Overview
Bretterspitze as seen from Gliegerkar (26-07-2009)
The
Hornbach range of the
Allgäu mountains is bearing the highest peaks of this wellknown region and - most astonishingly -many of those peaks are seldomly visited. There are some exceptions from this common rule:
Krottenkopf, the highest Allgäu peak,
Plattenspitze high above
Hermann-von-Barth hut and -
Bretterspitze. The summit register of those peaks is full of visitors, due to their easier accessibility.
Bretterspitze, located between
Urbeleskarspitze to the northeast and
Gliegerkarpitze to the west stands high above the
Gliegerkar to the south, showing steep rockfaces down to
Lechtal valley and the
Urbeleskar to the north, located above
Hornbach valley and the little village of
Hinterhornbach.
The
Schwärzer col between the summit and Urbeleskarspitze is the trail junction of the two main normal routes.
You can summit Bretterspitze in a days hike, starting from
Häselgehr in the Lechtal valley (southern ascent) or from
Hinterhornbach in the Hornbach valley (northern ascent). If you do the grant Hornbach trail, the so called “Enzensperger Weg”, Bretterspitze is a “must” summit.
North of the summit placed high above Hornbach valley is located the private mountain hut
Kaufbeurer Haus. This little mountain hut is guarded only on summer weekends, otherwise you need a key from the alpine club and you have to support yourself. The next guarded mountain club hut, Hermann-von-Barth-Hütte is some 5 to 7 hours away.
Getting There
Urbeleskar- and Bretterspitze as seen from the Hinterhornbach northern ascent (26-07-2009
The main trailheads for Bretterspitze are
Hinterhornbach in the Hornbach valley and
Häselgehr in the Lechtal valley.
You reach Lechtal valley
Follow Lechtal valley
road number 198 from Reutte or from Lech / Warth until you reach Häselgehr. The trailhead is at the
Häselgehr church on the orographic left side of Lech river.
The village of
Hinterhornbach can be reached directly from Lechtal valley road by leaving the road at
Martinau or
Stanzach in the direction to Vorderhornbach. At
Vorderhornbach follow the signposts to Hinterhornbach. The trailhead is at the western end of the little village: go on the road by passing the church and use the first road which branches off to the left and immediately crosses Hornbach creek on a bridge. Behind the bridge is the parking area (2009: free parking).
Red Tape
No red tape as far as I know.
360 degree summit panorama from Bretterspitze (26-07-2009) |
Main Routes Overview
Northern Route
From Hinterhornbach parking area follow
trail number 434 in many switchbacks to Karköpfl and Kaufbeurer Haus.
Follow trail 434 into Kesselboden and ascend the northern slopes of Bretterspitze over scree and / or snow, then over easy rocks up to Schwärzen col.
From Schwärzen col follow the trail along the northeastern ridge over easy rocks to the summit.
Northern route, view to Hochvogel (26-07-2009 | Northern route, happy scree sliding(26-07-2009 | Northern route, Bretterspitze and Urbeleskar (26-07-2009 |
Southern Route
From Häselgehr trailhead follow trail number 434 into Hagler valley until you reach a trail junction at about 1700 m. Take the right trail (number 434) to Rastegg which steeply winds up to Gliegerkar. In Gliegerkar there is the trail junction with Enzensperger Weg. The trail leads very steeply up to Griesschartl and traverses the east side of Bretterkarspitze on some rock ledges (secured with fixed steel ropes) with exposed views into Seekar and its nice lake. You reach the northern ascent at Schwärzer col. Follow the summit trail as described above.
Summit view to Allgäu mountains (26-07-2009 | Sattelkar, Sattelkarspitze and (right) Bretterspitze (26-07-2009 | Summit view to the west (26-07-2009 |
Enzensperger Weg
This grand trail is described as a route separately.
Enzensperger Weg connects Herrmann-von-Barth Hütte with Kaufbeurer Haus. Thus, the northern and the upper part of the southern ascent route is part of Enzensperger Weg.
Accomodations
Upper Gliegerkar and Griesschartl, southern route to summit (26-07-2009
In Lechtal valley there are all sorts of accomodations: Hotels, Inns, private Bed & Breakfast and Camping areas.
For general infomations please refer to:
Lechtal tourist page
More detailed informations about accommodations in the nearest villages can be found on the homepages of
Nearby mountain huts (alpine club or private huts) are:
Gear & Mountain Conditions
Bretterspitze is a summer and autumn hike. As far as I know there are no winter and spring ski hike activities. It is a strenuous day hike from the valley trailheads or as culmination point of the Enzensperger Weg.
You need normal hiking gear with good shoes. As the more difficult passages of the southern ascent are secured with steel ropes you need no rope or special gear for belaying. You should be used to exposed rock scramble.
Check the
current weather here.
Rock tower above Griesschartl (26-07-2009 | Rock scramble above Griesschartl (26-07-2009 | Summit (26-07-2009 |