Overview

Via ferrata Piding is a long and strenuous iron route in the southeast of Bavaria Germany. It is in the Province "Berchtesgandener Land". The route goes through the north-face of the Hochstaufen (1.771m) and leads to tis summit. Via ferrata Piding is the hardest iron route of Germany. It was built in 2003 by the local community. They need over 1500 hours to fix the rope in the north-face. The route is due to the lenghts not proper for kids. It has a difficulty D (Kurt Schall A->E). The route has a high of 750 meters and a lenghts of 1300 meters. You need a good condition to do this route even if there is a emergency exit in the route. Bad Reichenhaller-hut is located on the top of Hochstaufen.

You can see here a topo and a good overview image of the via ferrata Piding. (bergsteigen.at - another very good austrian mountaineering-page)

Hochstaufen North Face - Via ferrata Piding

Times:
From Piding to the start of the route: 60-90 minutes
Via ferrata Piding: 3-4 hours and more
Descent to Piding: 2,5 hours


The Route is structured in 3 Sections:

1st Section: A steep wall (C) at the beginning and after it follow some passages in a gully (A nd B). After the gully follows a traverse to the west. At the end of the traverse is a emergency exit, where you can leave the route to the normal route and descent.

2nd Section: The route continues with a steep wall after the traverse and the junction with the emergency exit. After this steep pillar follows a traverse to the East where the last section and the summit-wall begins.

3rd Section: Now comes the strenuous part, not because of the difficulty but rather because of the wasted condition. The summit wall is steep and has some chimneys. The exit of the route leads directly to the summit of Hochstaufen. From the exit you can see the summit cross. The Reichenhaller-hut is not visible left of the summit.

Getting There

View from Space - enlarge for details

From Munich or Salzburg on german highway A8 to the exit "Bad Reichenhall / Piding". Continue to the direction of Aufham. After Urwies and a sawmill turn left in the forest. After a few meters you reach a parking.

1st Section

The beginning of Via ferrata Piding

In the first section

Emergency Exit

2nd Section

Section #2

The chimney

Section #2

3rd Section

Climbers at the start of section #3

The summit wall

Chimney in section #3

On the summit

The exit of the via ferrata

The summit

Two happy climbers

Books and Co.

BOOKS
- Jentzsch-Rabl, Jentzsch, Wissekal - Extreme Klettersteige in den Ostalpen (Book of the hardest via ferratas of the Eastern Alps.)

- Hüsler - Hüslers Klettersteigatlas Alpen (The standard-book of via-ferratas in the Alps.)

MAPS:
Kompass
WK 14 Berchtesgadener Land-Chiemgauer Alpen - 1:50.000 - ISBN: 3-85491-017-7

Images

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