Grossvenediger routes overview

Grossvenediger routes overview

There are four "normal" routes to the top: they all meet at the upper part of the Schlaten-Kees glacier at the so-called "Bahnhof" (= railway-station, it can be very busy there...).
1) north route 4-4,5 h from the Kuersinger hut
2) east route 3-3,5 h from the Neue Prager hut
3) south east route 5 h from the Badener hut
4) south route. 2,5 h from the Defregger hut
Each route is only a glacier walk (F). The shortest is the south route, perhaps the nicest but longest is the south east route.
1. North route (2 days, Facile)
You can hire a taxi to the Postalm (1699 m) (Tel. [phone]). Marked Mountain trail to the Kuersinger Huette (2547 m, 150 places to sleep!, Tel. [phone], guided 2 weeks before Easter until September), 2,5 h from Postalm

In the spring season the possiblity of a taxi transport depends on the snow conditions. Own driving is often possible until the parking at the Hopffeldboden (1080 m). Following the valley via Berndlalm and Postalm to the transport cable car. Now NOT along the summer route, but still following the valley up to the glacier Obersulzbachkees which is flat here.

( One passes a spot, which is called “Tuerkische Zeltstadt” which translated means Turkish tent town. This creative expression comes from the time 100 years ago where the Obersulzbachkees glacier was much bigger than today an there had been a big zone of seracs, white towers that reminded of white tents as used by turkish troops attacking Vienna in 1683. )
To the left (NE) staying on the glacier until 2550 m. Now to the left (W) and at the end with a short descent to the hut, 6-8 h from Hopffeldboden

Route Description

Red marked route to the beginning of the glacier Obersulzbachkees. First in eastern direction to the Zwischensulzbachtoerl (2917 m, very flat area), then to the south with a finally more steep ascent to the Venedigerscharte (3414 m). There you are on the Schlatenkees in Tyrol. In a wide curve in western direction up to the summit. Due to melting glaciers the final ridge is not as sharp as it used to be. 4-5 h

Also route with ski.

2. East route (2 days, facile)

From the Matreier Tauernhaus (1512 m) you have to walk 6 km or take a taxi bus (also possible with horses) to the pittoresce hamlet of Innergschloess (1689 m). After a further 1 km walk the even valley ends. Red marked route Nr. 902 leads directly via the Alter Prager Huette (2489 m) and - with very impressive views to the Schlatenkees on your left side - to the hut, 3 - 4 h

Neue Prager Huette (2796 m, 100 places to sleep, guided from mid March to mid May and from mid Juni to the end of September, Tel. [phone] )

An even nicer possibility ist the "Gletscherweg Innergschloess", which first follows marked route Nr. 921 (direction Loebbentoerl - Badener Huette) and then - just after the small lake Salzbodensee - crosses the valley near the ice of the Schlatenkees (some scientific information points) to the Alte Prager Huette where you meet the major route to the hut, 4 - 5 h
Another even nicer way is the following: From Salzbodensee take the path to Loebbentörl (marked) and then cross the Untere Keesboden (the lower plateau) of the Schlatenkees (marked glacier crossing, usually no rope necessary if snow free, but be careful)

In the spring season the best ascent is just on the NW-side of the creek, that means between the 2 summer routes. Safe conditions necessary!

Route Description

From the hut first even then ascending to the highest stones of the ridge "Niederer Zaun" where the glacier starts. On the glacier in a gentle ascent to the wide plateau of the "Obere Keesboden", passing the Venedigerscharte (3413 m) and - at least more steep - to the summit, 3 - 3,5 h.

There is almost always a track in the snow. Many crevasses!

2. South-East route (2 days, facile)

The beginning is the same as the east route:

From the Matreier Tauernhaus (1512 m) you have to walk 6 km or take a taxi bus (also possible with horses) to the pittoresce hamlet of Innergschloess (1689 m). After a further 1 km walk you have to follow marked route Nr. 921 to the Loebbentoerl (2770 m). As the path goes over a long time directly on the top of the moraine, you have a fantastic view over the impressive Schlatenkees and the nearest glacier peaks of Hoher Zaun and Schwarze Wand plus the Kristallwand, that you will climb toworrow first, (3 h)

The following path crosses some couloirs, where some cables make it easy for everybody to reach the Badener Huette (2608 m, 48 places, guided Juli to mid September), 1,5 h, together 4,5 h

Route Description

Route Nr. 924 follows the north side of the Frosnitzenkees an the the SE-ridge to the Kristallwand (3329 m); marked route, 2,5 h.
Fromt this summit you have an impressive view over the following route: After a very short descent the "Hohe Gletscherdach" starts, where the Mullwitzkees, the Schlatenkees and the Rainerkees meet. For this 5 km glacier-walk towards the Grossvenediger the weather must be safe as in case of fog you would need a GPS and in case of a thunderstorm there ist no shelter. If you are a peakbagger, you can add the 3000 m peaks of Hoher Zaun (3457 m), Schwarze Wand (3511 m) and Rainerhorn (3560 m) to your collection. At the Rainertoerl (3422 m) you meet the south route from the Defereggerhaus which leads over the highest part of the Schlatenkees ("Oberer Keesboden") to the summit; 2,5 h, together 5 h without the additional peaks.
If you go down the eastern route without sleeping another night in the hut, you have had a long day.

4. South route (1-2 days, Normal)

For the south approach you have to follow the road until Matrei, then the valley Virgental to the village Hinterbichl, 1329m. Here you park the car by the houses in the village or you drive some 500 meters from the village and then on the crossing turns to the right and over the road you reach the larger parking place near the stone-pit. You can take a taxi to the hut Johannishütte, 2121m or you simply walk by foot all the way to the hut over the macadam road through the beautiful valley called Dorfertal.. One nice possibility is also with the bike.

Route Description

 





Grossvenediger near the Johannishütte, 2121m.


From the hut Johannishütte we continue over trip to the next hut Defreggerhaus, 2962m. From the Johannishütte we first cross over the small brook and then we start ascending over the nice grassy and rocky slopes. Here we will see many marmors. Or if we have a bad luck we will only hear them. We ascend higher and higher and soon we come to the spot 2802m where we for the first time see the hut. Over the scree and rocks we reach the hut. If we are on the two day trip I suggest to ascend the same day some meters higher to the ridge where we can see the long glacier Inneres Mullmitzkees.

Useful map of the climb.

From the hut we go some 100 meters to the ridge where we make a glacier rope and we descend a bit and then we cross a big glacier also called Rainerkees. We have through the whole year nice wide path in snow all the way up to the pass Rainertörl, 3422m between Hoher Aderl, 3504m on the left and Rainerhorn, 3560m on the right. We must be careful on the crevasses.

From the pass we ascend to the top of the big glacier basin Oberer Keesboden. From here we steeply reach the ridge of Grossvenediger. At the end we have almost flat and very airy ridge to the top of the Grossvenediger.

We descend by the same route.

From the hut Defreggerhaus we need from 2,5 - 3 hours.

Essential Gear

Rope, ice axe and crampons necessairy in the summer season.

Fee for crossing the Felbertauern-Tunnel € 10,00 in each direction