The "Wild" in the emperor's name is no coincidence: many of the local alpine classics still deserve this attribute today. But a lot has changed since the days of Hermann Buhl and Hans Dülfer, and nowadays you can also spend relaxed climbing days on the "Koasa" - thanks to bolts!
There is probably no other comparable piece of rock in the world where so much climbing history has been written - the Wilder Kaiser in the Tyrolean lowlands has had a decisive influence on modern climbing history. Due to its easy accessibility between the climbing strongholds of Munich and Innsbruck and, of course, the ideal rock quality with many cracks that can be used for protection, the Wilder Kaiser has often and constantly pushed the boundaries of what is humanly possible. The Fleischbank east face was long regarded as the most difficult wall in the Alps, the legendary "Pumprisse" officially introduced the 7th degree, "Des Kaisers neue Kleider" by Stefan Glowacz was long the most difficult alpine tour in the world. A lot of history, few repetitions - only a few exceptional athletes come close to these routes.
Arriving in the Schneekar: on the left, the Sonneck with the "HaZo Fantastica", photo: Simon Schöpf
The newly discovered Sonneck
Which is why they are nice to study in the guidebook, but certainly not suitable for the masses in practice. It's a good thing that development continued - for example on the Sonneck (2,261 m) in the Westkaiser, which climbers hadn't looked at for a long time. Until Herbert Haselsberger woke the wall from its slumber in 1995 and consistently opened up route after route with his companions.
Of course, you don't get anything for free on Sonneck - it takes a good two hours to trudge to the start from Jägerwirt above Scheffau to Schneekar, from which most of the routes originate here. The name is no coincidence: in spring, the firn is still there for a long time. The name of the first route here is also very fitting: "Schneekaridylle" (8+), because you won't find anything else up here.
It gets cozy in the upper exit sections, photo: Simon Schöpf
And of course excellent rock, which completes the idyll - water grooves and compact slab climbing dominate on Sonneck, you will look in vain for slimmed-down holds and footholds here. We opted for the route combination of "Delicatesse" (7-) up to the large ledge and the much-praised "HaZo Fantastica" (8-) in the upper section - a good 500 climbing meters make for a full day of climbing. After a steep and strenuous start, tricky footwork is required on the slab armor, some of the pitches are among the best that the Kaiser, which is not short of beautiful pitches, has to offer.
The route is well secured with bolts, but a few friends for the easier lengths can still dangle from the harness. At the Sonneck summit, in addition to the magnificent panoramic view, a good 1,300 meters of descent await the already tortured legs - it's a good thing that you pass a waterfall at the bottom, which provides the necessary refreshment on warm days. And at the bottom, of course, the Jägerwirt is waiting to replenish the calories you have burned!
Made it? A good 2.5 hours of descent await you at the summit of the Sonneck. Only at the Jägerwirt at the bottom is it really done! Photo: Simon Schöpf
Info Route: "HaZo Fantastica" (8-), Sonneck Topo: Sonneck on Climbers Paradise Guide: "Wilder Kaiser" by Markus Stadler, Panico Alpinverlag
