Östlicher Klammerkopf

The Östlicher Klammerkopf is a 3,153-metre peak in the Schobergruppe range of the Austrian Alps. It stands in the south-eastern heart of the group on the border between Heiligenblut am Großglockner and Großkirchheim. The Tyrolean frontier lies less than 400 metres to the south-west. Two other Klammerköpfe neighbour it: the higher Hoher Klammerkopf to the south-west and the Westlicher Niederer Klammerkopf to the north-east. Glaciers once covered its flanks: the Gößnitzkees on the northern side and the former Klammerkees on the south-western ridge.

Climbers reach the summit by a marked route from the Adolf-Noßberger-Hütte near the Gradensee. The path climbs south-west to the Niedere Gradenscharte at about 2,900 metres. It then crosses the eastern ridge of the Keeskopf to the old glacier bed and ascends a gully between the Hoher and Östlicher Klammerköpfe. The final section involves a short scramble from the col. From the Elberfelder Hütte to the north there are several ways up across the Gößnitzkees. Two ice gullies, one between the Hoher and Östlicher summits and another between the Östlicher and Westlicher Niederer peaks, provide popular routes. The north-west ridge offers a further alternative.

The summit offers a broad view over the Schobergruppe’s jagged ridges and the distant Grossglockner. The Adolf-Noßberger-Hütte and Lienzer Hütte lie within a few hours’ walk, providing bases for further exploration. The contrast between the rocky crest and the smooth ice of the old glaciers remains striking. Fewer than ten parties reach the top each year, so the solitude is almost complete. The route rewards those who seek both the challenge of the climb and the quiet of a high alpine world.