Rotwandlspitze, Mountain summit in Innsbruck-Land District, Austria.
Rotwandlspitze is a 2,191 m mountain in the Karwendel, on the border between Bavaria and Tyrol. It forms a double peak with the 2,180 m Brunnsteinspitze, about 150 m to the southwest. The state border follows the crest of the Northern Karwendel chain here, separating the Bavarian Isar valley from the Austrian Karwendel valley.
The border between Bavaria and Tyrol has run over the Rotwandlspitze's double peak since the boundary was fixed along the Northern Karwendel ridge. The Tiroler Hütte, a hut on the small rise called Auf dem Blanken about 150 m northeast of the summit at 2153 m, has been closed since 2004. The Porta Claudia fortification at Scharnitz Pass, whose eastern side is formed by this massif, lies below the western flank.
The mountain attracts climbers from the region who test their skills on its slopes and pass down knowledge of alpine climbing. These routes remain central to the climbing community's traditions in the Karwendel area.
Three marked routes lead to the summit: from Scharnitz along the ridge over the Brunnensteinkopf and Brunnensteinspitze, from the east through the bare southeast flank via Pürzlbrünste and Feichtl, and from the west over the Brunnsteinhütte and Brunnensteinanger on the partly secured Brunnensteinweg. All are graded UIAA I; the eastern path is well marked but hard to follow. The Tiroler Hütte below the summit has been closed since 2004.
The southeastern face features steel cable systems installed to secure climbing passages for year-round access. These fixed protections allow experienced climbers to tackle sections that would otherwise be extremely hazardous.
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