Above Elbigenalb in the Lechtal valley, the Zwölferspitze and Ruitelspitze are waiting for fit tourers. As the actual ascent only begins after a longer approach hike, the tours in this basin are not overcrowded.
Ascent
The tour starts at the Pestkapelle chapel in Grießau and leads along a forest road to the Grießbachalpe. At the beginning, you can take a shortcut through the forest, but later the trail leads into the Grießbach valley without much elevation gain. From the Grießbachalpe, you have a good view of the huge "playground" that can be found in this basin.
You reach the Dreisattelkar via ideally inclined slopes. From there, you can see the gully below the Ruitelspitze on the right and the one below the Zwölferspitze on the left. Depending on the time of year and time of day, you can first climb the Ruitelspitze and then the Zwölferspitze. Both gullies become steeper towards the top and offer ample opportunity to practise hairpin bends... The summits can each be reached after a short climb.
Descent
As with the ascent.
Tips
The ground on the descents is very rocky, so there should already be a good covering of snow. Crampons can be useful on the steep ascents. Especially in spring, you should not start too late for the Ruitelspitze, as there are always large wet snow slides coming down from the softened eastern slope.
Information
Difficulty: ***
Average steepness/Maximum steepness: Up to a maximum of 40 degrees
Exposure: E (Ruitelspitze) and NW (Zwölferspitze)
Altitude metres uphill and downhill: Starting point at approx. 1,100m. To the Ruitelspitze (2,580m) and Zwölferspitze (2,594m) each approx. 1,500m, both together from the Dreisattelkar a good 2,000m.
Duration: All-day tour, the approach hike should not be underestimated.
Best time of year: January-April
How to get there: From Vorarlberg via the Hochtannberg Pass, from the Inn Valley via the Arlberg and Flexen Passes (watch out for road closures!), from Füssen via Reutte into the Lechtal Valley. Starting point Grießau near Elbigenalp.
Topographical maps: Alpine Club map Allgäu-Lechtal Alps, eastern sheet
