Schrankogel
3,497 m
Austria
- Elevation
- 3,497 m
- Prominence
- 579 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: PD- (hdsports.org report (via search summary))
A big, glacier-free ascent from the Sulztal: from the Amberger Hütte (2,135 m) on trail 131 and along a moraine past the Schwarzenbergsee to the Hohes Egg (2,820 m), then steep scree and a long blocky ridge with grade I scrambling to the exposed summit (3,497 m). About 1,400 m and 4–4½ hours from the hut; 1,900 m from Gries.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 12.7 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +2,114 m
- −209 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 3,497 m
- Time Up
- 9h 03m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 6h 31m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the large car park at the end of Gries im Sulztal (1,599 m) a forest road leads up the Sulztal to the Amberger Hütte (2,135 m) in 1½–2 hours; many people cycle it. Most parties spend the night at the hut, as 1,900 m in a day is very strenuous. From the hut cross the stream and follow trail 131 south along the east bank, a narrow, well-marked path. After about 30 minutes turn left (east) into the valley below the Schwarzenbergferner and follow the crest of the lateral moraine to a signpost at 2,624 m, just before the Schwarzenbergsee. Turn left (north) and climb over broken rock and boulders to the Hohes Egg (Hoachen Egga, 2,820 m), marked by a large cairn. Above it the route climbs steep scree flanks to a pole on the ridge, then follows the bouldery south-west ridge, zigzagging along the paint marks with hands needed in places (no more than grade I). The last section is flatter but exposed. There is no glacier contact on this line. Descend the same way in 3–3½ hours. Conditions above the Hohes Egg vary a lot: old snow lies on the ridge well into summer, new snow or ice can make crampons necessary, and cornices can make the final stretch critical. The south-west ridge is somewhat looser than the east ridge, so take care not to knock stones onto parties below.
Start
Gries Parkplatz1,592 m
- Train to Ötztal station, bus to Längenfeld, then the hiking bus to Gries (early June to early October) and a 10-minute walk to the start.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gries Parkplatz → Amberger Hütte | 5.8 | 543 | 0 | 2h 32m |
| 2 | Amberger Hütte → Schrankogel | 6.9 | 1,571 | 209 | 6h 31m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Gries Parkplatz1,592 m
- Hut: Amberger Hütte2,137 m
- Shoulder: Hohes Egg2,818 m
- Summit: Schrankogel3,497 m
Key Passages
- Steep scree and broken rock above the Hohes Egg
- Long blocky south-west ridge with grade I scrambling
- Exposed final section to the summit (possible cornices)
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 80%Overview
The second-highest summit of the Stubai Alps (3,497 m), a massive pyramid above the Sulztal in the Ötztal. Its normal route is one of the highest glacier-free ascents in the Eastern Alps: a long T4 climb with grade I scrambling from the Amberger Hütte.
The Schrankogel rises on the western side of the Stubai Alps between the Sulztal, a side valley of the Ötztal, and the Alpeiner valley. Only the Zuckerhütl is higher in the range, and with nearly 600 m of prominence and steep flanks on all sides it is a commanding viewpoint over the glaciers of the Ötztal and Stubai Alps.
It is a big day rather than a technical one. From the Amberger Hütte the normal route gains about 1,400 m on a marked path, moraine, scree and a long blocky ridge, with nothing harder than grade I scrambling and no glacier contact. From the valley at Gries it is 1,900 m, which is why most people split it over two days with a night at the hut.
Conditions above the Hohes Egg decide the difficulty. On a dry midsummer day the ridge is easy for sure-footed walkers; with old snow, fresh snow or ice it calls for crampons and care, and cornices can form near the summit. The east ridge offers a similar alternative and an ascent–descent traverse.
Climbing Notes
Requires good fitness for about 1,400 m of ascent from the hut, sure-footedness on steep scree and blocky ridges, a head for heights for the exposed final section, and some acclimatisation for 3,500 m. No glacier skills are needed on the normal route in summer, but carry crampons (and ideally an ice axe) until late summer or after any snowfall. Helmet recommended.
Typical itinerary: drive or take the hiking bus to Gries, walk or cycle to the Amberger Hütte (1½–2 h) and sleep there; climb the peak next morning (4–4½ h) and descend to Gries the same day. Start early: afternoon thunderstorms are common and the ridge is no place to be in a storm. Best from July to mid-September.
History
The summit has long been known and visited. The botanist Georg Hargasser reached a point just below the top on 20 September 1821. Bernhard Schöpf, priest of Sölden, climbed it around 1840, followed by Josef Anton Specht in 1863. On 12 June 1866 Francis Fox Tuckett and Frederick Augustus Yeats Brown with the guides Christian Almer and Franz Andermatten climbed the east ridge.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Possible
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; serious ski tour for experts only
- Feb
- Winter
- Mar
- Demanding ski tour from the Amberger Hütte area for experienced parties
- Apr
- Spring ski-touring season
- May
- Late ski tours; summer path snowbound
- Jun
- Snow on the ridge; crampons needed
- Jul
- Best season begins; old snow possible high up
- Aug
- Usually driest ridge; thunderstorms
- Sep
- Good until mid-September; hiking bus runs to early October
- Oct
- Early snow and ice on the ridge
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Amberger Hütte (DAV, 2,135 m): phone +43 5253 5605 or +43 676 9523426; overnight stays possible.
- Fees
- Parking at the end of Gries is free
- Getting There
Längenfeld (Ötztal); Gries im Sulztal
Innsbruck Airport (INN)
- Car: A12, exit Ötztal, B186 to Längenfeld, then left at the roundabout up to Gries; large free car park at the end of the village (often full in summer)
- Train to Ötztal station, bus 8352 to Längenfeld, then the hiking bus to Gries (early June to early October)
- Gries to the Amberger Hütte: forest road, 1½–2 h on foot or quicker by mountain bike
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Altitude
- Weather
- Cornices
Huts & Shelters
1- 2,135 m
Amberger HütteHutStaffed