Watzespitze

From the car park just before Plangeroß in the Pitztal (about 1,600 m) a marked path climbs, with a steep step of about 400 m at the start, to the Kaunergrathütte (2,817 m) in 2½–3½ hours; most parties sleep here and leave at first light. From the hut go almost level onto the moraine crest, then down over blocks towards the foot of the east ridge. The new start is at a chimney-corner slightly right of and above the lowest point, reached by a gently rising ledge, about 30 minutes from the hut; do not start too far left, where harder routes climb the east face. The first pitch (IV-, bolted, with sling-assisted key moves) is followed by three pitches of II–III. After the fourth pitch the old original start joins below a wall; pass it on the left. Two easy pitches can be climbed moving together, then a five-metre wall at a marker board gives the second IV passage. Above it most parties pack the rope: the rest is mostly I–II on or just beside the crest, with two short III steps, past a large painted arrow (follow it left) and a big cairn about an hour below the summit. The airy second III step after the cairn can be bypassed on descent. About 4 hours from the start of the ridge to the summit. Descend the same way, downclimbing the easier ground and abseiling the harder steps (2½–5 hours to the foot of the ridge), then back to the hut and down to Plangeroß in 1½–2 hours. The old 'Eisweg' (south ridge and Plangeroßferner, up to 45°, crevassed) is only for parties with solid ice experience; with the glacier increasingly bare it is very delicate and some parties have needed about 8 hours to descend it. Ask the hut warden about conditions the evening before; the hut keeps a folder of topos.