Große Arnspitze
2,196 m
Germany, Austria
- Elevation
- 2,196 m
- Prominence
- 1,003 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
AdvisoryReported 20 May 2025
In May 2025 an unknown person posed as the warden of the unstaffed Arnspitzhütte and illegally collected overnight fees from walkers; DAV Sektion Hochland asked for information and warned that, at worst, the shelter could be closed permanently. Fees are paid only to the section.
radio-oberland.de
Routes
1Sources differ: T3 (hikr.org trip report (hut to summit T3+))
The standard ascent of the Arnspitze group's highest summit, on the Austria–Bavaria border above Scharnitz: about 1,250–1,300 m of ascent through long, steep forest and dwarf pine on path 851 to the unstaffed Arnspitzhütte (1,930 m), then 240 m of steep, partly exposed ground with short grade I+ steps (rings for a rope) to the summit. About 3–3.5 hours up, 6–7 hours round trip.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 5.7 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,245 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 2,196 m
- Time Up
- 4h 53m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 15m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From Scharnitz station or the car park on the B2 at the north end of the village (about 960 m), cross the Isar and follow path 851 west. The path climbs long, steep forest slopes below the Ahrntalköpfle and through the Haselrinner gully; watch for the junction at about 1,500 m in the steep gully, which is easy to miss in descent. Higher up it reaches the dwarf pine and scree below the Riedberg and turns south-west to the Arnspitzhütte (1,930 m), a small open shelter of the DAV Hochland section with four emergency places and no water, in a hollow among the dwarf pine. The hut section gives about 3 hours from Scharnitz. From the hut the path heads north-west and climbs about 240 m of steep, partly exposed ground to the summit, where hands are needed; short climbing steps of grade I+ have rings for rope protection. There is rockfall danger near the summit, especially with other parties above. The summit has a wide view over the Karwendel, the Wetterstein and the Leutasch valley. Descend the same way, or via the Hoher Sattel (1,495 m) and the Sattelklamm back to Scharnitz, or down to Leutasch for the bus (about 2 hours from the summit to the Hoher Sattel junction area). The Mittenwald approach over the Riedbergscharte and Achterköpfe is longer (4–5 hours to the hut). The full traverse of all the Arnspitzen is a separate, harder climb (UIAA II).
Start
Scharnitz963 m
- Train (Mittenwald line, Munich–Innsbruck) to Scharnitz; bus from Seefeld to Leutasch for the Hoher Sattel descent.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scharnitz → Große Arnspitze | 5.7 | 1,245 | 16 | 4h 53m |
Waypoints
- Station: Scharnitz963 m
- Bivouac: Arnspitzhütte1,956 m
- Summit: Große Arnspitze2,196 m
Key Passages
- Long, steep forest slopes and the Haselrinner gully
- Steep, partly exposed ground above the Arnspitzhütte
- Grade I+ climbing steps below the summit (rings in place)
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
The highest summit (2,196 m) of the small Arnspitze group between Mittenwald, Scharnitz and Leutasch, on the Bavaria–Tyrol border. A steep, quiet ascent of about 1,250 m from Scharnitz past a tiny open shelter, finishing on exposed ground with short grade I+ steps.
The Arnspitze group is a short limestone ridge of Wetterstein limestone at the south-eastern corner of the Wetterstein, cut off from the main range by the Leutasch valley and facing the Karwendel across the Isar at Scharnitz. The Große Arnspitze is its highest point, with the border between Germany and Austria running over the summit, and with 1,003 m of prominence it stands well clear of its surroundings.
The mountain is little developed: there is no staffed hut, only the Arnspitzhütte, a four-place open shelter of the DAV Hochland section at 1,930 m, and the whole group is a nature reserve where camping is not allowed. The ascent is steep throughout, first through long forest slopes and dwarf pine, then on rough, partly exposed ground to the top, where short steps of grade I+ have rings for a rope.
The view takes in the Karwendel ranges, the Wetterstein with the Zugspitze, the Leutasch valley and the Seefeld plateau. The full traverse of the Arnspitzen to the Arnplattenspitze and Weißlehnkopf is a separate, harder outing with climbing to grade II.
Climbing Notes
Allow 3–3.5 hours up and 6–7 hours for the round trip from Scharnitz, with about 1,250–1,300 m of ascent. You need fitness for steep ground, sure-footedness and a head for heights; the last 240 m above the hut need hands in places and include short steps of UIAA I+, where rings allow a rope to be used for less confident partners. Wear a helmet near the summit because of rockfall. There is no water on the route or at the shelter. The DAV section strongly advises against ascents in winter conditions, and the best season is late May to late October. The Arnspitzhütte cannot be reserved and has only four emergency places; a fee of EUR 5 per night is paid to the section, and no one is authorised to collect money at the hut.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Possible
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter conditions; ascent strongly discouraged by the hut's owners
- Feb
- Winter conditions
- Mar
- Winter conditions
- Apr
- Snow on the upper slopes
- May
- From late May once the upper slopes are clear
- Jun
- Possible snow patches above the hut early in the month
- Jul
- Hot on the steep south-east slopes; start early
- Oct
- Good until the first snow; short days
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Arnspitzhütte (DAV Sektion Hochland): no reservations; four emergency places on a first-come basis, EUR 5 per night.
- Fees
- Arnspitzhütte: EUR 5 per person per night, paid to DAV Sektion Hochland by bank transfer, PayPal or the locked cash box
- Rules
- The Arnspitze area is a nature reserve: no camping
- The summit lies on the Germany–Austria border (Schengen; no controls on foot)
- The Arnspitzhütte is an open emergency shelter with 4 places; it cannot be reserved
- Getting There
Scharnitz (Austria); Mittenwald (Germany)
Innsbruck Airport (INN); Munich Airport (MUC)
- Train: Munich–Garmisch–Mittenwald–Innsbruck line to Scharnitz or Mittenwald
- Car: parking on the B2 at Scharnitz or at the southern edge of Mittenwald beyond the Isar bridge
- Bus from Leutasch to Seefeld for descents via the Hoher Sattel
Hazards
- Exposure
- Rockfall
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,930 m
ArnspitzhütteBivouacUnstaffed
4 beds · Open all year (unstaffed emergency shelter); no water