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Ski Touring recommended route

Liebenerspitze West Summit

Ski Touring · Ötztal
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  • Abfahrt über den Rotmoosferner
    Abfahrt über den Rotmoosferner
    Photo: Ötztal
Great, high alpine glacier tour, which should only be experienced by experienced winter climbers. Depending on the circumstances also handling of ice ax and crampons is necessary.
difficult
Distance 17.3 km
6:00 h
1,485 m
1,430 m
3,386 m
1,906 m
The Liebenerspitze, situated directly on the Ötztal main ridge on the border to South Tyrol, divides into a main summit 3400 m, which is reached through the Gaisbergtal and into a western peak 3395 m, which is climbed over the Rotmoostal. Both variants count here at the main alpine peak at Obergurgl to the great, high-alpine glacier tours, which should only be experienced winter mountain climbers, especially as skitechnical requirements in the ascent and descent also the skilful handling of ice ax and crampon depending on circumstances.
Profile picture of Roland Grüner
Author
Roland Grüner 
Update: February 03, 2024
Difficulty
difficult
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
3,386 m
Lowest point
1,906 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Track types

Show elevation profile

Rest stops

Nederhütte
Schönwies hut

Safety information

Avalanche Hazard Scale

1 (LOW)

Triggering is generally possible but only from high additional load in isolated areas of extremely steep terrain. Only small-sized sluffs and natural avalanches are expected. Snow layers are generally stable.

2 (MODERATE)

Avalanches may be triggered in case of truly heavy loads, especially on a few explicitly indicated, steep slopes. Large spontaneous avalanches are not expected. In general, the snowpack is well bonded except on some very steep slopes. Choose your route carefully, avoid the indicated slopes and exposed sections.

3 (CONSIDERABLE)

Triggering is very probable even from low additional loads, particularly on the indicated steep slopes. On some steeper slopes, medium or even fairly large spontaneous avalanches may occur. On most steepslopes the snow layer is only moderately or weakly stable. Expertavalanche knowledge is required. You must avoid the indicated steepslopes and highly exposed sections.

4 (HIGH)

Avalanches are likely to be triggered on many of the indicated steepslopes even if only light loads are applied. In some places, numerous medium-sized and also large-sized natural avalanches are expected.The snowpack is poorly bonded on most steep slopes. Choose your route according to these criteria, select only moderately steep terrain by avoiding the avalanche runout zones. Very expert avalanche knowledge is required.

5 (EXTREMELY HIGH)

Numerous huge or very large-sized natural avalanches are expected also in moderately steep terrain. Safe skiing is not possible anymore, not even in the marked ski area. The snowpack is poorly bonded and largely unstable. Don‘t go ski mountaineering at all!

 

Also visit lawine.tirol.gv.at

Tips and hints

Ski Mountaineering Rules
  • If you enjoy activities amid nature always respect the local guidelines when you set out on a ski tour (for example: wildlife preserves, hunting enclosures, reforestation areas, information boards, etc.).
  • Don‘t enter protected wildlife zones or feeding areas amid naturelandscapes, and avoid noise.
  • Cross forest areas in winter only on sign posted trails or marked routes as wild animals can panic if they hear loud voices or noise.
  • Learn more about the habitat of wild animals in the mountains, avoid getting too close to them. Watch them only from a safe distance. Please put your dog on a lead, it is absolutely irresponsible to take dogs into the forest without leashing them because wild animals suffer from food deficiency and weakness in winter.
  • Excellent planning and time management: start your tour early enough and return before darkness. In spring you should be back on the hut or in the valley at 12 noon (avalanche hazard!) at the latest.
  • Never cross forestation zones and areas with young plants and trees.

 

Ötztal Tourismus doesn‘t take any responsibility for the suggested tours. It is strongly recommended to enlist a certified local mountainguide. Glacier crossings are allowed only in a group by using a rope.

Before you set out on a tour you should inform someone down in the valley about the tour‘s destination and when you plan to be back. Anavalanche transceiver is an absolute must for Alpine ski mountaineering tours.

 

More details about ski mountaineering tours in Ötztal: https://www.oetztal.com/skitouren

 

 

Start

Obergurgl
Coordinates:
DD
46.869320, 11.026490
DMS
46°52'09.6"N 11°01'35.4"E
UTM
32T 654438 5192635
w3w 
///paved.eradicated.splays

Destination

Obergurgl

Turn-by-turn directions

On the tour of the Rotmoostal on the western tip of the Liebener peak 3395m, you will start from the Obergurgl in 1920m, first in the ski area towards Schönwieshütte 2266m. From here we continue for a long time through the mellow and flat Rotmoostal to the tongue of the Rotmoosferners. You must not forget that you have to go back here. If you rise in the spring through this shapely, glacial valley, the adjoining slopes should have unloaded as far as their avalanche strokes, which can then be decisive for the return journey. But otherwise you will be on a farm in the avalanche area. This applies to the rest of the glacier as well as to the risk of gaps. Even in the snowy winter of 2011/12 here on the Ötztaler Hauptkamm, columns in the area of ​​the route were not an issue. Over the west-exposed part of the ferry one ascends in quite a pleasant slope to the end of it. The terrain then climbs up to 40 °, and then you should change to the southwest ridge as quickly as possible. On the south-western ridge itself you get as far as possible with skinned skis. But then the ridge rises to over 40 ° and you have to pass approx. The last 100 altitudes into the Stapf. But you should have ice ax and / or crampons. And in the snowy winter 2011/12 crampons were not so ideal, because one had to change in the ridge course repeatedly from pickelhart frozen snow on rock. Whether this is the case in a snowy winter as well, is beyond my knowledge. A pimple would certainly have done better. In any case, it is clear that this tour is a classic spring holiday with a very high alpine character. The descent takes place in the ascent area.

Public transport

Enjoy a both comfortable and relaxing train ride to the train station in Ötztal Bahnhof. You get off the train in ÖTZTAL Bahnhof where you change to a public bus or local taxi. The current bus schedule can be found at: http://fahrplan.vvt.at

 

Directions

Obergurgl-Hochgurgl is located in the western part of Austria in the state TYROL, in a southern side valley of the Inn valley - the ÖTZTAL. For your arrival by car, you can plan the best route from your home town with the route planner online at https://www.google.at/maps

 

Parking

In Obergurgl-Hochgurgl the following parking facilities are available:
  • Car park Village center Obergurgl (in front of the church on the right, behind the multi-purpose building where the information office is located)
  • Parking lot with coin entrance Parking Place entrance - valley station Festkoglbahn, free of charge
  • Parking Hochgurglbahn valley station, free of charge - no parking at night
  • Parking Top Mountain Crosspoint, free of charge
  • Parking Hochgurgl, free of charge (very small parking)

Coordinates

DD
46.869320, 11.026490
DMS
46°52'09.6"N 11°01'35.4"E
UTM
32T 654438 5192635
w3w 
///paved.eradicated.splays
Get there by train, car, bike, or on foot!

Equipment

Recommended Ski Mountaineering Equipment

The „standard ski mountaineering equipment“ is: touring skis with touring bindings, telescopic poles, climbing skins, ski crampons, digital avalanche transceiver, avalanche shovel, avalanche probe, firstaid kit and mobile phone. A „complete glacier equipment set“ contains: sit harness, two prusik loops of different lengths and ascenders, two HMS biners, icepick, climbing irons and rope. Pack your rucksack carefully and don‘t forget extra clothes for the descent, sun protection/cream, cold protection, enough food and drink. If you stay overnight at a mountain hut take toiletry articles and a hut sleeping bag with you!

 

LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY

  • Easy: Short or moderately long tours, always easy, with ascents not steeper than 25° or slightly steeper only on short sections.
  • Intermediate: Moderately long or long tours of intermediate difficulty with ascents up to 35° or slightly steeper only on short sections.
  • Difficult: Very challenging and long or very long tours with ascents that can exceed 40°, comprising also climbing sections up to difficulty grade II (UIAA).

Similar routes nearby

  • Hochfirst
  • Liebenerspitze ever summit
  • Seewerspitze
  • Hinterer Seelenkogel vom Rotmoostal aus
  • Langtalereckhütte
 These suggestions were generated by our system
Difficulty
difficult
Distance
17.3 km
Duration
6:00 h
Ascent
1,485 m
Descent
1,430 m
Highest point
3,386 m
Lowest point
1,906 m

Statistics

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Features
Maps and trails
  • 2 Waypoints
  • 2 Waypoints
Distance  km
Duration : h
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Descent  m
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Lowest point  m
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