The west mountains of the Granatspitzgruppe view from the Kapruner Törl (2639m), Granatspitzgruppe, Salzburg, Austria.
At the center of the image: Sonnblickkees (snow field); to its left, Granatspitze (3086m), and to its right, Sonnblick (3088m).
The day started at 4:30 with breakfast at the kitchen of Rudolfshütte (2311m, the crown jewel of the OeAV hut system), Granatspitzgruppe, Salzburg, Austria. If you are planning on having an alpine start, you must alert the hut attendants and they will prepare breakfast for you the night before and leave it in trays at the kitchen. We were the first party out of the hut at 5:30.
In the background, from left to right: Granatspitze (3086m), the Sonnblickkees, and Sonnblick (3088m).
The north face of Kalser Tauernkogel (2683m), and the waters of the Weißsee (2250m), Granatspitzgruppe, Salzburg, Austria. The St. Pöltener Ostweg (southeast approach to the Granatscharte, Nr. 502-513, grade I {5.2}) squeezes between the north base of Kalser Tauernkogel and the south shores of the Weißsee.
Curious Steinböcke (the local mountain goat) greet us along the St. Pöltener Ostweg Nr. 513 (grade I {5.2}), on our way to Granatspitze, Granatspitzgruppe, Salzburg, Austria.
Monika standing at the Granatscharte (2970m), Sonnblickkees, on our way to Granatspitze, Granatspitzgruppe, Salzburg, Austria.
Immediately behind Monika: the summits of Kalser Tauernkogel (2683m) and Medelzkopf (2761m), and the Ödenwinkel chasm. Far summits, from left to right - Hohe Riffl 3346m, Johannisberg 3463m, Ödenwinkelschartenkopf 3269m, Eiskögele 3436m, Ödenwinkrlwand 3330m.
Monika climbing the blocky terrain of the Granatspitzes Ostgrat (grade II {5.3}, 116mH), Granatspitzgruppe, Salzburg, Austria.
Behind Monika: the Kalser Tauern Kees.
Me sitting at the summit of Granatspitze (3086m), Granatspitzgruppe, Salzburg, Austria.
Behind me and to the left: the summit of Großvenediger (3674m) - the 195th tallest mountain in Europe.
Sonnblickkees (glacier), Weißsee (right lake), Tauernmoossee (left lake, 2023m), and Rudolfshütte, as viewed from the summit of Sonnblick (3088m), Granatspitzgruppe, Salzburg, Austria.
Monika descending the Sonnblickkees on our way to the Rudolfshütte from the summit of Sonnblick (3088m), Granatspitzgruppe, Salzburg, Austria.
On the far back:left - SW-Gipfel (Fürleg Südgipfel, 2947m), far center - Mittelgipfel (Höch Fürleg, 2943m), center - SO-Gipfel (2850m), right - Fürlegpfeiler (2831m). Due to their proximity to the OeAV Alpinzentrum, the Gipfel have one of the highest concentrations of Alpine climbs in the region (over 50 route), ranging in difficulty from grade II-VIII+ {5.3-5.12b}.
Pedro I.
Espina,© 1997