Karlkopf south-west face (Breitlahnerkar), Ginzling · Zillertal · Austria
Bail with caveatsBolting confidence: high
The second plaisir route on the Karlkopf, ending at the same point as Herzblut. It starts on grippy slabs, then follows a cleft in the mountain that closes into a chimney: you climb two short pitches inside the rock. One pitch of UIAA 6+ lower down is the crux.
The route
Blutwurst starts a little above Herzblut on the south-west face of the Karlkopf and shares its finish and abseil descent. Gerhard Gritzer and Bettina Hanser climbed it in 2021. The first four pitches are slab, crack and groove climbing up to UIAA 6+. The route then enters a cleft and climbs a chimney inside the mountain in two short pitches, which is the memorable part. If you do not want the chimney you can finish up Herzblut where the two routes cross.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 5c+ | 30 m | UIAA 6. From the block with the sling climb the first step, go left round a small pillar and follow a grassy rock rib to the belay. |
| P2 | 5+ | 30 m | UIAA 5+. Cross the grass ledge leftwards to a slab with an obvious crack and follow the crack to the belay. |
| P3 | 5c | 30 m | UIAA 6-. Over a small bulge, then left across the groove to a belay at a tree. |
| P4 | 6a+ | 24 m | UIAA 6+, the crux. Stay in the groove over slabby blocks to a big block, climb over its tip and belay on top of it. |
| P5 | 5a | 45 m | UIAA 5. Up big flakes that push you out, until the entrance to the cleft opens; the route crosses Herzblut here. Go through the tunnel to the belay at its end. |
| P6 | 5c+ | 15 m | UIAA 6. Enter the chimney through a narrow slot that widens inside; proper chimney climbing. The belay in the middle of the chimney can be skipped. |
| P7 | 5c | 10 m | UIAA 6-. Up the chimney to the belay at its exit. A route book sits before the chimney. |
| P8 | 5a | 20 m | UIAA 5. Leave the chimney to the left and climb about 20 m to the last belay, shared with Herzblut. |
Getting there
Drive up the Zillertal past Mayrhofen to Ginzling and continue up the valley to the toll station at Gasthof Breitlahner. Park either at the Breitlahner or, just before it on the right, at the Ewige Jagdgründe crag; both car parks charge a fee. By public transport take the train to Mayrhofen and the bus to Gasthof Breitlahner.
At the Ewige Jagdgründe crag cross the stream by the suspension bridge to the east bank and walk round the big rock tower called Wig Wam, where a sign points to 'Tulfer'. Cross the fence behind it on iron rungs and go up the left edge of the pasture on a clear path to the forest. Shortly afterwards you reach a T-junction: turn right and follow the path level or slightly downhill for about 300 m. Just before an avalanche track interrupts the forest, turn up left and follow steep zigzags until the Breitlahnerkar opens out; the path fades for the last 20 m of height before the cirque. Above the tree line a good path leads to the start of Herzblut. Allow 1 hour. Continue up for about 50 m above the start of Herzblut. A sling on a block marks the start of Blutwurst, at about 1650 m.
Loading map
The point marks the base of the route.
Parking
Pay car park at the Ewige Jagdgründe crag, just before Gasthof Breitlahner
Point from bergsteigen.com map marker 'Einstieg (ungefähr)'
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.
Coordinates: 47.06433, 11.76071 (route base) · Parking: 47.06640, 11.75196
Getting down
From the last belay abseil three times down the Herzblut piste and return by the approach path. bergsteigen.com allows 45 minutes.
Retreat
Bail with caveats
Below the cleft you can escape by joining Herzblut where the routes cross, or abseil from the bolted belays. Once inside the chimney it is simpler to finish, since the exit is two short pitches away. The normal descent is by abseil from the shared top.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Sun and weather
South-west facing, start at about 1650 m. After rain let the route dry for a day, because the chimney becomes slippery. The best light in the chimney is in the afternoon. No season is published; June to October is an estimate from the altitude and aspect.
Sun on the wall · SW-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.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun (usual season) | Jul (usual season) | Aug (usual season) | Sep (usual season) | Oct (usual season) | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | −1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 4 | −0 |
| Mean daily low °C | −9 | −8 | −5 | −2 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 1 | −4 | −8 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 12 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 1432 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
2×60 m double ropes, 12 quickdraws and a helmet. A headtorch helps in the chimney, depending on the light. No nuts or cams.
Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo
From climbers
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 Blutwurst.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
Same area
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Read the cautions
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Committing
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The hardest of the Brüggler plaisir routes: an overhanging start on big holds, then smooth runnelled slabs, with a very blank 6a+ slab on pitch 3 that feels hard for the grade. The hardest moves there can be avoided by weaving left or right while still clipping the bolts. The top three pitches are easier.
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Committing
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.
