A classic little 2 hour ski tour

Statistics

1 - 2

hrs

408

m

422

m

35

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

This is an understandably popular ski tour which is done throughout the winter but is probably best in Spring, when the sun has transformed the snow into fun slush.

There is minimal objective hazard on the line but it does pass through avalanche terrain so pay attention to conditions. The tour begins at the top of the KaiserBahn gondola or the Schwarzmooslift draglift.

From either lift, pole northwards for 50 metres and then put skins on.

Skin north into a wide bowl and then swing west and skin up a narrowing gully, which gets quite steep at its narrowest point.

After the narrowing continue west, beneath the Hinterer Grieskogel, onto the Pirchkogel's blunt summit ridge.

Skin up this, taking in the fabulous views en route, all the way to the summit of the mountain. The summit ridge is quite long but reasonably narrow so be careful when moving around it and stripping skins off.

The views from the top are wonderful and, having been in a bowl until you reach the summit, you are suddenly able to see mountains (and future projects) in all directions. On the way down the best skiing is on the skier's left, so keep drifting that way and you will be rewarded with some nice open terrain and some fun little gullies too.

Ski back to the lifts and into the ski resort.