Hohe Kiste - Kistenkar

Route Character

Very rarely used, scenic and very attractive Voralpentour (Estergebirge) - with a difficult wayfinding in mid winter and a steep end! Only to be recommended for very safe conditions, if available, even in mid-winter. Unfortunately the first 400m have to be walked , in safe conditions it’s often free of snow… i. e. the board has to be carried.

Equipment: complete touring equipment + crampons for board and feet

Starting Point & Village

Starting point: Parking at the lift, end of forest road (picture 2) Village: Eschenlohe

Ascent & Route

From the parking area, you have the choice: if there is snow, follow the right path towards the Achtalschlucht (gorge), if there is little snow, you can follow the left of the two paths - it is more scenic. Both ways merge at the top. In the track the right track is recorded - which is described here.

So we follow the forest road uphill until we turn left at the next opportunity on a cart road (picture 3). Follow this path until you reach the point where it goes downhill, then turn right and follow the path that leads you into Kistenkar. A few metres above you will find the signpost - picture 4.

From here on, it becomes complicated without any visible path or ascent tracks.
At first the path leads in a right-hand bend, then quite directly to a forest ridge, which one follows up to about 980m and then turns left-holding into the wooded flank above the Urlaine. This long traverse (picture 5 + 6 + 7) leads you slightly uphill and further into the valley. Beware of wet snow slides from the slopes to the right above you. There are several edges / ribs to be crossed stretching down from the top into the Lainetal, rather you reach a clearing (picture 8) on about 1100 hm. Here you ascend keepin to the right into the Kar which you reach in the right part. From there, take advantage and notice of the terrain and ascend into the already visible notch (Fig. 9).

Descent & Variants

like ascent

Maps

AV-Karte BY 9 “Estergebirge – Herzogstand, Wank” 1:25 000

Photo Gallery

A selection of 10 photos from the tour:

Map and Avalanche Risk

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