Multipitch Atlas

Beam me up Scotty

Martinswand – Vorbau (Zirl) · Karwendel (Innsbruck Nordkette) · Austria

Bail not documentedBolting confidence: medium

The harder twin of Flying Grass, climbing straight up from the same start. Delicate, polished slab low down with a short overhang on pitch 1, then steeper slab on good holds in the middle, and a shared finish.

Aerial view over Kematen to the south face of the Martinswand, with Zirl on the left. The Vorbau routes are on the lower slabs at the right-hand (eastern) end of the wall; the line is not marked.Photo: TheTokl · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo

Aerial view over Kematen to the south face of the Martinswand, with Zirl on the left. The Vorbau routes are on the lower slabs at the right-hand (eastern) end of the wall; the line is not marked.Photo: TheTokl · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hardest pitch
6b
Pitches
5
Length
150 m
Approach
15 min
Aspect
S
South-facing
Rope
1×50 m

The route

Overview

One of the old plaisir classics of the Martinswand plinth. It leaves the start of Flying Grass and goes directly up: fiddly slab climbing in the lower part, steep and juggy slab in the middle, then a long last pitch to the belay it shares with Flying Grass. The rock is polished, which makes the grade feel hard. An easier left-hand exit variation exists.

The climbing

Pitch by pitch

PitchGradeLengthNotes
P16a30 mDelicate slab with a short overhang.
P26a+25 mThe key pitch according to a bergsteigen.com photo caption. bergsteigen.com grades the route UIAA 7, which is harder than the 6a+ in the Climbers Paradise table.
P35a25 mA short pitch.
P45b25 mNo pitch description in the free sources; the grade and length are from the Climbers Paradise table.
P56a45 mA slab leads to the exit and the belay shared with Flying Grass. There is also an easier exit to the left.

Getting there

Approach

To the parking

Leave the A12 Inn valley motorway at Zirl-Ost and follow the road to the Kematen (Sellrain) turn-off. After the exit, pass the quarry and drive back towards Innsbruck along the foot of the Martinswand to the parking by a ramp, signed P1 (Alpenverein climbing garden, 615 m). By public transport, take the train to Innsbruck and a bus to the Martinswand/Zirl stop.

On foot · about 15 min

From P1 walk towards the Alpenverein climbing garden as far as the toilet block, pass it heading towards Zirl and follow the signs for 'Vorbaurouten' up the path. Turn off left to a small gully and follow the track up it to the wall. The route names are faintly written on the rock; Flying Grass starts at the same place. About 15 minutes.

Map of the walk-in

  • Route base
  • Parking

Loading map

The point marks the base of the route.

Coordinates · route base

47.26820, 11.27890

Parking

47.26670, 11.28090

P1, Alpenverein climbing garden car park below the Martinswand (bergsteigen.com map marker)

Point from bergsteigen.com map marker (route start, approximate)

For your phone or watch

Download GPX

Contains the route point and parking. Opens in most mapping apps and GPS watches.

Points are compiled from published sources, with the precision stated above. They were not surveyed on the ground: check them against a current topo.

Getting down

Descent

Walk off. From the top traverse right along ledges (grade 1, partly marked with paint dots) to the marked Martinswand descent path, follow it right into the forest and take the path down to the car park. Allow 30 to 45 minutes.

Retreat

Bailing off the route

Bail not documented

Retreat is not documented. Sources describe only the walk-off from the top. Pitches are 25 to 45 m.

Retreat from
Not documented.
Point of no return
Not documented.
Carry
Two ropes and some maillons and cord if you want the option of abseiling (inferred from pitch lengths).
Basis
Inferred from the route factsNeither bergsteigen.com nor Climbers Paradise mentions abseiling this route or how the belays are rigged.

Partly inferred from the route facts

Safety

Hazards

  • Stonefall. There is a lot of scree above the plinth, chamois knock stones down, and in strong Föhn wind stones fall without any help. Wear a helmet from the approach onwards.
  • The walk-off crosses exposed ledges with grade 1 to 2 scrambling; it needs some alpine experience and is delicate when wet.
  • The Vorbau is popular and other parties are often above and below you.

Sun and weather

Conditions

South-facing, with the start at about 800 m. bergsteigen.com says the Vorbau routes can be climbed all year except when there is snow. The low altitude and full sun make midsummer days hot (inferred from aspect and altitude, not stated by the sources).

Usual season · Mar to Jun, Sep to Nov

Sun on the wall · S-facing

Working out the sunlit hours for this month.

Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season

Estimated from the wall's aspect only. Ignores surrounding terrain, gullies and the wall's exact shape. Clock times are local to the wall (Central European time), for the 15th of each month.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean daily high °C−7−5−22711131395−2−6
Mean daily low °C−17−15−11−8−3133−1−5−11−15
Rain days 1 mm or more131315162121212016141313

● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 2267 m. Area climate from Open-Meteo reanalysis. Temperatures are adjusted to the height of the crag; rain comes from a grid cell of about 10 to 25 km, and summer highs on sea cliffs can read a few degrees low. The wall and valley can differ. Data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.

What to carry

Gear

12 quickdraws, a 50 m single or double rope, helmet. No nuts or cams needed. Approach shoes for the walk-off.

Checklist

Quickdraws
12
Rope
1×50 m
Helmet
One each
Maillons or spare karabiners
To leave behind if you retreat
Cord
Mentioned for retreat

Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo

From climbers

Reader reports

Reader reports are not being collected yet. Until they are, check a current topo and the local club or guidebook publisher for recent changes to Beam me up Scotty.

Worth knowing

Tips

  • Combine it with Flying Grass for a half-day on the same piece of rock.
  • The sector is often busy; the two easy pillar routes to the right pass the time if you have to queue.
  • Allow about 2 hours.

Open questions

Where sources disagree

  • Grade: Climbers Paradise heads the route 6b but its pitch table tops out at 6a+; bergsteigen.com gives UIAA 7 (6/6+ obligatory), roughly 6b to 6b+. 6b is used for the card and the pitch list keeps the Climbers Paradise values.
  • Length: 150 m on bergsteigen.com, 165 m on Climbers Paradise (its pitches add up to 150 m).
  • Name: 'Beam me up Scotty' on bergsteigen.com, 'Scotty Beam Me Up' on Climbers Paradise.

Provenance

Sources

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Compiled from published sources and last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change. Climbing is dangerous and you are responsible for your own decisions: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.