Botzer / Il Capro

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 46.96995°N / 11.30939°E
Activities Activities: Mountaineering
Seasons Season: Summer
Additional Information Elevation: 10663 ft / 3250 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

Part of the Stubaier Alps (south of Innsbruck). With 3250m the highest summit of the Botzergroup (southernmost subgroup of the Stubaier Alps). Doesn't seem to be that high, but still a fairly long climb (6-8h). In good weather probably superb views towards the Stubaier Alps and the Dolomites.
Botzer and Hochwänd at sunrise
Botzer and Hochwänd




Getting There

Most common accesroutes are from the Müllerhütte (3145m) or Becherhaus (3195m). Both located north of the Übeltalferner, the glacier on the northside of the Botzer.
The actual climb from this side starts after one has reached the lowest point of the glacier towards the Botzer (ca. 2800m). To get there one simply needs to descent southwards from both Becherhaus or Müllerhütte for approximatly one hour.
Müllerhütte/Becherhaus-Botzer: ca. 3-4h

Other possibility: from Teplizerhütte (2586m) or the lower Grohmannhütte (2252m). From the Teplizerhütte one follows a marked path towards the Becherhaus. There's no need to hike all the way up to the Becherhaus. After reaching the Übeltalferner one can follow the route starting at the Becherhaus. Another possibility is crossing the Ebener Ferner untill one reaches the Übeltalferner. Approximately 2h1/2-3h.
The accesroute from the Grohmannhütte is the same as the one from the Teplizerhütte, apart from the fact that one has to walk first to the Teplizerhütte, some 300m higher up (marked path, ca. 1/2h).
Teplizerhütte-Botzer: ca. 5h.

Red Tape

No Red Tape

Routes

1. Übeltalferner-Hochwändscharte-SE ridge (easy)

Botzer
Routes Botzer


Most recommended. After reaching the lowest point on the Übeltalferner one goes back up again. To avoid most crevasses it's best to keep to the right for the first part, the second part keeping left, and the third part one can simply go straight up.
The last part of the glacier and the rocky part to get on to the SE ridge is the most tricky part of the climb. Steep snow, followed by the rather steep Hochwändscharte, where absolutely everything is completely loose, even the larger rocks. It's best to get through as fast as possible to reduce the danger off rockfall. Best to go up one at a time (unnecessary to say that a helmet is absolutely needed).
After the Hochwändscharte one comes up the SE ridge (I), which one has to follow untill the summit. No real difficulties are encountered.

Ca. 2-3h from the lowest point of the Übeltalferner.

 
Hochwändscharte Botzer
Hochwändscharte

 
Botzer, first part of the SE ridge
First part of the SE ridge

 
Hochwändscharte Botzer
Descending the Hochwändscharte






























To descent there is an alternative route, much faster than the SE ridge. A bit below the summit there are possibilities to leave the ridge an descent towards the glacier on your left side. From there one can descent much much faster towards the Hochwändscharte.

2. Übeltalferner-Botzerscharte- W ridge-second part of the SE ridge

Not recommended due to lots of loose stones, even worse than the Hochwändscharte.


It's important to say something about the changing snow- and glacierconditions as summer progresses. Early in summer (June and the first part of July) when there's still a reasonable amount of good snow the hochwändscharte can be climbed fairly easy. As snow is melting the Hochwändscharte becomes longer and more dangerous, as more loose rocks are comming up from beneath the retreating snow and glacier.

Accomodation

Müllerhütte: Website Müllerhütte

Becherhaus: Website Becherhaus

Teplizerhütte: Website Teplizerhütte

When to climb

Summer.
Best chances on good conditions: early summer.

Equipment

Rope, crampons, ice axe (glacier equipment), perhaps some basic rock climbing equipment (specially for the Hochwändscharte).

Maps and Guidebooks

Map: OeAV Alpenvereinskarte 31/1 (1/25.000) Stubaier Alpen – Hochstubai.

Online map of Austria and South Tyrol

Children

Children

Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. For example, the Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' The Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children.

Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.

Stubai AlpsMountains & Rocks
 
Botzer GroupMountains & Rocks