Reinhard Schiestl Klettersteig is a classic via ferrata route located in the Stubai Alps of Tirol, Austria. The route is named after Reinhard Schiestl, an Ötztal top climber who died in a car accident in the 1980s. It is a challenging sport via ferrata that consists of a 300m-long climb on the Burgsteinwand, which is made of hard rock.
Summary
Grade: D – view topo
Vertical: 190m ferrata, 240m total
Time: 5min approach, 1h30min ferrata, 45min descent, 2h20min total
Access / Parking: 47.0580,10.9632 – Google Maps or any Android maps app
Start via ferrata: 47.0599,10.9656 – Mapy.cz or any Android maps app
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Access
The GPS coordinates for the access point and parking are 47.0580,10.9632. Here you will find a small parking area for via ferrata climbers, marked accordingly. To access the via ferrata by public transport, take the train to Ötztal and then the bus (Linie 4194) to Oberlängenfeld.
Approach to start
From the parking place, cross the main road and the river on a bridge, then keep left and follow the path along the base of the rock face. Here is a good place to already wear your helmet. After a short while, you will reach the via ferrata start.
The route
The route has numerous exposed and spectacular sections, providing breathtaking views of the valley. To tackle this via ferrata graded as D, climbers must possess significant upper body strength and have complete immunity to vertigo.
Descent
The descent from the via ferrata is a 45-minute walk down towards Oberlängenfeld. The total time for the ascent and descent is 2 hours and 20 minutes. You can take a short detour on your descent path and visit the Hängebrücke, a steel suspension bridge with views over the valley.
Good to know
The via ferrata is secured with a continuous steel cable, rungs, and 350 artificial steps. There are three well-equipped resting points on the way.
Nearby ferrata Jubiläums Klettersteig Lehner Wasserfall – C with a long D/E variant – can be an additional ferrata on the same day.
Close to the start of this second ferrata there’s also a crag with sport routes, called Klettergarten Oberried.
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Videos
Weather
Main sources
- bergsteigen.com (German)
- we climbed the route on August 23, 2020