Kleiner Daumen Nordostkante, Allgäu 2015
Kleiner Daumen Nordostkante (IV+) is an Allgäu alpine climb similar in all aspects to Bayerländerweg, only slightly shorter and easier. It includes 420 meters (450 with walking terrain) in 12 pitches with an alpine ambient.
A high green valley, so tucked away from the normal bustle of the Alps that it doesn't even have a name. Not in our maps, anyway. The barred Wieslocher hut marks the end of the steep and lengthy path. To the left of us, Kleiner Daumen and its neighbours rise with gloomy north walls. Follow the silhouette to the right, and its north west ridge drops slowly, before ending straight ahead in a mountain pass. This is the second last part of the Hindelanger via ferrata, a part that only a few of all the ferrata climbers bother to complete. That mountain pass ahead will later offer us a way back through untrodden grass, while the ferrata climbers continue north, to Heubatspitze and Breitenberg. Completing our circle of view, to the right of us are steep grass slopes with no tracks. Thus the valley is closed, and few seem to find their way here.
The occasional climber comes for "Kleiner Daumen Nordostkante" (IV+). In all respects this alpine climb is similar to Bayerländerweg, only slightly shorter and easier. The 420 meters (450 with walking terrain) is climbed in 12 pitches, with comfortable belay stands on two glued bolts*. The view, of course, is splendid.
Although the entire route is in shade, the first few pitches are the darkest and consequently slowest to dry. With only one sunny day since the last rainfall, a few ledges were still wet with small pools; in particular just at the start through the nice but seemingly always wet chimney (IV).
The climbing is rather typical for Allgäu. Some pitches have fine quality rock, while others have loose scree littering the easier parts. Easy pitches are often not really protected but mostly accept a friend or sling. The route finding is most difficult in the middle three pitches, and is not made easier by the fact that the guide book isn't accurate here.**
As it would turn out, we were not the only ones to find the route finding slightly difficult today. Although the route is not often climbed (7 teams before us this year), we had another team catching up from behind. The lead climber turned out to be an experienced alpinist with many a long tour climbed over the years. And here, just like us but on pitch 7 instead of 8, he had gone the wrong way and spent equally much time correcting the mistake.
The last pitches run very nicely along a slightly exposed edge, well protected and fun. All in all, the climbing went smoothly and we were done sooner than expected. Perhaps we were urged a little by the other team on the last two pitches. Since the rock is solid up here, at least rock fall wasn't much of a problem. Further down they hadn't noticed us at all until seeing us, so the route might just be safer than it looks, even though we wouldn't enter with a team above us.
Anyway, we soon exited onto the grassy, smooth ridge that leads to the summit. The four of us paused for a quick lunch, sharing stories (another joy of climbing!), and savored this brief time of rest before the long descent.
In order to descend, we must first ascend the summit of Kleiner Daumen at 2197 meters over easy grass. The Hindelanger ferrata then leads down just behind the summit along the north west ridge. This part of the ferrata is much better belayed than the main parts between Nebelhorn and the two Wengenköpfle summits.
After that you simply choose where you want to descend into the valley. There is rather steep grass everywhere and no hint of any path. We chose to continue to the farthest low point, but it's only very slightly less steep and therefore longer. If climbing the route was no problem, the grass won't be either…
After stumbling down the pathless slopes we eventually reached the Wieslocher hut again. Here it would be greatly appreciated to find water for our thinning reserves. But there is no water refill, not until one has descended all the way to Hinterstein; still some 1000+ altitude meters to go. My legs keenly reminded me of the ordeal of Bayerländerweg last week, and I looked forward to several days of relief by an upcoming constant thunder alert.
But the reward for those efforts is great. Just as the path flattens and widens before leading back to civilization, there is a secret little path to the stream Eckbach. Bright limestone ground has been worn smooth and lustrous by this quiet flow of sun-warmed water. Feet sore from walking, and hands blistered by the wear of walking poles can now be soothed by the gentle calming flow. This summer day is still warm - now, who is up for a bath?
Topo
Topo complement
* Two pitches, 6 and 8, has a single bolt to our memory.
** Panico Allgäu (2010). Where the respective lengths for pitch 6, 7, 8 should be 25, 25 and 30 m, we measured 35, 45 and 47 m, though following what seems the logical, indicated way and extending necessary slings (we didn't protect much here). Only the 11th pitch seemed significantly shorter than the estimated 40 m.
Read More A high green valley, so tucked away from the normal bustle of the Alps that it doesn't even have a name. Not in our maps, anyway. The barred Wieslocher hut marks the end of the steep and lengthy path. To the left of us, Kleiner Daumen and its neighbours rise with gloomy north walls. Follow the silhouette to the right, and its north west ridge drops slowly, before ending straight ahead in a mountain pass. This is the second last part of the Hindelanger via ferrata, a part that only a few of all the ferrata climbers bother to complete. That mountain pass ahead will later offer us a way back through untrodden grass, while the ferrata climbers continue north, to Heubatspitze and Breitenberg. Completing our circle of view, to the right of us are steep grass slopes with no tracks. Thus the valley is closed, and few seem to find their way here.The occasional climber comes for "Kleiner Daumen Nordostkante" (IV+). In all respects this alpine climb is similar to Bayerländerweg, only slightly shorter and easier. The 420 meters (450 with walking terrain) is climbed in 12 pitches, with comfortable belay stands on two glued bolts*. The view, of course, is splendid.
Although the entire route is in shade, the first few pitches are the darkest and consequently slowest to dry. With only one sunny day since the last rainfall, a few ledges were still wet with small pools; in particular just at the start through the nice but seemingly always wet chimney (IV).
The climbing is rather typical for Allgäu. Some pitches have fine quality rock, while others have loose scree littering the easier parts. Easy pitches are often not really protected but mostly accept a friend or sling. The route finding is most difficult in the middle three pitches, and is not made easier by the fact that the guide book isn't accurate here.**
As it would turn out, we were not the only ones to find the route finding slightly difficult today. Although the route is not often climbed (7 teams before us this year), we had another team catching up from behind. The lead climber turned out to be an experienced alpinist with many a long tour climbed over the years. And here, just like us but on pitch 7 instead of 8, he had gone the wrong way and spent equally much time correcting the mistake.
The last pitches run very nicely along a slightly exposed edge, well protected and fun. All in all, the climbing went smoothly and we were done sooner than expected. Perhaps we were urged a little by the other team on the last two pitches. Since the rock is solid up here, at least rock fall wasn't much of a problem. Further down they hadn't noticed us at all until seeing us, so the route might just be safer than it looks, even though we wouldn't enter with a team above us.
Anyway, we soon exited onto the grassy, smooth ridge that leads to the summit. The four of us paused for a quick lunch, sharing stories (another joy of climbing!), and savored this brief time of rest before the long descent.
In order to descend, we must first ascend the summit of Kleiner Daumen at 2197 meters over easy grass. The Hindelanger ferrata then leads down just behind the summit along the north west ridge. This part of the ferrata is much better belayed than the main parts between Nebelhorn and the two Wengenköpfle summits.
After that you simply choose where you want to descend into the valley. There is rather steep grass everywhere and no hint of any path. We chose to continue to the farthest low point, but it's only very slightly less steep and therefore longer. If climbing the route was no problem, the grass won't be either…
After stumbling down the pathless slopes we eventually reached the Wieslocher hut again. Here it would be greatly appreciated to find water for our thinning reserves. But there is no water refill, not until one has descended all the way to Hinterstein; still some 1000+ altitude meters to go. My legs keenly reminded me of the ordeal of Bayerländerweg last week, and I looked forward to several days of relief by an upcoming constant thunder alert.
But the reward for those efforts is great. Just as the path flattens and widens before leading back to civilization, there is a secret little path to the stream Eckbach. Bright limestone ground has been worn smooth and lustrous by this quiet flow of sun-warmed water. Feet sore from walking, and hands blistered by the wear of walking poles can now be soothed by the gentle calming flow. This summer day is still warm - now, who is up for a bath?
Topo
Topo complement
* Two pitches, 6 and 8, has a single bolt to our memory.
** Panico Allgäu (2010). Where the respective lengths for pitch 6, 7, 8 should be 25, 25 and 30 m, we measured 35, 45 and 47 m, though following what seems the logical, indicated way and extending necessary slings (we didn't protect much here). Only the 11th pitch seemed significantly shorter than the estimated 40 m.
