Climbing area Steinerner Mann

The climbing area Steinerner Mann in the Höllengebirge is a wild rocky landscape with many peaks.

Characteristics

Half the height of the Höllengebirge can be ascended via the wild rock landscape of the Steinerner Mann in alpine sport climbing. All routes are very well secured with 10-mm bolts.

Even the approach requires surefootedness. The complete traverse of all peaks and towers should be considered a full-day endeavor. In a highly varied climbing experience, one summit is reached after another until the plateau of the Höllengebirge is finally reached. From the exit of the last pitch to the Hochleckenhaus, it is only a few minutes’ walk.

The photos do not provide a reliable indication of the relative sizes of the individual towers. The actual pitch lengths can be found in the route list.

Approach

Duration: about 50 minutes

From the parking lot near the Hochlecken ski lifts, the approach initially follows the forest road, past the ski hut and across the slope. Directly across from there, the trail to the Kienklause begins in the forest. A few meters further up the slope, the Valerieweg begins.

Follow this trail for about 10 to 15 minutes to the Steinerner-Mann-Rinne. The turnoff for the Steinerner-Mann-Steig is marked by cairns. From there, the approach leads uphill along the fall line. The forest in the ravine thins out a bit further up. The trail, which is sometimes difficult to make out, is marked repeatedly with cairns.

From the gully, the approach keeps to the left toward the base of the first rock faces. Then follow more distinct trail marks along the rock faces up to a cairn on the left side of the path.

Through a short, narrow gap between a rock face and a house-sized boulder, you reach the start of the first pitch.

Source: Climbing in the Höllengebirge by Sabine Greifeneder and Walter Perathoner.