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A volunteer is sought to assume complete editorial control of the Club’s quarterly Newsletter from the end of 2011, soliciting content, selecting that which is most appropriate, liaising with our proof-reader and interfacing directly with the graphics designer who takes care of layout. If this challenge is of genuine interest to you, please contact the Club Secretary via the AAC(UK) Office for further details.  

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'Beyond our Wildest Dreams'

by Robert Lockwood

Several members of the AAC took part in this Klettersteig holiday in Autumn 2006.

By the time the Klettersteig gear was hastily being stuffed into rucksacks, the sun had climbed well over the Zugspitze, 2961m, and the heat was being turned up on the sun terrace of our chalet in the pretty Austrian village of Ehrwald.

As we headed out to the Ötztal, the deep azure sky was beckoning us to hurry and our anticipation was high as today some of us were pushing beyond our past experience and going for grade 4 and even 5 Klettersteige. The first climb was grade 3 to 4 above the tiny picturesque village of Lehn, just north of Lagenfield. The awesome view of the cliffs from the car park made it clear that the wires of the Klettersteig traced an audacious route up the side of a spectacular waterfall, plummeting to the bottom of the face. This is the Lehn Wasserfall route, a well protected climb, but placed across the rock to give a daring feel with maximum exposure. We were all going to need a head for heights.

We walked and scrambled our way up to the foot of the climb and, after putting on our helmets, harnesses and gear, started up the sheer and perpendicular rock. Eventually we reached a teetering, delicate traverse across some cut away rock, which brought us to the crux of the climb, a short but spectacular overhang. There was an alternative way round but most of us decided to ‘go for it’. With much mental preparation and using our upper body strength, we all made it to the top and a handshake from Timo Blanckertz, our German Klettersteig expert.

We were soon heading south for our second climb on the opposite side of the valley, the Burgsteiner Wand, grade 5, and with the afternoon sun blazing directly onto the face, it was going to test us! We reduced our baggage to one small rucksack, carried by Timo, as with higher technical difficulties more balance is needed. There was also instruction to boost our confidence. Then we gazed upwards to see minute figures at the top! From the outset we knew we were committed to a far steeper climb, but with much encouragement and well chosen resting places, we made good progress. Aged 18 to 78 years, every one showed some good technique and we were finally met at the top by some friends who walked with us to a local Jausenstation, mountain farmers’ pub. The verdict was ‘a fantastic day out with Klettersteige beyond our Wildest dreams and perfect weather!’ .

Other Klettersteige achieved in the week:-

  • Friedberger, grade 2, a superb ridge from Tannheimer Tal
  • Riffelscharte, grade 2, a climb over a dramatic ridge of Zugspitze with stunning gorge and canyon views.
  • Ettaler Manndl, grade 2, from Oberammergau, for beginners and improvers.
  • Alpspitze from Garmisch, grade 3.
  • West face of Zugspitze, grade 2 to 3, with a 1800m climb and glorious mountain views.
  • Kaiser Max, grade 6, near Innsbruck, (for the ‘A’ team).
  • ‘Crazy Eddie’, grade 3 to 4.

Thanks to Timo and Birgit Blanckertz and the local OeAV Sektion and tourist board who gave us a wonderful evening presentation.

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Last updated 04 December 2007