Freispitze

The Freispitze is a 2,884-metre peak in the Lechtal Alps of western Austria’s Tirol. It forms a two-kilometre ridge running north-east to south-west, with walls rising up to 600 metres. The name first appeared on Peter Anich’s 1774 map of Tirol as Freyspitz. The first recorded ascent took place on 19 August 1878 by Anselm Klotz, a local guide authorised by the Alpine Club in 1885, and Anton Sattler, a Salzburg lawyer and alpine panorama artist. Klotz had already stood on the summit five years earlier with his companion Josef Frey.

The mountain lies about seven kilometres south of the village of Bach in the Lech valley and four kilometres west of the Memminger Hut. Neighbouring summits include the Saxerspitze to the north, the Grießlspitze to the south and the Rotspitze to the south-west. Its broad, angular shape and sheer walls give the Freispitze strong visual dominance over the surrounding landscape. The 500-metre south face, composed of hard upper-Rhaetian limestone, attracts climbers seeking technical challenges. Other rock types appear along the east ridge and in the summit block, revealing the geological variety of the region.

Climbers usually start from the Ansbacher Hut or the Memminger Hut. The normal route from the Memminger Hut descends into the Parseiertal, then climbs north-west to the Schafgufel at 2,000 metres before crossing rough terrain to the southern Freispitze col. A short chimney and steep scree lead to the top in about five hours. The alternative northern route crosses three cols and the West Ridge, while the direct Jägerrücken ascent from the Parseiertal offers 1,600 metres of ascent with easier scrambling. The south face, first climbed in 1969, remains a serious undertaking and is best approached with a bivouac below in the Parseiergrieß.