Fernerköpfl / Pizzo di Vedrette

Fernerköpfl / Pizzo di Vedrette

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 46.90176°N / 12.08848°E
Activities Activities: Hiking
Seasons Season: Summer, Fall
Additional Information Elevation: 10633 ft / 3241 m
Sign the Climber's Log
Topographic isolation: 300 m
Nearest higher peak: Frauenköpfl (3251 m)

Overview

Loneliness
Pizzo di Vedrette / Fernerköpfl
Fernerköpfl/Pizzo di Vedrette is a peak above the largest glacier of the Rieserferner Gruppe/Gruppo Vedrette di Ries. It’s not the highest or the most important peak of the Rieserferner Group, but a mountaineer going to this mountain has a considerable chance to visit this peak, too, because it’s in the intersection of tourist paths. The marked path from Rieserfernerhütte/Rif. Forc.la di Valfredda leading to Schneebige Nock/Monte Nevoso meets here with the non-marked – but intensively used - path leading to Magerstein/Monte Magro and then down to Kasseler Hütte/Rif. Roma.

But Fernerköpfl is a good destination in itself, too. It has a wonderful panoramic view on the large glacier called Rieserferner/Vedretta di Ries. And you can do an exercise on a shot but intensive via ferrata northwest to the main peak.

Fernerköpfl is in the point where three ridges of the Rieserferner Group meets: the ridges connecting the peak Schneebige Nock to northwest, the peak Magerstein to the east and the peak Gelltal-Spitze/Cima Valfredda to southwest. The building material of Fernerköpfl is phyllite with quartz layers. It gives a gloomy brownish-grey atmosphere for the hill. There is no vegetation on Fernerköpfl. It is a pile of bare rocks. In sunshine this gloomy atmosphere is released on the peak by the bright view of the large glacier field.

Getting There

The southwestern hillside of Fernerköpfl, with the view of Gelltal-Spitze
Ascent from Rieserferner Hütte
You can find a general orientation of the Rieserferner Group here.

You can ascend the peak from 3 directions. From Rieserfernerhütte and from Schneebige Nock the peak can be reached on marked path, while from Magerstein it can be approached on a path that is not marked, but it is intensively used by mountaineers.

The routes from Schneebige Nock and from Magerstein is well described on the excellent pages created by Vid Pogachnik and by Lupino.

Nevertheless the simplest route to ascend Fernerköpfl is from southwest, from the Rieserfernerhütte. This mountain hut is on an elevation of 2791 m. From here it’s only a 2 km ascent to the peak, without any technical difficulty, with a well marked path, constantly on bare rocks. This path passes by the peak of Gelltal-Spitze. No path goes up to that peak.

Rieserfernerhütte can be approached from 4 directions. The two easiest ascends are southeast, from Antholz/Anterselva or from northwest, from the valley Reintal/Valle di Riva. Both routes have a waterfall along the path.

If you start your route from Antholz, your starting point will be approximately on 1460 m elevation. The climb up to Rieserfernerhütte is a steep climb on a path with neverending zig-zag in the hillside.

If you want to start your route from the valley Reintal, driving up the valley you can find a parking place on the left side of the road, 2 km before the village Rein/Riva di Tures. The parking place is free. From the parking place walk a few hundred meters down the valley. Turn left (southeast), cross the small river on the bridge and ascend the steep and beautiful valley called Gelttal/Valfredda. The bottom of the valley is on elevation 1525 m. The first section of the valley is really steep. The mid section gives some rest for the climber. The last section is again steep before reaching the pass where Rieserfernerhütte is. On this route the mountain hut is approximately in 7 km distance from the parking place. This route is also used as the route of a regular mountain-running contest.

The Peak

Via ferrata near the peak of Fernerköpfl
Via Ferrate of C/D category on Ferherköpfl
From the peak of Fernerköpfl you can see excellent view to the peaks Scheneebige Nock (3358 m), Hochgall (3436 m), Magerstein (3273 m) Gelltal-Spitze (3126 m) and to the glacier Westlicher-Rieserferner.

Northwest to the peak you can do an exercise on the short but intensive (C/D category) via ferrata, leading up to a tower that is between the peak of Fernerköpfl and the saddle (3203 m) separating Fernerköpfl and Schneebige Nock. The via ferrata is fixed on a vertical wall of 60 m.

Red Tape / When to Climb

Gloomy like Mordor...
Cairns indicate the path in bad weather

No permission and no fee must be paid. Nevertheless it’s within the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park and its regulations must be kept.

When to climb: In July-September. No special equipment is needed for reaching the peak Fernerköpfl.

Weather forecast is here.

Moutain Hut and Camping

Rieserfernerhütte as seen from the hillside of Fernerköpfl
Rieserferner Hütte
For the Rieserfernerhutte website in German and Italian click here.

For the Camping Antholz in Antholz/Anterselva website click here.