Rote Fluh

Alte Sudwand

(A Weekend Getaway)

A recent business trip provided the perfect excuse (and funding) for some climbing in the Bavarian Alps. For those who find themselves traveling in Germany, I strongly recommend a quick excursion to the Bavarian Alps for some easy climbing on moderately loose limestone. Caution: reservations at various hotels may be required.

The Approach

Fly LAX to Frankfurt on Delta or equivalent. Rent a car, preferably a convertible, in Frankfurt and proceed south through Darmstadt to Heidelberg. Stop in Heidleberg and find a bier garten in the middle of town for some spargel (seasonal), smoked bacon and weis bier. After dinner, proceed south, east and then north to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Spend the night in one of the small hotels outside of the walled city. After breakfast, walk through the old city for a couple of hours for a real flavor of old Germany and new-world tourism.

After a bit of sightseeing, proceed south through Ulm to Kempten. Exit the autobahn and head to Pfronten and then to Nesselwangle(1150 m). Find a parking lot near the tennis courts/soccer field about 1 km before reaching the material tramway which scales the southern slopes of the Tannheimer Kletterkapriolen. Grab your packs and proceed to the lift. Place your bags on the lift and then make the 1 hour hike to the Gimplehaus (1750m). Buy the climbing guide, order a weis bier and enjoy the scenery!

The Climb

A 6:00 am start is good but 9:00 am is acceptable on a day with no rain. Breakfast (lunch and dinner) is available at the Gimplehaus although many climbers buy food before arriving and cook for themselves. A thirty minute hike leads to the climbs on the South face of Rotfluh.

The rock is limestone and very loose in spots. A helmet is highly recommended. Many of the locals use double 9 mm by 50 m ropes but a single 10.5 mm by 50 mm is adequate. The best protection is the fixed pitons found on the route. They are spaced about every 5 to 10 meters. Additional protection can be placed but its worthiness is questionable. Tricams seem to grip the smooth, slippery limestone the best.

Alte Sudwand or Old South Wall begins near the middle of the south face. A fourth/fifth class ramp is the official start but many people prefer the more direct start about 100 meters below the obvious ledge with large trees. The direct start is marked 13a in the climbing guide. The first three pitches (5.5 to 5.7) lead to the lower left corner of the ledge. The third pitch is the most sustained. From the ledge, proceed up and left through an easy gully to the west side of the peak. The crux (5.7) of the climb is the move off the ledge. One final pitch can be done on the west face. For a more challenging route, proceed right at the ledge and climb through an o-double hard overhang and follow an obvious chimney to the top. A large metal cross marks the summit (2111 m).

The Decent

Do not proceed west from the summit unless you intend to follow the klettersteig (fixed cables) to the top of the next peak. Rather, find an easy route down the north side and traverse to the east. Single rope rappels can be found on the Hochweisler but the hike is recommended. Traverse to the base of RotFluh and grab the packs, head for the Gimplehaus and say "Bitte, weis bier". After a short delay, order another beer.

JK