Bretterspitze with start in Hinterhornbach is a very steep tour, right from the very beginning. It is rated "Extremely difficult" in our guide book. Avalanche alert level was 1-2 (lowest) when we gave it a try.

Coming up from the forest, there is a slight relief with more normal steepness. Still always > 30 degrees.

As it steepens again, one can either take left or right. We opted for left and got into extremely steep terrain with sections of icy slipperiness...

Still happy, not knowing what's to come...

Hochvogel behind us.

Near the ice-slippey patch. What you cannot see in the picture is a near-vertical drop a bit further down.

Sandra made it - exhausted from the experience and happy to be alive.

From now on it's just normal kick-turns in good snow - what a relief!

Our friend Bastian leads the way towards Bretterspitze.

We keep a distance as the track winds upward.

Bastian enjoying the only flat section of the tour to Bretterspitze.

Bretterspitze

We will soon go down a little bit to the hut. Bretterspitze is the summit in the middle.

We are heading for Bretterspitze, the most difficult and lonely of our tours yet. Our little group of three is the only one on the mountain. The immensity of the mountain is humbling.

Bretterspitze is the summit mid-left. It's higher than Gliegerkarspitze to the right - only further away. The coiloir that will lead us up to Bretterspitze is now just about visible, leading from lower right to upper left on the mountain.

Bastian and Hochvogel - which he did the day before.

Getting closer to the couloir where we'll ascend Bretterspitze.

The steepness is around 50 degrees.

Finally out of the coiloir.

It's a long way, to Tipperary...

The last bit to the summit. Since it's bare with many rocks sticking out, and exposed, we make a ski depot.