Finally the time came for one of the great tours of the year and on Thursday my colleague, also a portal user, and I set off towards the highest mountain of North Tyrol.
Due to work stress I didn't close an eye at night, but I didn't want to postpone the agreed ascent, so I set off from Innsbruck at night towards Sölden, from where we drove to Vent. In foggy and cold morning we quickly climbed to Breslauer Hütte, where we already met the first of the groups returning due to adverse conditions; there were a few more like that. After a long ascent through the unpleasantly crowded valley between Brochkogel and Wildspitze we reached the end of the snow tongue in thick fog, where we were supposed to hit the via ferrata entrance, but met some groups wandering around looking for the path on icy terrain. After a demanding ascent on the icy slope, additionally hindered by my crampon problems on (otherwise excellent) new boots, we climbed to the climbing path and easily to Mitterkarjoch (3470 m).
Already while climbing the not particularly demanding ferrata it cleared up, on the saddle it started to heat up, views becoming excellent. Due to quite unexpected delays we set off relatively late over the glacier, where heat, altitude and fatigue from sleepless night demanded much more effort than expected. The glacier crossing itself isn't particularly demanding, there are relatively few crevasses and they are quite obvious.
Below the rocky summit ridge of Wildspitze we unroped; the ascent to the top except for the step right below it isn't particularly technically demanding, but the circumstances and heavy backpack did their thing and with considerable effort I reached the long-desired goal.
Views from the top were incredible, the recent rain had cleared the sky, so the stay on top was deservedly long.
The main plan was to return via the north summit of Wildspitze on the alternative route over Rofenkar glacier, but due to adverse evening forecast (luckily wrong), late hour and crampon issues we didn't risk it and quickly descended over glacier, ferrata and now much easier softened snow slope to the hut, where we arrived in the evening. There we got huge portions that improved our mood, then headed back to Vent, arriving in the dark. That day I had no more strength than for sleeping in the car.
As a one-day tour the ascent to Wildspitze, Austria's second highest mountain, is a tough nut. Technically not overly difficult, but it's a long and varied route with almost 2000 m elevation gain; this time it was additionally complicated by subjective and objective circumstances (weather from morning frost, ice and fog to afternoon severe heat, crampon issues costing me lots of energy, and sleep deprivation). All this additionally ennobled the achievement and the magnificent views from the top, limited only by the Earth's curvature, rewarded the effort.
Wonderful tour in good company in truly beautiful surroundings among vast glaciers of the Ötztal Alps.