Seelakopf

Overview

The eastern Lechtal Mountains are not very frequented. Within the mountains around Berwang and Namlos you will find many summits and peaks, routes and traverses where you will not meet many hikers. One of these mountains is Seelakopf. Widely unknown, Seelakopf is part of the small Rudiger Group and its second highest peak.

Seelakopf is a long rock ridge which rises between the more gentle summits of Sandegg and Schlierewand to the north and the Englspitzen to the south. Long meadow slopes go down to the east into Tarrenton valley, steep rocks drop down to the southeast and the west into beautiful Kelmer Kar cirque above the village of Kelmen.

The south ridge is the normal route with a scarcely marked trail and a bit of rock scrambling near the summit. The north ridge, however, has many rock spires, towers and turrets and has an off-trail route, sometimes cairned, which guarantees complete absence of other hikers. A full traverse, together with the easy summits of Schlierewand, Sandegg, Engspitzen and Schlierekopf is a great one day tour in an unknown subgroup of Lechtal Alps.

Getting There

Best trailhead for Seelakopf is Kelmen.

Alternative trailheads are the village of Namlos or the parking area near Rotlech bridge of the road number L27 between Berwang and Namlos.

By car:

• From Reutte or Arlberg direction use road number 198 to Stanzach. Turn on the “Berwang-Namloser Landesstraße”, number L 27, (signs for Namlos, Berwang)
• Alternatively use road number 179 from Reutte to Bichlbach and turn on the L 27 road.
• From Innsbruck go on highway A 12 to the exit “Telfs”, proceed on road number 189 to Nassereith and on road number 179 to Fernpass, Lermoos and Bichlbach. Follow the signs to Berwang and Namlos on road number L 27.
• Take highway A95 from Munich to its end and proceed on road number B2 and B23 / 187 to Lermoos. Turn on road number 179 to Bichlbach and go on road number L 27.

Pass through Berwang and Rinnen, take the right hand road at a road junction after Rinnen, descend into Rotlech valley and pass the river on the road bridge.

Two switchbacks after the bridge there is a hikers parking area alongside the road; this is the trailhead for the traverse Schlierewand, Sandegg and the north ridge to Seelakopf.

Alternatively proceed on the road to Namlospass col, about 1 km before the village of Kelmen. There is a small parking area about 500 m after the col on the right or left side of the road. This is the trailhead for Kelmer Kar cirque and Seelakopf.

Namlos trailhead: There is a small parking area immediately at a switchback of the L 27 at Namlos; or you enter the village and look for a possibility to park your car without disturbing the locals …

Public transportation:

Nearby railroad station is: Bichlbach

Bus number 151 goes to Rinnen. There is no public transportation to Kelmen or Namlos as far as I know.

Routes Overview

Routes of the Rudiger subgroup

Route via Schlierewand / Sandegg:

Trailhead Rotlech bridge

Follow the forest road into Rotlech valley in southeastern direction. Take the first trail to the right up to Schlierewand. Proceed to Sandegg on the ridge and ascend the north ridge off-trail to the summit.

Kelmenkar cirque route:

Trailhead Kelmen

Ascend the meadow to the south of the trailhead on a car track and a trail to the bridge over Kelmen creek. Ascend the valley up to Kelmenkar cirque and the forest service hut. There is a trail junction. You have two possibilities there which can be combined to a loop route:

Take the left hand trail which leads up to Sandegg. Turn right there and ascend the north ridge to Seelakopf off-trail.

Alternatively go right to the service hut. Ascend off trail over steep meadows the col between Engelspitzen and Kalter Stein. A bit below the col you will find a narrow unmarked trail. This trail goes up the north ridge to Englspitzle, a secondary summit, and to Engelspitzen. Follow the southwest ridge to Seelakopf.

Namlos route:

Trailhead Namlos

From the trailhead go back on the road L 27 in the direction to Kelmen. After the switchback you reach a meadow to your right. Ascent the meadow to a forest road and to a trail, which branches off th the right at Amslboden. Follow this trail up to Englspitzle and Engelspitzen. Proceed on the southwest ridge to Seelakopf.

The southwest ridge of Seelakopf is easy with some rocks near the summit and a short steep rock slab, UIAA grade I move directly below the summit.

The north ridge of Seelakopf is more difficult and an off-trail route. From the col at Sandegg ascend the meadow ridge to the first rocks. Climb over these rocks (easy) up to a level part of the ridge. Follow this level part on the ridge crest to its end with a rock tower.

There are two possibilities, the second one is easier in my opinion. You may navigate round the rock tower on its west / right side, descending steeply over rocks and traversing into a chute. Better climb up the rock tower over easy rocks (UIAA grade I) and descend steeply the above mentioned chute; easy rocks but much scree and talus.

Traverse there on the west side of the ridge some more rock spires and towers, following ledges and some easy chutes. Traverse a huge chute and climb back in the direction of the ridge; there are some foot tracks and cairns. You shortly gain the summit climbing over some more rock steps and bumps along the ridge.

Red Tape & Accommodation

No red tape as far as I know

You find accommodation at:

Berwang

Rinnen

Kelmen

Namlos

There are no mountain huts around.

Gear & Mountain Condition

Seelakopf can be summited nearly the whole year. 

The southwest ridge is an easy hiking summit in late spring, summer and autumn and requires normal hiking gear.

The north ridge, however, needs some rock scrambling and is an off-trail and unmarked route.

In winter it is a moderate to difficult ski tour and needs full ski tour and avalanche gear.

See the Tirol avalanche bulletin here.

Weather condition:

Map

Alpenvereinskarte, scale 1 : 25000

number 3 / 4, Lechtaler Alpen, Heiterwand und Muttekopfgebiet

with trails and ski routes

UTM grid

edition 2020

Flora of Rudiger subgroup