Difficulty level: Intermediate
Altitude difference: about 1,100 meters
Total ascent time: about 4 hours (without break, good walking pace)
After the Wildspitze in the Austrian Tyrol, the Weißkugel is the second highest peak of the Ötztal Alps and is located on the geographical border of both countries. Its peculiarity: It is completely surrounded by glaciers.
The path through the ice starts at the mountain station of the Teufelsegg chairlift, which is already at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters. From here, it goes up a gentle slope over the ridge to the Teufelsegg, then another stretch downhill and over an impressive steep slope onto the flat and quite wide plain of the Hintereisferner. Watch out for crevasses in the lower area!
Heading west, you pass a glacier stage, after which the terrain continues to be flat. Keep to the left and you will soon reach the Hintereisjoch at an altitude of almost 3,500 meters. Then steeply northward onto the ridge, until you reach the ski depot on the so-called "Winter peak". This is located on a broad hilltop, from which it is not too far to the summit. However, the last part is strongly dependent on the weather conditions. If the weather god does not cooperate, it is safer to choose the ski depot as the final destination. Otherwise, a light climbing session is in order, at the end of which a fantastic view awaits you from the summit of the Weißkugel. From an altitude of 3,739 meters, you can see the highest peak of the Ötztal Alps – the Wildspitze – but also the Ortler, the Similaun, and the Hasenöhrl.
The rapid descent then leads back over the ascent route to the Teufelsegg and along the ski slope back down to the valley to Kurzras.
The tour is best recommended in March or April.
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