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20.-21. July 2020: Habicht (3277 m) and Kalkwand

pg27. 07. 2020 14:24:30

Finally, at the beginning of last week during my wanderings in the Alps around Innsbruck, it was time for the "king of the Stubai mountains", Habicht ("Hawk"; if I comment a bit, perhaps "Adler" would suit one of the main peaks of the range better, but anyway).
Habicht is a broad and mighty mountain rising high above the Stubai and Obertal valleys; due to its somewhat isolated position (it's the highest peak in the Stubai Alps not located in the Hochstubai group, the Zuckerhütl group or the Alpine ridge) it's recognizable from afar, and the view from the summit is accordingly exceptional. Due to its prominence exposing it to viewers in Innsbruck, it was long considered the highest mountain in Tyrol - of course, modern measuring devices helped abandon that notion. Although it lags half a thousand meters behind Wildspitze and is over 200 m lower than the highest peak of the Stubai Alps, Zuckerhütl, Habicht retains an important role in local tourism development and is among the most popular three-thousanders in the wider area.

This is aided by relatively quick access from Innsbruck, lack of severe technical obstacles on the approach (the latter is of moderate difficulty, comparable e.g. to the normal ascent to Viš or Škrlatica) and the Innsbrucker Hütte in a convenient location. Nevertheless, Habicht is a serious and strenuous ascent where, regardless of the starting point, we must overcome at least 2 km of elevation gain. The ascent at moderate pace takes ca. 5-6 hours and the tour is certainly doable in one day for a well-seasoned hiker (which would have been a better choice this time given the unfortunate circumstance), but I eyed the exceptional, dizzying spire of Ilmspitze, leading to which is a daring ferrata in the style of the best Dolomite equivalents, and for which Innsbrucker Hütte is the optimal starting point, so I planned a two-day trip this time too.

Already during the Geierwand ferrata visit, the climbing area at Heiming and the bike trip around Zirla over the weekend I didn't feel optimal; during the morning drive I had a headache, which I attributed to work pressures and efforts and all recent activities. Already on the ascent from the sprawling village Gschnitz to the hut, additionally laden, I walked much less energetically than usual and took considerably more than expected to the hut, almost the prescribed ascent time. But after the first 1200 m elevation, refreshment and partial unloading, I felt better again and the ascent to Habicht passed without issues.
The path itself is quite pleasant, initially along a broad mountain ridge where we zigzag among large stones in high-alpine style, a good part of the path is secured (difficult). At some points we climb grade I, which poses no special obstacle to numerous hikers (despite Monday I met many returning visitors on the path, some heading to the summit only in high afternoon). Later we cross secured rock slabs and a short ridge, and somewhat higher cross the remnant of the summit glacier, for which no gear is needed (I had it just in case, but it proved completely unnecessary. I noticed quite a few visitors with self-belay kits, which seems somewhat excessive on this path to me, but certainly an individual decision). To the summit leads a locally exposed secured path with occasionally unpleasantly loose cables.

The view from the summit is almost indescribably magnificent. Due to height and exposed position, Habicht is the leading viewpoint over the Stubai Alps, which we can almost fully embrace with our gaze, as well as the glacial expanses of Ötztal Alps, Ortler group and peaks of Zillertal Alps; deep below us are Stubai valley, Obertal valley and Oberbergbach basin, the view reaches to Innsbruck and Karwendel range above it. Perhaps the most beautiful are views towards the daring and attractive Tribulauns, into which I immediately set my sights and imagined a tour for sometime next. The best view of them (or them, there are supposed to be three after all) is from the pleasant Alfaier lake, located a bit below the path to Habicht.

After long sightseeing on the summit, I headed back to the hut at a very moderate pace and, knowing the day was long, relatively nice and with overnight at the hut, treated myself to longer leisurely reading and contemplation at the glacier edge at over 3100 m. Nevertheless, upon reaching the hut I'd still have had more than enough time for a comfortable return to the valley.

So I used the evening for activities around the hut: over rugged terrain and easy passages (II to weak III) I climbed one of the towers in Kalkwand massif, already in late evening climbed a short training ferrata near the hut (start weak D, otherwise max C/D, just over 20, maybe 25 minutes) and at the lake watched the last sun rays that sublimely illuminated Tribulaun.

At night, also thanks to otherwise friendly Dutch, but especially due to poor condition, I didn't close an eye and in the morning felt drained and without strength. Thinking it was mainly a poorly slept night, I nevertheless headed towards Ilmspitze, which was calling loudly. First I climbed scenic Kalkwand (2564 m), only a few minutes off the path to Ilmspitze, but condition didn't improve much, it increasingly seemed it was illness not just fatigue - the latter I'm used to. Nevertheless, I continued the locally quite airy traverse high above Gschnitz and soon found myself at the foot of the monumental Ilmspitze structure, over whose wall this truly daring, fairly long ferrata leads. There I watched a group climbing towards the summit; weather forecasts for the day weren't good, but if I'd stood on the summit at 12h, which was certainly still possible despite longer wait for condition improvement, I might have avoided thunderstorms. After longer hesitation I started and already overcame the technically perhaps most demanding part at the beginning (maybe D), but with such effort and pains that I saw I simply didn't have physical strength and health that day for almost two-hour climbing, followed by even harder, only partially secured and exposed descent. It started lightly raining - well before forecasts - clouds threateningly covered the sky and it got properly cold, and nothing left but return to the valley before possible thunderstorm.
During the descent, via easy pathless terrain, I detoured again to Kalkwand and avoided part of the same path back, upon arrival at Innsbrucker Hütte it cleared somewhat. The relatively long descent to Feuerstein inn, from which I walked to the car in Gschnitz in pleasant surroundings, was partly wet, but no real rain development or even thunderstorm occurred. Nevertheless, with ever worsening condition and increasing exhaustion I used up every last energy remnant -

as it turned out, upon return I lay a few days bedridden with severe flu, high fever, but negative COVID-19 test result.
This day somewhat spoiled an otherwise nice trip to these enticing mountains, but no big deal. After forced rest last week I'm slowly returning and soon new descriptions and postcards from Tyrolean peaks will be available.