Ullachtal - Westliche Mitterspitze (Leoganger Nord Klettersteig)

Access to starting point:
Through the Karawanks Tunnel, we drive to Austria, and then we continue driving on Tauern highway. Further, we drive through the tunnel Katschberg and later also Tauerntunnel, we follow the highway towards Salzburg only to exit for Bischofshofen, from where we continue driving on a four-lane road towards the already mentioned town. From Bischofshofen we follow the signs for Zell am See and then for Saalfelden and Lofer. In Saalfelden then we turn left towards Leogang. In Leogang we leave the main road and we continue right on a narrow road where the signs for mountain hut Passauer Hütte point us to. Further, we follow the signs for mountain hut Passauer Hütte and parking lot Parkplatz Ullachtal. We park on the mentioned parking lot by which there is also few information boards and signposts.

Path description:
At the starting point, we go on a macadam road where signposts for mountain hut Passauer Hütte point us to. Macadam road runs through the forest and it quickly brings us to a wide riverbed of a torrent. Through the riverbed of a torrent the road is ruined a little and poorly visible and then it is again nicer and it brings us to a marked crossing.
At the crossing, we leave the macadam road and we go right upwards and we start ascending on grassy slopes. The path then crosses a grazing fence and continues to ascend on the mountain pasture upwards and it brings us to another marked crossing.
The path branches off to the left towards the cave Birnbachloch from which stream Birnbach originates, and we continue right towards the mountain hut Passauer Hütte. The path then soon brings us into the forest and by the path, we will further notice numerous information boards, which describe various plants and animals. After a short ascent through the forest, another path branches off to the left towards the already mentioned cave Birnbachloch, and we again continue right. Further, we are then long time ascending through the forest and occasionally we cross also shorter clearings from which a view opens up on surrounding peaks. And by the path there is occasionally also a bench. At the spot named Kaserstein next to benches there is also a table and a smaller woodshed.
Further, the slope then becomes slightly steeper and the path out of the forest brings us into dwarf pines from which we have an increasingly beautiful view on surrounding peaks. A little higher, the path leads past another bench where the path turns to the right and then soon becomes a little more demanding.
Further, the path is ascending on a quite steep slope and we also get help from steel cables, and on some spots for easier ascent there are also stairs. From the right then soon joins the path over the peak Plattenkopf. We continue left on a well-settled path, which is occasionally still secured with a steel cable. Such a path then brings us on a saddle Hochtor from which a view opens up towards the mountain hut Passauer Hütte.
On the saddle where there is a crossing, the path branches off to the right towards extremely demanding climbing path Leoganger Süd, and we continue straight and then in a gentle ascent, we cross exposed slopes on southwestern side of the peak Westliche Mitterspitze. The slope then becomes less steep and then follows an ascent on an increasingly panoramic path to the notch Mittagsscharte where there is a marked crossing.
Left is only a short ascent to the hut Passauer Hütte, straight leads the path into a valley towards the settlement Weißbach, and we continue slightly right towards the secured path Leoganger Nord. From the crossing, the path starts descending and after approximately 10 minutes brings us to the source. Nearby are also signposts.
Already a little before the mentioned signposts at the source we go right and we leave the marked path towards the notch Hainfeldscharte. We ascend by the walls right upwards and we are quickly at the entrance into a climbing part of the path.
Already at the very beginning path vertically ascends with the help of stemples. On a shorter part the ascent is also slightly overhung (difficulty C). Further, the path becomes slightly easier and quite few times steeply ascends with the help of stemples (B, B/C). A little higher, the path ascends over a short overhang (C) and then again becomes a little easier. After few ascents path leads also through shorter less steep slopes (A). Next follows a steep ascent on stemples, which brings us to hanging bridge. We cross the bridge to the other side and we come to a crossing.
Right leads a little more demanding path through a draught-hole Teufelsloch (devil's hole), which brings us on the south side of the mountain (B/C). In case if we continue on the left variant our path few times steeply ascends by the steel cable mostly with the help of some smaller stemples (B). A little below the summit from the right again joins the path through a draught-hole. To the top then follows only very steep ascent with the help of numerous stemples (B).
From the top, we descend on the ascent route. The path Leoganger Süd, which from the peak leads on the south side is even more demanding and isn't appropriate for a descent.
Grades of difficulty, which are in the description are such as on images, which are shown on information boards by the path. We also have to take into account, that the grades are quite strictly assigned and on a lot of paths, which are otherwise same difficulty we would see at least half grade higher difficulty.
For the ascent on the described path we will need a helmet and self-belay set. It is also recommended to use climbing gloves.

On the way: Kaserstein (1460m), Hochtor (1922m), Mittagsscharte (2033m)