Großer Muntanitz
3,232 m
Austria
Also known as MuntanitzAlso known as
Muntanitz
- Elevation
- 3,232 m
- Prominence
- 717 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Aug
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: T4 (Some hikr.org reports of the normal route) · VF B (hikr.org (short cabled section below the Kleiner Muntanitz))
The marked normal route: from the car park above Glanz (1,535 m) near Matrei in Osttirol up to the Sudetendeutsche Hütte (2,656 m), then over the Wellachköpfe and the Kleiner Muntanitz (3,192 m), down a short cabled gully to the Kampl saddle and up an easy scree slope to the summit. Usually two days; about 6½ hours up in total.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 11.3 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,831 m
- −126 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 3,232 m
- Time Up
- 7h 46m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 5h 29m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the car park above the hamlet of Glanz (1,535 m) a marked path climbs through forest, crossing a farm road several times, to the Edelweißwiese meadow and on along a secured balcony path to the Äußere Steiner Alm (1,914 m, refreshments). The path then runs level up the Steiner Bach valley past the valley station of the hut's goods lift before a 700 m step in many zigzags leads to the Sudetendeutsche Hütte (2,656 m) beside a small lake, about 4 hours from Glanz. Most parties sleep here. From the hut the Karl-Schöttner-Weg (path 535) climbs grassy slopes and a sandy cirque northwards to the ridge at the Wellachköpfe, crosses their flat tops and continues along a fairly broad crest above the Bachtrögerkees, with one blocky, slightly exposed passage, to the Kleiner Muntanitz (3,192 m), about 2 hours from the hut. The only real difficulty follows: a steep, often wet gully on the west flank of the Kleiner Muntanitz is downclimbed (I+) and then traversed on ledges, protected throughout by a steel cable, to the Kampl (about 3,130 m), the flat saddle between the Muntanitzkees and the Gradötzkees. An easy scree slope leads to the broad summit dome with its large cross, about 2½ hours from the hut. Descend the same way, re-ascending the cabled section to the Kleiner Muntanitz; allow 4½–5 hours from the summit back to Glanz. Many walkers stop at the Kleiner Muntanitz and leave out the cabled step. A former direct line over the Gradötzkees to the Kampl is no longer recommended because the glacier has largely melted. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, so leave the hut early.
Start
Parkplatz Glanz1,527 m
- Train to Lienz, regional bus 950X to 'Matrei in Osttirol Hinterburg', then taxi bus to the Glanz car park (advance booking only). The Hohe Tauern National Park hiking bus links Matrei, the Felbertauern road and Kals in summer.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parkplatz Glanz → Sudetendeutsche Hütte | 7.7 | 1,188 | 63 | 5h 03m |
| 2 | Sudetendeutsche Hütte → Großer Muntanitz | 3.6 | 641 | 63 | 2h 43m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Parkplatz Glanz1,527 m
Free car park above the hamlet of Glanz, before a right-hand bend
- Waypoint: Äußere Steiner Alm1,913 m
Seasonal alpine pasture inn
- Hut: Sudetendeutsche Hütte2,652 m
- Feature: Wellachköpfe3,102 m
Ridge reached at about 2,960 m; the upper tops lie on or a few metres off the path
- Shoulder: Kleiner Muntanitz3,164 m
- Col: Kampl3,108 m
Reached by the cabled gully and traverse on the west flank of the Kleiner Muntanitz; OSM gives 3,135 m
- Summit: Großer Muntanitz3,232 m
Key Passages
- 700 m zigzag step below the Sudetendeutsche Hütte
- Blocky, slightly exposed passage on the ridge before the Kleiner Muntanitz
- Cabled downclimb and traverse (I+) from the Kleiner Muntanitz to the Kampl
- Easy scree slope to the summit
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 80%Overview
The highest peak of the Granatspitze Group (3,232 m) in the Hohe Tauern, between the Grossglockner and the Grossvenediger. A marked path from the Sudetendeutsche Hütte reaches the summit, with one short cabled gully as the only real difficulty.
The Großer Muntanitz rises on the Muntanitz ridge about 9 km north-west of Kals am Großglockner in East Tyrol, on the boundary between Kals and Matrei in Osttirol and inside the Hohe Tauern National Park. It is the highest summit of the Granatspitze Group, the small range that fills the gap between the Venediger and Glockner groups. The mountain has two tops: the Kleiner Muntanitz (3,192 m) and the main summit, separated by the Kampl saddle between the remnants of the Muntanitzkees and the Gradötzkees.
The normal route is one of the more accessible 3,000 m summits in the Eastern Alps. It is waymarked throughout, mostly on scree and broad ridges, and the only exposed section is a short, often wet gully and traverse off the Kleiner Muntanitz, protected by a steel cable. Many walkers stop on the Kleiner Muntanitz. The summit has a large cross and wide views to the Grossglockner in the east and the Venediger group in the west.
The approach is long whichever valley you start from, so the climb is usually split around a night at the Sudetendeutsche Hütte, a small Alpine Club hut on a lake at 2,656 m. The hut is also the base for the Gradötzkogel, the Vordere Kendlspitze and several other 3,000 m tops, and lies on long-distance routes such as the Adlerweg and the Glocknerrunde.
Climbing Notes
Fitness for about 1,700 m of ascent spread over two days, sure-footedness on scree and blocky rock, and a head for heights on the cabled section are the requirements. No glacier or rope skills are needed on the normal route in summer conditions. The cabled gully below the Kleiner Muntanitz is short but steep and often wet; with snow or verglas on the north flank, crampons are strongly advised, and early-season snow can make the whole upper ridge more serious.
Typical itinerary: day 1 from Glanz above Matrei to the Sudetendeutsche Hütte (about 4 hours); day 2 to the summit (about 2½ hours) and back down to the valley, or a second night to add the Gradötzkogel or the Vordere Kendlspitze. Book the hut ahead. Thunderstorms build regularly on summer afternoons, so leave the hut early. At just over 3,200 m altitude is rarely a problem, but some walkers will feel it on the first day.
History
The first recorded ascent was on 2 September 1871 by Arthur von Schmid with the guide Thomas Groder, from Kals. The Sudetendeutsche Hütte, the base for the normal route, belongs to the DAV Schwaben section.
Season
Best Jul–Aug- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Good
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; hut closed (winter room only); avalanche-prone approaches
- Feb
- Winter; hut closed
- Mar
- Ski ascents possible but uncommon; approach to the hut not avalanche-safe
- Apr
- Spring snow; hut closed
- May
- Snow on the upper route; hut closed
- Jun
- Hut usually opens in mid to late June; snow lingers on the north flank of the Kleiner Muntanitz
- Jul
- Main season; afternoon thunderstorms
- Aug
- Main season; busy on the summit at weekends
- Sep
- Often stable weather; hut closes in mid to late September
- Oct
- Hut closed; early snow and ice on the cabled section
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Reservations requested at the Sudetendeutsche Hütte, online via the hut website (sudetendeutschehuette.com) or the Alpine Club hut reservation system; the hut warden cannot take bookings.
- Fees
- Overnight fees at the Sudetendeutsche Hütte, with discounts for Alpine Club members; winter room fees are paid by bank transfer to the DAV Schwaben section
- Rules
- Hohe Tauern National Park: climbing is not restricted, but national park rules apply (stay on paths, no wild camping)
- Getting There
Matrei in Osttirol; Kals am Großglockner
Innsbruck (INN); Salzburg (SZG)
- By car: Felbertauern road (B108) from Mittersill or Lienz to just outside Matrei in Osttirol, then the narrow road signed Hinterburg–Glanz about 4 km to the car park above Glanz
- Public transport: train to Lienz, regional bus 950X to 'Matrei in Osttirol Hinterburg', then a taxi bus to Glanz (advance booking only)
- Hohe Tauern National Park hiking bus in summer between the Matreier Tauernhaus, Felbertauernstüberl, Matrei, Huben and Kals (no service on Sundays on the Matreier Tauernhaus–Matrei section)
- Alternative starts: Goldriedbahn top station above Matrei (5 h to the hut) or the Adler Lounge top station above Kals via the Kals-Matreier-Törl (4¼ h)
Hazards
- Exposure
- Weather
- Rockfall
Huts & Shelters
1- 2,656 m
Sudetendeutsche HütteHutStaffedBooking required
43 beds · Staffed from mid/late June to mid/late September, weather permitting; winter room with 12 places open all year without a key