Gildensteig (below the Regalpspitze), Ellmau · Wilder Kaiser · Austria
Bail not documentedBolting confidence: medium
A short climb on good to very good rock on the sunny side of the Kaiser above Ellmau. Rough slabs alternate with short steep passages, and a fine steep pillar provides the finish and the one move of 6-/6. Most of it is around UIAA 5 or easier.
The route
Running Muschi lies on the rocks beside the Gildensteig path, above the crag known as the Wildererkanzel and about 20 minutes from the Ackerlhütte. Franz Greiderer and Pluto Astl climbed it in June 2016. The route starts up a rough slab ramp, continues over slabs and a short ridge and ends on a steep pillar, which holds the crux. It is short, so it pairs well with routes at the Kleines Törl or serves as a spring or autumn outing of its own. The grade comes from the first ascensionists.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| P1 | – | A rough slab ramp, with a short steep section at the end. |
| P2 | – | Slabs. |
| P3 | – | A steep start. |
| P4 | – | Along the ridge to the foot of the final pillar. |
| P5 | 5c+ | The steep pillar with the crux move of UIAA 6-/6. It goes well as one pitch; there is an intermediate belay if you want it. |
Getting there
From the Inntal motorway (exit Wörgl-Ost or Kufstein-Süd) drive to Ellmau and take the road to the Wochenbrunner Alm (1085 m). The last section is a toll road with a car park at the alm.
From the Wochenbrunner Alm take the forest road to the Gaudeamushütte. After the hut go a short way towards the Ellmauer Tor, then right towards the Ackerlhütte. On the crest near the Brennender Palfen (climbers' grave) turn left onto the Gildensteig and follow it until, above the Wildererkanzel crag, it comes close to the big rocks. For Running Muschi descend steeply along the rock for a short way. The start is at a rough slab with a bolt. The route Good Food starts a little higher up. Allow 1 h 30.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Parking
Toll-road car park at the Wochenbrunner Alm, Ellmau (start of the bergsteigen.com GPX track)
Point from highest point of the bergsteigen.com GPX track for the route (about 1980 m)
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: 47.55474, 12.33644 (crag) · Parking: 47.54169, 12.31923
Getting down
From the end of the route on the rock tower cross to the Gildensteig, which is in view, and follow it down to the right to the foot of the wall. Return to the valley by the approach. bergsteigen.com allows 1 h 30 in all.
Retreat
Bail not documented
Retreat is not documented. The route is climbed on a single 50 m rope and finished by a walk-off. Every belay has two bolts, and the pitches are short, so abseiling from a belay looks feasible, but whether the belays are linked or rigged for abseiling is not stated.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Sun and weather
South facing; the highest point of the bergsteigen.com track is at about 1980 m. Snow can lie on the approach until late spring, and the route is not advised then. The source recommends it for spring and autumn once the path is clear.
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.
| 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 | −4 | −3 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 1 | −4 |
| Mean daily low °C | −14 | −13 | −9 | −6 | −1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 | −3 | −9 | −13 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 13 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 14 |
● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 1717 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 single 50 m rope, 10 quickdraws, slings 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 Running Muschi.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
Same area
Austria · Wilder Kaiser
Nine pitches of easy slabs and water runnels beside the Treffauer normal route, UIAA 5 at most if you take the easy variant on pitch 4. Lots of bolts and friendly ground make it one of the most popular routes in the Schneekar. The rock is not solid everywhere and the walk-in is two hours.
5a9 pitches280 m
Austria · Wilder Kaiser
A short alpine sport route in the Schneekar that steepens as it goes: a scrambling start, fine water runnels on rough rock, then a smooth slab into an overhang on pitch 4. The crux is UIAA 7 to 7+ and can be aided on the bolts.
6c5 pitches180 m
Austria · Wilder Kaiser
With König der Löwen, the most climbed route on the walls above Scheffau. Nine pitches of slabs, steep walls and small pillars at UIAA 5 to 6, with one short squeeze through a cleft and a walking pitch across a big ledge. It faces south-west and suits spring and autumn days.
6a9 pitches295 m
Austria · Wilder Kaiser
Also listed as Sappl-Zott. The heart of the route is a deep chimney that takes you about 50 m inside the mountain, well bolted and enjoyable where chimneys usually are not. Slab and wall pitches before and after, a traverse and a big flake on the ridge make a varied eight-pitch outing, finished by an airy abseil.
5c+8 pitches295 m
Around 5c+ · about 5 pitches
France · Bavella
An easy friction-slab route up the south arête of a small granite tooth above the Purcaraccia cascades: a slab and corner, a walk, then two pitches of clean, airy slab climbed mostly on your feet, and a scramble to a summit with a huge view. Parties find the grades generous. The approach is a long, beautiful walk past the pools, with a rougher finish through maquis.
5c+5 pitches130 m
Read the cautions
France · Gorges de la Jonte
A recent five-pitch route with unusually generous bolting for the Jonte. A long, fairly vertical 5c+ wall is followed by a traverse, a gully and an optional squeeze through a horizontal slot to a belay in a cave. Shaded in the morning and again from mid-afternoon.
5c+5 pitches110 m
Austria · Ötztal
Five pitches of juggy gneiss wall and arêtes on the left side of the Nösslachwand, finishing up a slightly overhanging corner that you bridge. Not very demanding but athletic for the grade, with the crux right at the top.
5c+5 pitches150 m
Switzerland · Glarus (Brüggler)
Five pitches beside the big corner below the summit, topping out right at the Brüggler's summit cross. The first pitch is the 5c+ crux and the last has a single 5c move; the middle is easier and not very sustained, with a short vegetated traverse.
5c+5 pitches200 m
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.
