Vesulspitze

The Vesulspitze is a 3 089-metre peak in the Samnaun range in Tirol. It stands at the head of the northern ridge, with the Bürkelkopf to the south and the Velillspitze to the north-west. Two high cols, both called Vesulscharte, link it to the Riererkopf on one side and the Bürkelkopf on the other. Between these ridges lies the broad Vesulalpe, while the Velillalpe and Visnitzalpe stretch away to the south-east. The nearest villages are Ischgl, four kilometres to the north-west, and Kappl, seven kilometres to the north-east. The mountain is built entirely of Bündnerschiefer, a brittle rock that breaks into scree and makes climbing difficult. The rock layers date mainly from the Cretaceous but may include older or younger material. The first ascent was made in 1866 by Josef Anton Specht, who climbed from Ischgl via the Velillalpe and the south-west flank. Modern routes still start from Ischgl, with the south-west flank graded I and the south ridge II, while the north-west ridge is harder at grade III. On the summit the view stretches across the Samnaun peaks and deep into the Paznaun valley. The long ridges and high cols show the scale of the range, and the alpine pastures below change colour with the seasons. From Ischgl the path winds up through the Velillalpe, passing steep scree slopes before reaching the final rocky slopes to the top.