Kleiner Säuling – west face (Tirol side, above Pflach) · Ammergauer Alpen · Germany
Easy to bailBolting confidence: medium
A steep line up the compact west wall of the Kleiner Säuling, ten minutes from the Säulinghaus. Wall and corner climbing on small pockets and edges, mostly UIAA 6+ to 7- (about 6a+ to 6b), with a crux that is 7 to 7+ free or 6 with a pull on the bolts. Belays on ledges and an abseil descent make it a low-commitment day once you have walked up.
The route
The Kleiner Säuling is the subsidiary summit just behind the Säulinghaus, and its west wall is 150 to 180 m of the firm, rough limestone the Ammergau Alps are known for. Knöchelbruch ('broken ankle', after the author's accident on the approach) takes it in eight pitches. Six of them are in the upper sixth to seventh UIAA grade, one is 5+ and one is a grade 3 link. The crux fourth pitch is given 7 on the topo and 7+ free in the text, or 6 with aid, and UIAA 6 is obligatory. The first ascensionist rates it among the finest routes in the range; no independent report was found, so take that as the author's view.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| P1 | 6a+/6b | UIAA 7-. Steep wall climbing straight off the ground, cold in the morning shade. |
| P2 | 5b | UIAA 5+. |
| P3 | 6a+/6b | UIAA 7-. |
| P4 | 6c (A0) | The crux: UIAA 7 on the topo and 7+ free in the article, or UIAA 6 with aid from the bolts. |
| P5 | 5c | UIAA 6-. |
| P6 | 6a+/6b | UIAA 7-, small-hold wall climbing. |
| P7 | 3 | UIAA 3-, a short link. |
| P8 | 6a+/6b | UIAA 7- to the top, which is a large meadow at the summit of the Kleiner Säuling. |
Getting there
The Säuling stands on the border between Bavaria and Tirol, and its west and south sides, where this route lies, are in Austria. Drive from Füssen or Reutte to Pflach. South of the village centre cross the small level crossing, signposted 'Säulinghaus', and follow the lane east for about 1 km to the Säulinghaus car park at about 880 m. By public transport: train to Pflach, then on foot to the car park. From the car park the hiking path reaches the Säulinghaus in about 1 h 30 (800 m of ascent); the gravel road can be ridden by mountain bike for 6 km to a turning place, from where the hut is 30 min on foot.
From the Säulinghaus go east through a patch of wood and then over blocky ground and scree to the foot of the wall, in the fall line of the Kleiner Säuling: 5 to 10 min. Watch your footing on the blocks: a toppling boulder here broke the author's ankle. Allow 1 h 30 to 2 h from the car park to the hut.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Parking
Säulinghaus car park above Pflach near Reutte, Tirol, about 880 m (bergsteigen.com starting-point marker)
Point from OpenStreetMap node for the Kleiner Säuling summit cross; the route climbs the west wall below it
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: 47.53393, 10.75229 (crag) · Parking: 47.51674, 10.72964
Getting down
Normally by abseiling. From the last belay go about 10 m to the right, facing in, to the abseil line below some gnarled little trees; the article puts the first station about 15 m down the meadow, to the right behind a large block. The topo draws the abseils beside the route. Alternatively continue to the main summit of the Säuling in a little under an hour by the south ridge (UIAA 4 to 5) or the south face (3 at most) and walk down the normal route to the Säulinghaus in about an hour.
Retreat
Easy to bail
Abseiling is the usual descent and the first ascensionist describes the route as having an uncomplicated retreat. The topo shows the abseil line running beside the route with stations at the ledges, so you can turn round from part-way up.
Safety
Sun and weather
West-facing: in shade in the morning and in the sun in the afternoon, so you can choose according to the temperature. The photo captions describe a cold start with numb fingers on the hard pitches before the sun arrives.
Sun on the wall · W-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 | −3 | −2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 3 | −2 |
| Mean daily low °C | −13 | −12 | −8 | −5 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 3 | −1 | −6 | −11 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 13 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 14 |
● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 1638 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
A 60 m double rope for the abseils, 12 quickdraws, abseil kit and a helmet. 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 Knöchelbruch.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
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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.
