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| VanSims16. 09. 2012 20:50:22 |
This weekend I'm driving to Austrian Styria. On Saturday I'll check out Raabklamm gorge, the longest vintgar in Austria and a nearby cave. Then I'll go a bit to Graz. In the evening I'll head to Eisenerz.
This morning I wake up at 6:30 already. Should I sleep a bit more? Nah, early bird catches the worm, even though the whole tour officially takes only about 5-6 hours. I drive the car to the police station.  That's how the access description to the starting point from bergsteigen.at dictates:
http://www.bergsteigen.at/de/touren.aspx?ID=402
From the police I drive further and soon park at the parking lot by the starting point. I'd be first (when I went back, there were so many cars they parked on meadows), if a motorcyclist hadn't overtaken me. Worries about fresh snow were unnecessary, as the via ferrata of my ascent to Pfaffenstein (Schrabachersteig) runs through the south wall, which was dry. But I saw snow on surrounding hills.
I start and after about half an hour reach a junction, after another 15 minutes the painful ascent on serpentines to the wall entry begins. The ground was also soaked as it rained the previous day, well visible slips of predecessors warned me where to watch out.
Before entering the via ferrata first one rope then a bit of free climbing (I). Then the real deal starts. The path is nicely secured, just need to fix a few loose bolts (two were even pulled out). The via ferrata is quite exposed, all the way to the final gully with ladder. Right before the exit there was some snow but predecessors made steps which I followed. A few more ropes and I'm on the ridge.
Via ferrata difficulty: A-B (key section B). Personal impression: slightly harder and somehow as exposed and long as Planika - Mali Triglav path. Otherwise a really nice via ferrata with great views to the valley on Eisenerz and neighboring Erzberg (iron mine judging by red color and shape).
On the ridge I head towards the summit, another 15-20 min walk to the top. View was limited by clouds, maybe it would've been better to sleep more, because if at the summit the sun peeked shyly now and then, during descent it almost completely cleared up.
I descend via Markus-Steig, which is also A-B but much shorter and easier (one A-B spot, otherwise all A). On the way I detour to the foot of C-D via ferrata on the west ridge. At the entry lots of memorial plaques (warning).
On the way down in the upper part I have some trouble with muddy path and get my boots really dirty, then I reach the forest road and back to junction and parking.
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| don kihott20. 05. 2016 11:06:21 |
In Eisenerz there are also two real extreme ferratas... Kaiserschild and Kaiser Franz Josef...
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| janezs7320. 06. 2018 15:16:00 |
Yesterday I climbed the via ferrata on Kaiserschild. Some comments below...
Access from Ramsau is easy, well marked, according to bergsteigen.com description one might expect it's hard to find passages through the forest and access to the ledge leading to the middle of Barenloch. But no problem. Especially if you remember the altitude (just under 1500m) or the shape of the wall where you turn left.
No snow on the path anymore, here and there still some patches of snow in holes.
Via ferrata is tough, D/E with numerous D and C/D sections. Its 250 vertical meters of such difficulty take their toll, the difficulty of passages is very similar to those in Gonžarjeva peč, only difference is 400m of air below you. Exposure makes this path a real mountain experience unlike most (lowland) sport ferratas. Both D/E passages might even be E, in almost all middle 100 vertical meters difficulty rarely drops below C/D, even arms are more strained than on other C/D ferratas, because at those C/D passages the cable is placed to the side or on ledge, so even there you need "friction". Overhanging parts are longer than a few bolts, so body hangs on arms longer.
Nepalese bridge at the top of via ferrata is a nice addition. Nothing hard.
Above via ferrata the path follows ridge edge for a while, then at the little man turns left (north) and crosses west grassy slope and only after 500m reaches ridge again. In thick fog GPS track or at least compass comes in handy, otherwise you quickly look for summit on wrong side of hill. Path is poorly visible up there.
From summit down north to break in ridge, then a bit on west slope to junction. Here straight to Hochkogl, down first through grasses, then left (south) to ledge that brings us back past via ferrata entry to scree. Through it almost to valley (upper half left tongue, lower half right).
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| don kihott2. 07. 2018 09:09:47 |
Janezs73...With all those foot pegs I'd say no talk of E... But I agree, the via ferrata is very exposed and a very demanding complex tour
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| janezs732. 07. 2018 09:36:55 |
hm, footrests are indeed numerous, but not everywhere... at some places none or so spaced that they help mostly just for clipping...
D/E or E - ultimately not that important, we both know there's no joke there... important is that those going there first time know it. For many the combo D/E and deep drop is quite a test.
I met a guy just before via ferrata entry (when I was already going down) who asked if it's really E. When I asked what hard ferratas he can climb, he said C. For such people E equals D/E. So unclimbable. But our rating feel can change with a bad day .
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| don kihott2. 07. 2018 10:04:28 |
I agree, Janezs73... I climbed Kaiserschild a few years ago, I think 2012... The most annoying was that two-hour approach to the actual via ferrata entry... But right after opening, I think in the first half year, there were many helicopter rescues, probably of those C-climbers...
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| dprapr5. 07. 2024 21:46:41 |
Topic for iron lovers?
Anyway. We were in those areas today where they mine iron ore, but the via ferratas didn't attract us at all. They never have, although I've tried a couple to see what they look like.
We visited Hocherkogel - Kaiserschild group.
We parked under the ski jumps, at Gasthaus Gemeindealm parking in Eisenerzer Ramsau at 1019m.
Parking is paid, 4 euros per day.
In the morning, despite a different forecast, it was raining in those areas. On arrival at 7 a.m., the rain stopped, and the fog cleared throughout the morning. First we climbed to the scenic summit of Kaiserschild, from there along the ridge to Kaiserwart, descended more than 200m lower and from there climbed to Hochkogel. From there after a longer break we continued down the SW ridge, past the mighty gully to Halskogel and further across Radmerhals to the ski jumps.
I must say both summits (Kaiserschild and Hochkogel) impressed me. Few such beautiful peaks. For the whole loop with breaks we needed 8 hours.
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