Jochberg

Overview

In summer the Jochberg is an easy hiking summit, but in winter the north face offers different mixed routes from winter ice 3 / mixed 4 up to winter ice 4 / mixed 5
Its on half the way between Munich and Garmisch.
The Jochberg North Face reminds the Scottish ice and mixed walls in winter, not really high but it makes a lot of fun.
The area round of the Jochberg offers a lot of ice and mixed routes.
A lot of them are easy to find and you see them from the road and the parking ranges when you look around.

Getting There

From Munich the A 95 Munich - Garmisch and leave at exit 10 direction Kochel / Walchensee.
Last parking range on the right side, under the saddle behind a straight right turn.
Cross the street and go left or right, left for the middle couloir.
For descending follow the way through the wood, easy to find because during the winter time a lot of people walk with snowshoes the normal route up to the Jochberg. You only have to follow this track and the way ends at the road.
Turn right and follow the street down to the park range.

About the routes

You can find different routes up to the summit, the right ones are more easier than the routes in the middle and the left one.
The conditions and the ice quality is changing very fast, depending on the temperatures, and theres the danger of avalanches.
It might be possible to climb one day and the next its nearly impossible.
Normally, there are good possibilities for secure points, positioning ice screws and slings. Sometimes you can use pine tree branches for your positioning and to belay.

Ratings of the Routes:
WI 3: Sustained 70º-80º ice, usually thick and solid. May contain short, steep sections, but will have good resting places and offer good protection and belays. Two tools necessary.
WI 4: Sustained 75º-85º ice, separated by good belays, or a less steep pitch with significant vertical sections. Generally good quality ice, offering satisfactory protection.

Mixed Ratings:
M 3: Easy. Low angle; usually no tools.
M 4: Slabby to vertical with some technical dry tooling.
M 5: Some sustained vertical dry tooling.

When to climb

Depends on the ice quality, the best time is December till March
You have to take care of avalanches and snow slabs, it might be very dangerous at this North Face
It take between 6 and 8 hours, ascent and descent back to the car.

Camping

Theres a camping ground near the Walchensee in Kochel but at this time you have no problems getting a hotel room or a cheaper guesthouse.

External Links

A german ice climbing guide published by panico with the Jochberg routes and descriptions:
https://www.panico.de/de/panico_buecher/eiskletterfuehrer/garmisch_bregenz.php

For actual route conditions hav a look at this swiss page:
http://www.bergtour.ch/

Images

View Jochberg Image Gallery - 22 Images