Fixed rope route recommended route

From the Fiderepasshütte over the Mindelheimer via ferrata

· 4 reviews · Fixed rope route · Kleinwalsertal
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  • Fiderepasshütte
    Fiderepasshütte
    Photo: Kleinwalsertal Tourismus eGen, CC BY-ND, Kleinwalsertal Tourismus
m 2500 2000 1500 1000 10 8 6 4 2 km Kemptner Köpfle (2191 m) Parkplatz Wildentalstraße Untere Wiesalpe Mittlerer Schafalpenkopf Wasserfall Wildental Innere Wiesalpe Fluchtalpe
This tour takes you across the jagged Mindelheimer via ferrata along the Austrian-German border.
moderate
Distance 10.6 km
5:30 h
574 m
1,502 m
2,314 m
1,135 m
Climb along the Austrian-German border over the peaks of the three Schafalpköpfe. You will be rewarded with delightful views and a varied route. The via ferrata is very popular so prepare for two-way traffic. 

This via ferrata certainly is one of the most interesting ridge walks in the Alps. The route through the rugged dolomit shows varied and impressive rock formations. You will cross  4 summits - Schafalpköpfe as well as Kemptner Köpfle. The trail is accessible for experienced, sure-footed mountaineers with no fear of heights.

Profile picture of Kleinwalsertal Tourismus eGen
Author
Kleinwalsertal Tourismus eGen
Update: February 21, 2023
Difficulty
B/C moderate
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
2,314 m
Lowest point
1,135 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Track types

Asphalt 11.56%Forested/wild trail 21.26%Path 42.83%Via ferrata 24.33%
Asphalt
1.2 km
Forested/wild trail
2.3 km
Path
4.5 km
Via ferrata
2.6 km
Show elevation profile

Rest stops

Fiderepasshütte
Fluchtalpe
Innere Wiesalpe
Untere Wiesalpe

Safety information

Alpine experience as well as absolute surefootedness and a head for heights required! Unsuitable for beginners and inexperienced users. No escape or emergency exit.

There is a danger to life in thunderstorms on via ferrata. Risk of falling rocks from people ahead. Commit at your own risk!

 

EMERGENCY NUMBERS 

  • 140 Alpine Emergencies Austria wide 
  • 144 Alpine Emergencies Vorarlberg 
  • 112 Euro-Emergencies (works with every mobile network)

www.vorarlberg.travel/safety-tips-on-the-mountain/

Tips and hints

How do you consciously experience nature?

 

Nature is so much more than the backdrop for unforgettable mountain experiences. It is a habitat for animals and plants. It provides drinking water and supplies us with high quality food. Not only does it provide valuable raw materials such as wood, it also protects against avalanches and mudslides and regulates the climate. It is up to us to support nature in everything that it does for us. One thing is certain, together we can achieve more:

 

Smart in NATURE

CONSCIOUS together

EXPERIENCE foresight

 

Smart in NATURE

Take a deep breath and recharge your batteries, be outside and feel free. When we enjoy nature, we are guests in the living room of shy animals and rare plants. If you behave smart, they will be happy to share their living space with you in the future too.

 

Stay on paths and marked routes

If you follow the marked paths and routes, you are sure to come to new favorite places. In this way you also respect protected areas, because many animals and plants need special protection. Especially in winter, any disturbance unnecessarily costs the wild animals the strength they need to survive.

 

Avoiding twilight times

Standing on a mountain at sunrise is a special experience. The morning and evening hours are also the time when most wild animals are in search of food. If they are disturbed, they get stressed. If it cannot be avoided, please stay on the marked path, do not use a bright headlamp and enjoy the silence.

 

Stay clean & take rubbish with you

It goes without saying: You take rubbish with you again, on the mountain and in the valley. Please also organic waste, because it is composted much more slowly at altitude. You can dispose of the rubbish properly at home or in your accommodation - please remember that there are no rubbish bins in public spaces in Kleinwalsertal.

 

On the natural toilet

If you are looking for a quiet place, please be at least 50 m away from water. Bury excrement or cover it with a large stone. Use fallen leaves or recycled toilet paper and put the paper back in the trash bag.

 

On tour with a dog

Are you always in control of your four-legged partner, even if he gets his nose for marmots, deer or other wild animals? You are both on the safe side on a leash. Keep dogs on a short leash near grazing cattle. If an attack by a grazing animal is foreseeable: leash off immediately. There are numerous dog stations in the valley for the disposal of dog bags. The farmers and alpine farmers thank you because manure in meadows and fields contaminates the feed and makes grazing cattle sick.

 

CONSCIOUS to each other

 

Consideration for other athletes and those looking for relaxation

Everyone loves to enjoy a special piece of earth for themselves. But most of the time we are not traveling alone. No problem, because there is enough space. Allow time, open the way in an accommodating manner, provide support when someone needs help and always give a smile. So nothing stands in the way of friendly cooperation and relaxed enjoyment of nature.

 

Appreciating the preservation of the cultural landscape

Alpine landscapes are touching with their contrast: Imposing peaks and natural forests alternate with gentle valleys, well-tended meadows and pastures. In the Kleinwalsertal too, this delightful landscape at three altitudes is no coincidence, but the result of an interplay of natural and cultural landscapes. Behind this is the work of farmers, alpine and forestry as well as hunters. With their work, they ensure that the attractiveness of the recreation and leisure area and the diversity of species are preserved. We already say thank you if we stay on the marked trails and enjoy regional products.

 

EXPERIENCE farsighted

 

Safe on tour - for you and others

Whether on a ski or snowshoe tour in winter or on a mountain tour in summer, anyone who is out and about in alpine terrain has to be well prepared. This includes careful information and tour planning as well as the right equipment. Correctly assessing alpine dangers requires a lot of knowledge and experience. Why not learn from professionals and go on tour with one of the experienced guides?

Start

Riezlern (2,062 m)
Coordinates:
DD
47.315414, 10.212605
DMS
47°18'55.5"N 10°12'45.4"E
UTM
32T 591644 5240928
w3w 
///berated.flourishes.starkest

Destination

Mittelberg

Turn-by-turn directions

The tour starts after a good night on the Fiderepasshütte. From there we walk downhill to the Fiderepass and then up to the Fiderescharte. Keep to the right and after a short time you reach the ridge to the entry point. Use the help of several iron straps, while crossing a vertical draw. Climb on well secured on wire ropes. In the further course of the ridge repeatedly fuses and brackets help you to reach the Kemptner Köpfle, the fourth summit of the tour. From there walk down to the Kemptner Scharte (saddle). It is always worth a short trip (10 min.) to the Mindelheimer hut. Back at the Kemptner Scharte, serpentines take you down to a plateau and further down to the Fluchtalpe, another possibility for refreshments. From here a wider footpath through the two Wiesalpen takes you to Höfle and to the bus stop.

Note


all notes on protected areas

Public transport

Public-transport-friendly

Leave the car where it is!

The Fiderepasshütte is only accessible on foot. The Walserbus is a convenient transport mode at the end point: Line 1 from the bus stop "Bödmen" in the direction of Baad or Riezlern.

>>> Timetable Walserbus

Getting there

The Kleinwalsertal valley is located in the north-east of the Austrian state of Vorarlberg and can only be reached by road via Oberstdorf (Germany/Bayern). The main part of Austria can only be reached directly by foot or by taking a detour via Allgäu. You do not need an autobahn badge to drive into the valley. Please ensure that you have suitable tyres in winter. In Austria, winter tyres (min. 4mm, M S) are obligatory on snow-covered roads from 1 November to 15 April.

Parking

Paid parking spaces are located near the starting point. Parking along the main road is not permitted.

Coordinates

DD
47.315414, 10.212605
DMS
47°18'55.5"N 10°12'45.4"E
UTM
32T 591644 5240928
w3w 
///berated.flourishes.starkest
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike

Author’s map recommendations

Nature experience map, scale 1:12,000; Kleinwalsertal tour map (with hiking guide), scale 1:25,000; DAV hiking map, scale 1:25,000; the respective cards are available for a fee in the Walserhaus Hirschegg.

Equipment

Complete via ferrata equipment (climbing harness, via ferrata kit, helmet), sturdy shoes, food supplies, weather-proof clothing.

Similar routes nearby

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Rating

4.5
(4)
Till Elsässer
September 14, 2021 · Community
Wir sind sogar den Weg vom Gschwendner Parkplatz hoch und haben nicht uebernachtet. Anstrengend / aber mega geil. In 10 Std machbar!!!
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Photo: Till Elsässer, Community
Photo: Till Elsässer, Community
Photo: Till Elsässer, Community
Photo: Till Elsässer, Community
Photo: Till Elsässer, Community
Joerg Maedler
August 13, 2018 · Community
Atemberaubende Tour!
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Christoph Hentschel 
January 20, 2016 · Community
Der Mindelheimer Klettersteig verläuft in interessanter Routenführung - meist exakt an der deutsch-österreichischen Grenze - über den wild zerklüfteten Gipfelgrat der drei Schafalpenköpfe. Der 1975 errichtete Klettersteig lässt aufgrund seiner interessanten und abwechslungsreichen Passagen auch verwöhnte Klettersteiggeher auf ihre Rechnung kommen. Die tolle Aussicht und die anregend ausgesetzten Einzelstellen lassen eine Begehung zu einer alpin angehauchten Bergtour werden. Da der Klettersteig sehr beliebt ist und in beiden Richtungen begangen wird, ist untertags mit starkem Gegenverkehr zu rechnen. Wenn dir das kleine Video Dir gefällt - bitte teilen. Dankeschön. http://youtu.be/1vmWp3L24BQ
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Reviews
Difficulty
B/C moderate
Distance
10.6 km
Duration
5:30 h
Ascent
574 m
Descent
1,502 m
Highest point
2,314 m
Lowest point
1,135 m
Public-transport-friendly Multi-stage route Scenic Refreshment stops available Summit route Exposed sections Secured passages Scrambling required Geological highlights Ridge traverse Linear route Classic via ferrata

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