WIDDERSTEIN, Kleinwalsertal, Allgaeu, Austria/S.Germany     5.7.2014               Auf Deutsch

LINKS DO NOT WORK ANY MORE !

There are many routes on the Widderstein, here just two are described.
Webcams:   South side,   the long east ridge (left) behind the Baerenkopf, from Mittelberg.

1. East Ridge. 4Hrs.
Only by good weather! Approach to the ridge: Either from the Tannberg pass on the south side, or from the north as a round trip from the parking at the end of Inner Bödmen, Kleinwalsertal. Ascent Gemsteltal, descent south gully (normal route, marked), then west, and north down the Bargunt valley to Baad, and down the road back to the parking spot.
Start up the third grass band (on the south side) from the bottom of the start of the ridge. There are a few bits of climbing at the start, then later an abseilstelle (or climb down the south side, and a difficult traverse (IV) into the gap). On the next gendarme, 2x abseilen, or climb down gravel covered slabs, or climb down once, and abseil once. Later from a gap, left across the wall. Halfway up the rise to the peak, from a gap, up the 4m rock, and traverse left across the large flake (easier than it looks).   pics   the 'flake gap'
Pic: From Geishorn, showing the starting grass band, the upper one, from the highest point of the scree, and, right, the small Widderstein.

2. Over the Baerenkopf, the small Widderstein, the north pillar up to the east ridge, and the last third of the east ridge to the peak. 6-7hrs Baad-Baad.
From Baad, klein Walsertal, ascend the Bargunt valley. After 15min one comes to the large dry river bed that comes down from the small Widderstein. Either up the river bed (the best), or the (not very visible) path on the left/north bank. Leave the river bed to the left after a right and a left turn. Ascend diagonally and pass the bushes on a cow track above the tall trees. Then up towards the peak, later a small path left to the north, but after a while leave the path right to go up to the peak (terrific flowers!).
Then south along the ridge to the col before the klein (small) Widderstein, descend to the col on the east side. (One can reach this col directly from the dry river bed, leaving out the Baerenkopf, steep).
Ascend the kl. Widderstein II(?), and continue to the kl.W. south peak. Here there are several possibilities: 1.Traverse the north flank (poor rock/grass/gravel etc.), 2.Climb some of the ridge, and then descend and traverse the north flank, 3.Climb all of the ridge (IV/V??). Traversing the south flank as in the last german guide book is impossible, and extremely dangerous!! - the earlier guide books were correct - north side. Then descend the last grass peak to the col before the Widderstein. (Here the tour can be cut short by descending to the west - or the east).
Now up to the start of the pillar that leads to the W. east ridge. Here traverse approx. 30m under the wall to he right. Start up the easiest spot - or left of this up a short wall, and a slab. From here several possibilities - ascend diagonally left, or traverse left to the pillar. Continue up the pillar, later one is forced right, - several possibilities, more to the right is easier. Then left, and up (or slightly left) to the W. east ridge.
Now continue to the W. as in 1. (The ridge is reached after the abseil point).
Pics:
Collection
20.8.'09   with Birgit. New route book on the small peak where the north pillar comes up to the ridge (couldn't find the old book any longer!)
1.7.'08   not quite, would have been ~8hrs.
16.7.'03   with Manfred and Ansgar. Hochalpsee swim. Manfred found his trousers that he left on the ridge in 2000! Moved routen book further along.
15.6.'03 with Helga, 8hrs? 
1.8.2000 with Manfred, 7hrs?, 11,5Std Parkplatz-Parkplatz. Left a route book deponiert - on the small peak where the north pillar comes up to the ridge.
29.6.1992 6hrs?, 9hrs parking-parking.
16.10.1988 Unfortunately wrote very little down. Pillar and east ridge. Without Bärenkopf and Kl.Widderstein?
old Webcam pic

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