Alpine climbing in the Allgäu Alps

One of the main alpine climbing areas in Germany is the Allgäu Alps, which extend over the Allgäu, Tannheimer Tal, Kleinwalsertal, and partly into the Lechtal. They border the Bregenzerwald mountains to the west, the Lechquellen mountains to the southwest, the Lechtal Alps to the south and southeast, and the Ammergau Alps to the east. As an alpine climber, you usually have a longer approach to the climbing starts in the Allgäu Alps, often it makes sense to cover part of the approach by bicycle. It also often makes sense to spend a whole weekend at one of the huts located in the climbing areas. Examples would be the Mindelheimer Hut in the Rappenalptal, the Waltenberger House south of Oberstdorf, the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus in the rear Ostrachtal, the Bad Kissinger Hut at Aggenstein, the Gimpelhaus in the Tannheimer Tal, or the Hermann-von-Bart-Hütte on the west side of the Lechtal. There is often a climbing garden with single-pitch routes near the huts. Pure alpine sport climbers can mainly let off steam on the routes around the Gimpelhaus. Most of the routes there have been bolted closely together like a climbing garden. Pure alpine climbers should target the routes at the Trettachspitze, Wilden Group, and on the north side of the Tannheimer mountains.

Name, wall height, orientation, difficulty grades

Ammergau Alps:

• Hochplatte, 220 m, NW, VI+ to VII+
• Kenzenkopf north side, 150 m, N, VII to IX+
• Kenzenkopf southeast face, 190 m, SE, VI+ to IX-
• Geiselstein south face, 200 m, S, V to IX-
• Geiselstein east face, 350 m, E, V+ to IX-
• Geiselstein north face, 400 m, N/NW, V to VII
• Geiselstein west face, 140 m, W/SW, III to VIII
• Kräh, 250 m, N/NW, VI+ to IX-
• Niederer Straußberg, 110 m, W, VI+ to VIII
• Franziskaner, 80 m, S/SE, VI- to X-
• Torschrofen, 150 m, N, VIII+/IX-
• Hoher Straußberg, 250 (320) m, E/W, IV to VII-
• Pilgerschrofen, 300 m, N, IV to VI+
• Säuling, 200 m, E/W/SW, IV to VIII-
• Kleiner Säuling, 200 m, SW, VI+/VII- to VII+/XIII-
• Großer Zunderkopf, 280 m, NW, VIII-/VIII to IX
• Kleiner Zunderkopf, 170 m, N, VII-

Tannheimer Mountains:

• Gehrenspitze south face, 70 (400) m, S/W, III+ to VI
• Gehrenspitze north face, 550 m, N, VI- to VII+
• Kellespitze, 400 m, N, V+ to VI+
• Gimpel north face, 550 m, N, VI to IX-/IX
• Rote Flüh south side, 240 m, SW/S, III to IX
• Hochwiesler south side, 170 m, SW to S, V to X
• Hochwiesler east spur, 90 m, E, IV+ to VI+/VII-
• Gimpel south face, 250 m, S/SE, III+ to VII-
• Gimpel southeast forewall, 140 m, S/SE, V to VIII+
• Zwerchwand, 130 m, S, V- to VIII
• Schäfer, 100 m, S, VII+ to VIII
• Sebenkopf, 150 m, SE, V+ to IX-
• Seinenkopf-Speicherwand, 120 m, W, IV+ to VII+
• Aggenstein south face, 130 m, S, II+ to V+
• Aggenstein north edge, NE/N, IV to VIII-/VIII

Oberallgäu: (around Oberstdorf and Hinterstein)

• Lachenspitze, 100 (270) m, N, VII- (KS III)
• Bschießer, 150 m, S, V+ to VI+
• Fuchskarspitze, 80 (200) m, W/E, III+ to VII-
• Wiedemerkopf, 150 m, N/W, VII- to VIII
• Klupperkarturm, 50 m, SE, V-
• Wildengrat, 140 m, N, VI+
• Schneck, 220 m, E, VI+ to VIII
• Kleiner Daumen, 240 m, NE, IV
• Wengenköpfe, 120 (400) m, S/N, V- to VIII+/IX-
• Himmelhorn, 180 (950) m, S /W, VI to IX-/IX
• Kleiner Wilder, 180 m, SW, VI- to VIII
• Southern Höllhorn, 150 m, S, IV+
• Trettachspitze, 130 (400) m, W/N/E, III to VIII-

Mindelheimer Hut:

• Geißhorn, 80 m, E, IV+ to VII
• Liechelkopf southeast face, 100 m, SE, VI to VII
• Angererkopf southwest side, 120 m, SW/SE, V+ to VII
• Liechelkopf north side, 210 m, NE/NW, V+ to VI
• Angererkopf northeast side, 240 m, NE, VI and VI+

Biberkopf:

• Biberkopf south face, 170 (310) m, S, IV- to VI+

Kleinwalsertal:

• Schüsser, 210 m, SW, V+ to VII-
• Großer Widderstein, 190 (400) m, SW/SE/N, IV- to VIII- 
• Kleiner Widderstein, 30 (200) m, W/NW, V+ to VII-, Topo

Hermannskarturm: (west side of the Lechtal)

• Via Jonas, 160 m, SE, VI+

Wolfebnerspitzen: (west side of the Lechtal)

• East face, 80 (200) m, E, III to IV+
• Slab face, 30 (120) m, SE, IV to VII+
• South face, 90 (165) m, S, IV+ to VII+
• Parseier base climbs, 20 (40) m, SE, III+ to VI
• Valluga view base climbs, 20 (40) m, SW, III to IV
• Southwest face, 140 (175) m, SW, IV to VII-
• Hanswurst summit, 75 m, SE, V
• Balschteturm, 150 (180) m, VII- to VII+, Topo

The well-known alpine climbing destinations in the Allgäu Alps mainly consist of Main Dolomite such as the Fuchskarspitze, the Southern Höllhorn, the Wilden group, the Trettachspitze, or the Wolfebnerspitzen, and Limestone in the Tannheim Mountains. The rock is not always reliable and partly quite brittle. However, there are some climbing spots that offer rough and solid rock on which you can rely well. Nevertheless, it is never wrong to handle each hold with a certain care. Most routes are interrupted by individual scree or grass passages. However, that is also what makes alpine climbing in the Allgäu Alps unique.

• Alpine climbing guide Allgäu including Tannheimer Mountains. Author: Pasold Achim, Panico Alpine Publishing. 1st edition (2020), ISBN-13: 978-3-95611-079-5
  
  
• Alpine climbing guide Lechtal Alps + Update 2016. Authors: D. Elsner/A. Flür/W. Hofer/J. Schafroth/R. Stadelwieser, Panico Alpine Publishing. 3rd edition (2010), ISBN-13: 978-3-926807-16-8

Ammergau Alps: The routes in the Ammergau Alps have been secured according to the respective zeitgeist of the developers. Many routes have been renovated, which does not mean, however, that additional protection points have been added. The old pitons were removed and replaced with bolts. For this reason, one finds hardly any alpine sport climbing routes in the Ammergau Alps climbing routes. To have fun, it is important to be capable of the required difficulty level. A few camming devices and friends are useful in almost all areas of the Ammergau Alps, sometimes even absolutely necessary. Therefore, one should be practiced in handling mobile protection equipment.

Tannheim Mountains: The Tannheim Mountains offer a true abundance of very well-secured multi-pitch routes. Especially the Gimpel Southeast Face and the Zwerchwand are worth mentioning here. But also many south face routes on the Gimpel, on the Rote Flüh and on the Hochwiesler are well to very well secured. It looks quite different on the north faces of the Tannheim Mountains such as the Gimpel, Kellespitze or Gehrenspitze. Here, routes have mostly been only sparingly renovated, camming devices and friends are often absolutely necessary to improve protection. However, there are also some well-secured routes, mostly in higher difficulty grades. 

Oberallgäu: The protection of alpine climbing routes in the Oberallgäu is quite varied. There are well to very well secured routes at the Fuchskarspitze and the Schneck East Face. Camming devices and friends are therefore mostly not necessary, but in some routes quite advisable or even absolutely necessary. Often, the harder pitches are well to very well secured, lighter ones, on the other hand, are equipped with fewer bolts, so one should also be capable of the required difficulty level here. The protection at Himmelhorn, in the Wilde Group and at Trettachspitze is sometimes very alpine and therefore reserved only for experienced climbers.

Mindelheimer Hut: Since the climbing area around the Mindelheimer Hut was only developed around the turn of the millennium, the focus of the developers was to create a contemporary climbing area. Therefore, almost all routes are very well secured with bolts. Camming devices and friends are only necessary in exceptional cases.  

Biberkopf: The routes on the south face of the Biberkopf are almost all well to very well secured with bolts. However, a small assortment of camming devices should be carried along for additional protection in almost all routes. 

Kleinwalsertal: The protection of the routes on Schüsser and Große as well as Kleine Widderstein is quite varied. There are more alpine routes where fewer bolts are present. Other routes like the Anderl-Heckmair-Memorial Route (VIII-) on the southwest face of the Widderstein, on the other hand, have been perfectly secured with bolts and the respective cruxes can also be overcome with aid from hooks.

Wolfebnerspitzen: The climbing area around the Hermann-von-Barth-Hut is, alongside the Tannheim Mountains, the largest climbing area in the Allgäu Alps. The level of protection is good to very good. However, there are also some routes where camming devices are needed and where they are even absolutely necessary. 

Balschteturm: The routes on the Balschteturm are secured with bolts at the required places. Camming devices and friends are necessary, however, for additional protection. 

Hermannskarturm: The Via Jonas, the only route on the Hermannskarturm, is very well secured with bolts and the upper belay stations are equipped with chains for abseiling. 

On the website of the climbing association “IG Klettern Allgäu” there is up-to-date information on closures, restrictions, renovations, parking situations, and current topics related to climbing in the Allgäu.