Klimmspitze Snowshoe (Attempt)

Published on 2010-1-24 by Michael Stanton

After the Namloser Wetterspitze I slept in the town of Elmen. I'd chosen to climb the Klimmspitze on snowshoes, liking the long (1500 meters) elevation gain, and thinking that it wouldn't be crowded. Boy, was I too right for my own good!

It was fun trying to keep the summertime trail in woods then latschen bushes. I kept it all the way to the Luchskopf, 600 meters above the valley floor, with about 1/2 of that in deep snow (snowshoes required). From here, I made a mistake, following kind of a hunting or game trail due south. After a long slow trailbraking session, I realized I'd better head straight up or just go home. I tried going up, but thick latschen bushes without a trail through them is almost impossible. With no hope of improvement (latschen continued for another 300 meters vertical) I gave up. Total elevation gain, 800 meters.

Sigh. The last 3 hours of daylight were spent at a ski area, making lonely turns among the revelers.