For years, my freeride colleague Thomas Gaisbacher has been trying to lure me to his home in East Tyrol. But until now, the journey from Freiburg to East Tyrol was always too far for me. But this year I just had to go! The snow conditions there were just too tempting. And what's more, his place of residence, the Dolomitenhütte, is simply awesome! So I decided to stay there for a few days and explore the area in perfect conditions. For me as a photographer, pictures are always worth a thousand words, but to help you find your way around, Thomas has put together three tour tips for you.
The Dolomitenhütte (1,620 m)
A single word would suffice to describe the location: spectacular! Situated on a rocky spur, the Dolomitenhütte resembles an eagle's nest. It marks the entrance to the heart of the Lienz Dolomites. Protected by mountain forest and yet with an unobstructed view of the gray rock faces of the Spitzkofel massif.
There is a Black Diamond test center right next to the hut. So if you go there, you can test the latest tour series from BD at any time! And there's really good food too...
Here is the link to the hut's website
Tour suggestions
1. Karlsbader Hütte (2261m)
The tour to the Karlsbader Hütte is the ticket to the fascinating mountain world of the Lienz Dolomites. Alongside the Auerling, it is considered the easiest route on this mountain range. Surrounded by the rugged mountain peaks and numerous rock needles, you get a first impression of the many possibilities that this touring area has to offer. Tree-free barren terrain awaits tourers in the upper part of the descent, which is replaced by light larch forest towards the bottom.
Ascent
Basically easy route finding. From the Dolomitenhütte (1,620 m), follow the forest road to the Insteinalm (1,681 m), past a fountain, until you come to a prominent bend. There you either climb straight up the stream ditch or turn left and walk through loosened forest terrain until you reach the forest road again. This crosses a ditch and after a few meters makes a bend to the left. Turn left onto the marked summer path and follow it. This path crosses the forest road twice more until you reach open karst terrain. Continue to the Macherstein (approx. 2,060 m), which clearly marks the entrance to the upper basin. From here you can get a good overview, as you can see every mountain and almost every saddle. The Karlsbader Hütte (2261 m) can also be seen here for the first time. The route continues over flat terrain until the last, somewhat steeper section, which climbs a little to the left of the hut. After a few meters, the terrain becomes flat again and you have reached your destination.
The descent is along the ascent route.
Information
Starting point: Dolomitenhütte (1620 m)
Difficulty: *
Difference in altitude: 650 m
Duration: 2 hours
Exposure ascent: NNW
2. Große Gamswiesenspitze (2,486 m)
The tour to the Große Gamswiesenspitze is a challenging undertaking that requires very safe conditions. The tour offers almost all facets of terrain: Wide slopes become a narrow gully, which in turn ends in a narrow saddle. Once you reach the summit, the full splendor of the Lienz Dolomites is revealed. From there, the trained eye will recognize the numerous adventures hidden between the rock faces all around. The summit should only be tackled by very experienced skiers, otherwise a ski depot in the Gamsschartl is recommended.
Ascent
From the Dolomitenhütte (1,620 m), follow the forest road to the Insteinalm (1,681 m), past a fountain, until you reach a prominent hairpin bend. There you either climb straight up the stream ditch or turn left and walk through loosened forest terrain until you reach the forest road again. This crosses a ditch and after a few meters makes a bend to the left. Turn left onto the marked summer path and follow it. This path crosses the forest road twice more until you reach open karst terrain. Continue to the Macherstein (approx. 2060 m), which clearly marks the entrance to the upper basin.
From the Macherstein, cross to the right to the west over the trench to below the large slopes. Keep to the right and ascend towards the saddle between the Kleine and Große Gamswiesenspitze. The slope is initially very wide and not very steep. The further up you go, it narrows into a gully and becomes increasingly steeper. Depending on the snow conditions and snow quality, you may have to carry your skis the last few meters to the Gamsschartl (2369 m).
The snow conditions must be very safe for the ascent to the summit, as the ground consists of meadows that turn steeply into rocky outcrops at the bottom.
The descent follows the ascent route back to the Dolomitenhütte.
Information
Starting point: Dolomitenhütte (1,620 m)
Difficulty: ****
Difference in altitude: 870 m
Duration: 2 hours 45 min.
Exposure: east and south
3rd Ödkarscharte (2,596 m)
This scenically impressive tour offers the most downhill options in the Lienz Dolomites. Depending on the level of difficulty, snow conditions and ability, there is something for everyone. The downhill spectrum ranges from enjoyable slopes to gullies of all steepnesses and extreme variants. It is not without good reason that this popular route has achieved a level of fame far beyond the region's borders and has attained the status of a classic.
Ascent
First head to the Karlsbader Hütte as described above. From there, ascend in a southerly direction to the basin, which lies between the Seekofel (2738 m) and Teplitzerspitze (2613 m). After the first steep ascent, keep left over flat terrain until it becomes steeper again. There, by means of hairpin bends and a long traverse to the right under the steep northern flank of the Seekofel. Finally you reach the upper plateau, where the Ödkarscharte and Teplitzerscharte forks are located. This is marked by a striking boulder. The classic and more popular variant leads off to the left and ends in the Ödkarscharte (2596 m). The right-hand variant, which ends at the Teplitzerscharte (2610 m), is less frequently used.
Descent
Of course, you can descend from both the Ödkarscharte and the Teplitzerscharte along the ascent, but there are a number of alternatives.
Descent via Mohammedanerkar and Teplitzerrinne
Awe is almost inevitable at the sight of the snowy chute running downwards, bordered by vertical rock faces. But once you have entered, you are immersed in an adventure that you will remember for a long time!
From the Ödkarscharte, take the gully straight down into the Mohammedanerkar (100 m, max. 35 degrees steep, narrow entrance, but widens quickly).
From the Teplitzerscharte, keep left along a rock face until you reach the gully that runs down from the Ödkarscharte.
Now descend the Mohammedanerkar to the first floor and turn right, crossing a slope. The last few meters to the striking entrance must be "boarded". After the entrance, the funnel narrows into a narrow section that leads into a larger snow field to the left. Take this snow field to the right, along the rock face, until it bends to the left. Now you have your first view of the entire gully. From here, the gully widens continuously until it disappears into a wide slope. Shortly before the end of the slope (large boulder field), you should keep left along the mountain range to avoid unnecessary pushing in the lower stream trench. Finally, you come back to the Macherstein (2,060 m).
Descent via Mohammedanerkar and Törlkopfrinnen
The descent via the Törlkopfrinnen offers a balanced mix of carefree skiing over wide, open terrain and a little "thrill" in one of the two gullies.
From the Ödkarscharte, follow the gully straight down into the Mohammedanerkar (100m, max. 35 degrees steep, narrow entrance, but widens quickly).
From the Teplitzerscharte, keep left along a rock face until you reach the gully that runs down from the Ödkarscharte.
Descend across the open terrain of the Mohammedanerkar, always following the natural conditions. After the first plateau, the slopes become steeper again and you keep slightly to the right in the direction of Törlkopf. At its foot are the entrances to the two gullies, which are subsequently referred to as the "right & quot; and "left gully" for the purposes of the descent. The two gullies are separated by a striking rock rib. Both variants are roughly equally difficult, only the entrance to the right-hand gully is slightly more difficult (entry: descend along the rock rib until the gully turns away to the right). The lines are clear in both cases. Towards the bottom, they open up into wide, open ski slopes, where you should turn left in the lower section to avoid long pushes in the lower gully. Finally, you come back to the Macherstein (2,060 m).
Descent via Mohammedanerkar and Kerschbaumertörl
The classic descent route via the Mohammedanerkar runs via the Kerschbaumertörl. The wide, inviting slopes and the enchanting ambience make this tour an unforgettable skiing experience, so even the short ascent (50 m) is gladly accepted.
From the Ödkarscharte, take the gully straight down into the Mohammedanerkar (100 m, max. 35 degrees steep, narrow entrance). 35 degrees steep, narrow entrance, but widens quickly).
From the Teplitzerscharte, keep left along a rock face until you reach the gully that leads down from the Ödkarscharte.
Descend across the open terrain of the Mohammedanerkar, always following the natural features. After the first plateau, the slopes become steeper again and lead down along the Törlkopfl until you reach a rocky ledge. Cross under this as high as possible to the right. You are now directly below the Törlkopf and can see the Keschbaumertörl. Here you ascend again and reach the Törl (2,283 m).
Now continue the descent. The terrain turns slightly to the right in the upper section and ends in an open slope. Finally, you reach the Macherstein (2,060 m) again.
Information
Starting point: Dolomitenhütte (1.620 m)
Difficulty: *** (***** when descending via Mohammedanerkar and Teplitzerrinne, **** when descending via Mohammedanerkar and Törlkopfrinnen) Difference in altitude: 980 m ascent time: 3 hours 15 min. Exposure: north and north-east (north-west in Mohammedanerkar)
