer Spitze which you can follow to the top.

Essential Gear

For most of the ascent hiking gear is sufficient. If you are not experienced in exposed locations rope up for the final 30m.