Description

From the Steingletscher Hotel climb steeply initially, following roughly the line of the summer path, to the N then E.

The angle quickly eases as you gain height, then follow the main valley of the Obertal to the N.

At about 2500m you need to head more E, NE, then more steeply N onto the Obertal glacier, which heads up towards your summit for the day, the Fünffingerstock (2994m).

There are a couple of possible descents from here.

The one most commonly done, as marked, descends a short steep and often rocky couloir to the E, passing just to the N of pt 2993m.

When I was here, in a lean snow year, this didn’t look very appealing, so we passed to the NE, then E, the opposite side of the Wendenhorn.

This is more open but very steep, about 45 degrees, for 50-100m only then passing through the obvious col to the R, at the bottom of the steep slope, joining the main line lower down.

Assuming you have taken the less steep but narrow couloir, from it’s base head SE then E and NE, taking the line of least steepness, in between the rocks, then more easily on wide slopes, down to the stream at about 1930m.

From here it is a zig zag climb to the Sustli Hut at 2257m.