Ellmauer Halt
2,344 m
Austria
Also known as Ellmauer HaltspitzeAlso known as
Ellmauer Haltspitze
- Elevation
- 2,344 m
- Prominence
- 1,551 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
NoticeReported 4 Oct 2026 · until 31 May 2027
The Gruttenhütte closed for the winter on 4 October 2026 and is expected to reopen at the end of May 2027 (exact day not given).
gruttenhuette.at
Routes
1Sources differ: VF A/B (Wikipedia (mostly A/B with one spot C)) · VF C (Wikipedia (single key step below the Maximilianstraße))
The normal route to the highest summit of the Kaisergebirge: from the Wochenbrunner Alm (1,085 m) via the Gruttenhütte (1,620 m) and the Hochgrubach cirque up the Gamsängersteig, a mostly cabled route with the iron rungs of the Jägerwand, easy unprotected scrambling (I) and an exposed key step. About 1,250 m of ascent, 3½ hours up.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 5.1 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,295 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 2,344 m
- Time Up
- 5h 02m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 22m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the car park at the Wochenbrunner Alm (1,085 m, toll road from Ellmau) follow path 825 through forest, gently at first and then narrower and steeper, to the Gruttenhütte (1,620 m) below the south walls of the Wilder Kaiser, about 1½ hours. Continue past the hut towards the Ellmauer Halt, gaining a little more height to the large Hochgrubach scree cirque and the start of the Gamsängersteig, about 45 minutes from the hut. From here a helmet is essential: rockfall from parties above is the main hazard. Easy scrambling on broken ground leads to an airy ledge, followed west with some up and down and partial cable protection (A), near the Rote-Rinn-Scharte where the path from the Kaisertal joins. After more scrambling comes the Jägerwand, a vertical wall climbed on more than 70 iron rungs with a cable. Above it, unprotected climbing (I) and steeper cabled sections (A/B) lead to the key step, taken either on the left through a gully exited by a slightly overhanging ladder, or on the right by an exposed traverse with cables and footholds (B). Beyond, a short cabled section (A) leads past the Babenstuber Hütte emergency shelter (about 2,300 m) and a final cable to the small summit, about 2–2½ hours from the hut. Descend the same way, about 1¾ hours to the hut and 1¼ hours more to the Wochenbrunner Alm, taking great care not to dislodge stones on the polished, crumbly rock. The Babenstuber Hütte is an emergency shelter only and is not safe in thunderstorms.
Start
Wochenbrunner Alm1,088 m
- KaiserJet bus 80 or VVT regional buses 865/866 to 'Ellmau Dorf/Bauhof', then the free summer hikers' bus to the Wochenbrunner Alm.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wochenbrunner Alm → Ellmauer Halt | 5.1 | 1,295 | 39 | 5h 02m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Wochenbrunner Alm1,088 m
Car park at the end of the toll road; hikers' bus stop
- Hut: Gruttenhütte1,617 m
- Col: Rote Rinnscharte2,073 m
The path from the Kaisertal joins just above the notch
- Bivouac: Babenstuberhütte2,243 m
Unstaffed emergency shelter just below the summit; not lightning-safe (not on route line)
- Summit: Ellmauer Halt2,344 m
Key Passages
- Partly cabled ledge above the Hochgrubach cirque
- Jägerwand: vertical wall with 70-plus iron rungs
- Unprotected scrambling (I) on polished rock
- Key step: overhanging ladder (left) or exposed cabled traverse (right, B)
- Final cables past the Babenstuberhütte
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 85%Overview
The highest summit of the Kaisergebirge (2,344 m), at the heart of the Wilder Kaiser above Ellmau in Tyrol. The normal route, the Gamsängersteig, is a popular, mostly cabled via ferrata with easy unprotected climbing and a serious rockfall risk on busy days.
The Ellmauer Halt rises in the central Wilder Kaiser, the highest of the three summits of the Haltstock with the Gamshalt and the Kleine Halt to the north. To the east the Kopftörlgrat links it to the Karlspitzen, with the slender Kapuzenturm in front; to the south the Rote-Rinn-Scharte separates it from the Kaiserkopf. The summit belongs to the municipality of Ellmau, whose village sits 1,500 m below on the sunny south side.
The usual ascent, the Gamsängersteig from the Gruttenhütte, is a classic via ferrata of moderate difficulty: ledges, the iron rungs of the Jägerwand, short unprotected scrambles and an exposed key step, on limestone that is polished by traffic and crumbly in places. On fine summer days the route is crowded and stones knocked down by parties above are the main danger. The Kaiserschützensteig from the Kaisertal is a longer, more exposed and harder alternative over all three Halt summits, and the Kopftörlgrat (III–IV) is a popular rock climb.
The summit gives views over the Hohe Tauern to the Zillertal and Stubai Alps, and close-ups of the Sonneck, the Kaiserkopf, the Karlspitzen and the Ackerlspitze.
Climbing Notes
Sure-footedness, a head for heights, basic scrambling ability and good fitness for 1,250 m of ascent are essential. A helmet is a must because of rockfall; a harness and via ferrata set are strongly recommended, especially for anyone new to via ferrata. The rock is polished and loose in places, so move carefully and avoid climbing directly below other parties.
Most people do it as a long day of 6½–7½ hours from the Wochenbrunner Alm, starting early to get ahead of the crowds and afternoon storms. A night at the Gruttenhütte allows an early start; reservations are online only. The Babenstuber Hütte below the summit is an unstaffed emergency shelter and is not safe in thunderstorms. Snow on the ledges and in the gullies makes the route much more serious in early summer and autumn.
History
Local hunters and farmers, among them Stephan Unterrainer, Johann Schlechter and Sebastian Tscholl, climbed the Ellmauer Halt early in the 19th century. It was probably measured during triangulation in 1845. The first known tourist ascent was by the Munich student Karl Hofmann on 29 June 1869, guided by Johann Schlechter from the Wochenbrunner Alm via the Rote-Rinn-Scharte. The Munich stonemason and councillor Karl Babenstuber organised the first summit cross on 30 June 1883 and a small summit shelter, consecrated on 26 July 1894; the present Babenstuber Hütte has stood slightly lower down since 1983.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Not advisable
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; not advisable
- Feb
- Winter
- Mar
- Winter
- Apr
- Snow on ledges and in gullies
- May
- Snow on the route; Gruttenhütte closed until end of May
- Jun
- Hut opens early June; check for snow in the upper gullies
- Jul
- Main season; very busy, afternoon thunderstorms
- Aug
- Main season; very busy, rockfall from crowds
- Sep
- Often the best month: stable weather, fewer people
- Oct
- Hut closes early October; ice and early snow possible
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Gruttenhütte: reservations only through the hut's online booking system; bookings for the 2027 summer open on 1 April 2027.
- Fees
- Toll road from Ellmau to the Wochenbrunner Alm (EUR 4 according to hoehenrausch.de; check current price)
- Getting There
Ellmau (Tyrol)
Innsbruck (INN); Salzburg (SZG); Munich (MUC)
- By car: B178 from Wörgl/Kufstein or St. Johann to Ellmau, then the toll road signed Wochenbrunn to the Wochenbrunner Alm car park
- Public transport: KaiserJet bus 80 or VVT regional buses 865/866 to 'Ellmau Dorf/Bauhof', then the free hikers' bus (daily in summer) to the Wochenbrunner Alm
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
2- 1,620 m
- 2,296 m
BabenstuberhütteBivouacUnstaffed
Emergency shelter, always open