Talleitspitze

The Talleitspitze stands in the Ötztal Alps, south of Vent in the Ventertal valley. It forms the north-eastern end of the Kreuzkamm ridge and towers above the valley’s approach road. The mountain is one of the most striking peaks in the area, yet it sees few climbers because no marked path leads to its summit. The first ascent probably took place in 1811 by Franz Hauslab, a military officer. A confirmed climb followed in 1853 during a cadastral survey. In 1848 the Schlagintweit brothers also reached the top, and in 1861 a surveyor named Hofmann and local guide Benedict Klotz made the third recorded ascent. A normal route from Vent takes five hours, passing the Hörnle at 2,406 metres. The path narrows and climbs steep grass slopes before tackling the shattered North-East ridge. The final section is exposed and prone to rockfall. An alternative traverse from the nearby Kreuzspitze adds Klettersteig difficulties of UIAA grade III.