TUM Mountain Sports ascent of the Wildspitze (3768 m)

When I started at the TU Munich in 2016, I soon learned that Gudrun Weikert and Andi Thomann were training the German Alpine mountain guides. Gudrun is the first female German Alpine mountain guide and Andi is an exceptional mountaineer. 

We soon agreed to develop a module in mountain sports where we combined good standard lectures (topics are the genetics of Sherpas and other altitude populations, the history of mountaineering, altitude physiology as well as climate change and its impact on the Alpine environment) with practical mountaineering. The highlight of the module is an ascent of the Wildspitze (3768 m), the second highest peak in Austria after the Großglockner. It was first ascended by Leander Klotz in the 19th century.

On the 1st of July 2025, Moritz, Luca and I drove to the Pitztal in Austria and then ascended to the Taschachhaus at 2400 m of altitude. We met the first group of TUM students on their way down. In the hut we met Gudrun and Andy and got a room for 4 people, lucky us! The other students were delayed due to a flat battery but arrived in the rain later in the evening. 

Here is Luca and Moritz at the start of the walk to the hut...

... some alpine flowers including gentian...

... here the last push to the hut ...

... and here we arrive at the Taschachhaus.

Gudrun and I told us that we would need to rise at 2.30 h due to the warm temperatures to have a chance that the snow on the glacier would be frozen enough. We started walking at 3.15 h. Here we reach the bottom of the glacier... 

... and  here we ascent the glacier not covered by snow before sunrise. It looks bright only because I have used the maximal ISO on my camera. 

Here is Andy on the glacier leading the charge.

Higher up the glacier is covered by snow and we roped up. 

From 3000 m, we felt the lower oxygen pressure and lack of sleep. Here we approach the summit. 

The last bit is a scramble.

There is one tricky section where Andi prepared an ad hoc fia ferrata. 

Lots of exposure...

... and a great view over the mountains towards Italy. Even though we had to ascend 1400 m at altitude, all students managed to reach the summit. 

After the summit we descended via a softer and softer glacier in warmer and warmer temperatures. 

We finally reached the "naked" glacier and arrived back at the hut. 

After the glacier some more km over gravel, rock and streams...

... back to the Taschachhaus. 

The next days our students had to do an experiment to investigate the physiological effects of altitude during a graded exercise step test.

Here is Luca doing the experiment...

... and here the TUM students measured oxygen uptake, lactate, and blood pressure.

During the experiments, dark clouds came from the West and so the students could only test 4 participants. We packed up quickly and raced down the glen following soldiers who did a mountain training course.

Very proud that we could offer such challenging training to our students and equally proud to see that all our students managed to summit and to do high quality experiments in the field. 

HW

Pagaia sea kayak symposium 2025 in Llançà

Do you fancy some pre-Easter sea kayaking in the mediterranean, good food & vino after a grim Scottish winter? Then join Ana and me for the 2027 Paigaia (=sea kayak club) sea kayak symposium! We would love to see some Taysiders there... 

This is a write up of the 2025 sea kayak symposium that we attended so that you can get an idea. Do not hesitate to ask Ana or myself if you have questions. We are actually now members of the Pagaia club. 

Llançà is a wee coastal city on the Costa Brava ("wild coast") just south of the border to France and north of the Cap de Crues (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap_de_Creus) peninsula and national park. Every second year they organise a sea kayak symposium in the week before Easter. This year Ana and I took part. We highly recommend it if you want to paddle in typically good mediterranean weather and want to meet fellow paddlers from all over Europe (=Bretagne/France, Italy, Germany, Spain).

Travel: a) By plane: Fly to Barcelona or Girona and then take a rental car which is cheap (we paid 200 EUR for 2 weeks). You can hire sea kayaks in Llançà. b) By car & ferry: There are many car & ferry combinations and the advantage is that you can take your own kayak. However, if the ferry goes to San Sebastian then you must still drive many miles to Llançà.

Accomodation: The Pagaia sea kayak club offers free camping (rustic in the dust, noisy but fun, place for camper vans, non-luxury facilities of a sports club, most folks do this). There is also a camp site in town plus plenty of holiday lets plus hotels. Costs are moderate as it is pre season. 

Kayak rental: Available in Llançà and at other places. No problem to attend the symposium without your own kayak. 

Impressions: Below are some images from the symposium. There are close to 200 participants and instructors from Wales (Nigel Dennis came with 10 of his kayaks and several instructors), Germany, Netherlands, Spain and France. The Mediterranean is non-tidal but expect the tramontana wind that blows down from the Pyrenees some days. The coast is beautiful with a mix of beaches and rocky bits but there is little wildlife (we saw some sun fish though) and there are no islands. Nonetheless, the good weather and the international, middle-aged crowd makes up for it. The first three days of the symposium were skills (you can book groups that develop specific skills) followed by four days of tours.

We had 2 overcast days, one rainy day and the rest was sunny. Generally the 2025 spring was wet for Catalunya (in Scotland it would have been considered as dry). The locals are happy about rain because Catalunya is just recovering from a draught due to several years of very little rain. 

Here is our wee Fiat 500 and Ana sorting out kit. There is lots of parking 

and here is a group discussing the plans for the session or trip.

Here we leave Llançà harbour for a trip towards Cap de Creus. I think we saw two sun fish during this trip.

Here is Ana as part of a Spanish-Belgian-Dutch-German team during a navigation exercise

During the three training days, people could leave their kayak on the beach. The club had organised security to look after the kayaks over night.

Here is folks landing after exercises. 

Cap de Creus has dramatic rock formations but unfortunately no sea caves.

Landing on a beach in the Cap de Creus national park.

Blue water during the lunch break. You could book your lunches and breakfast which we did. It made things super easy. 

And finally: Nigel Dennis with the 22 kayaks that he built and transported all the way from Wales. 

Other things to do? Of course, this is Catalunya. Many places for sightseeing, shopping, good food & drink. If you into cycling bring your bike. There are also many great walks. 

Here are some ideas:

Barcelona: Just 200 km away, you can go by car or train. Gaudi architecture etc etc. Just buy a Barcelona guide. 

Girona: Just 62 km away. medieval city and the home of many professional cyclists. A tour de France winner overtook me on Christmas eve twice!

Figueres: The town of Salvatore Dali with a Dali museum is right around the corner.  

Pyrenees: They start near Llançà but the high Pyrenees will be snow capped around Easter. It is a beautiful sight coming from the coast and seeing the Pyrenees in the distuance. Great for walks. 

Cadaques: Arty town just a short drive away. 

Calella, Llafranc, Tamariu, Roses, Pals, Tossa de Mar: There are many beautiful villages and wee towns on the Costa Brava which starts at Blanes and goes to the French border.  

Ana and I hope to sea a large Scottish delegation at the 2027 Llançà sea kayak symposium! Pencil the pre-Easter week into your calendar now. Do not hesitate to ask us if you have quesitons. 

HW

Stelvio triplo by bike

The Stelvio (Stilfser Joch, 2758 m) is the most famous Italian mountain pass. It is located in the Ortler (3905) mountain range and connects Prad in the Vinschgau with Bormio in Veltin (Lombardia). A third ascent starts in Santa Maria in Graubünden, Switzerland, and is known as the Umbrail pass. Doing all three climbs in a day is the Stelvio triplo or gran Stelvio challenge for hobby cyclists. Here is the Komoot track: https://www.komoot.de/tour/1253100196 

Initially Dietmar, a cycling friend of mine, and I wanted to do it at the beginning of August but I came down with a cold and so we had to call it off. However, I recovered and could take the 10.08.2023 off . So I booked a hotel in Pfunds for the night before and then in the morning of the 10.08.2023 I drove to Prad and got onto my bike.

The first ascent from Prad to the Stelvio is 1800 altimetres of climbing and I had optimistically planned to cycle with 220-240 W. The legs are fresh and this power output feels easy at this stage. Here it goes up straight and there many cyclists, motor cyclists and cars on the road. It is just about OK on weekdays but hell for cyclists at the weekend, so avoid. 

Here, a little higher up comes the village of Trafoi with a view to the retreating glaciers of the Ortler... 

... and here two cyclists are just ahead of myself. 

It is never too steep but sustained with 23 uphill kilometres. After half of the ascent you cross the tree line and then climb the famous "tornantes" (German Serpentinen) or hair pin curves all the way to the summit.

I reached the pass roughly at noon. Up there are shops, food stalls and good fun Italian chaos and noise.   

As it was only 6 degrees, I put my jacket on and quickly descended 1500 metres of altitude to Bormio in the South. Plenty of motor bikes and cars. 

Here is the market square of Bormio. I sat down in an outside restaurant and ordered something starting with "T", expecting Tagliatelle or some similar form of pasta. However, it was a plate with Italian ham and some cheese. Not the fuel I wanted and needed but better than nothing. 

Back on the bike and 1500 m back up to the Stelvio. Choosing the right clothing is tricky because it was above 20 degrees in Bormio and only 6 degrees at the top. I was wearing an undershirt, a merino cycle jersey and opened it for the sweaty first part of the ascent. The climb from Bormio is long but only 1500 m altitude, so 300 m less than from Prad. 

Here a vulture near the summit... 

... and here some Alpine gentian (German: Enzian). 

Again the Italian circus at the top and back down. At around 2500 m of altitude there is a T-junction and this time I turned right. A wee ascent to reach the top of the Umbrail pass. 

From there a long, curvy descent to Santa Maria in Graubünden, Switzerland. 

The climb back up is steep and mainly hair pins but there were fewer cars than on the main road. I also was mentally tired at this stage and lay down on the grass for 10 min to refresh myself. Here, a descending cyclist near the top of the Umbrail pass... 

... and here is the T-junction where the Umbrail meets the Stelvio. The bealach of the Stelvio is behind the house in the distance, just 250 altimetres more. 

I stopped to take photos of these pretty cows, named Balu Beatrix...

... and Casper Candy .

At this stage my legs were heavy and I only managed to produce 160-180 W, far below the expected 220-240 W. Cycling mountain passes is relentless because there is no descent or opportunity just to roll a bit and so this makes you more tired than when cycling in the plains. 

By the time I reached the pass for the final time, people were packing up. 

I again put my jacket on and descended all those tornantes back to my car parked by the side of the road. 

Here is the altitude profile of the day. It was 4664 m of ascending and I felt it. 

I drove past Nauders with the much photographed church tower in the reservoir... 

... and ordered a take away Pizza Magherita and an alcohol-free beer and drove all the way back to Munich. 

In summary, the Stelvio triplo is a great challenge for hobby cyclists. Get plenty of training in and get used to pace yourself up a long mountain pass. Nutrition and drinking is important. I made rice cakes using this recipe https://www.siroko.com/blog/c/how-to-make-bike-ride-rice-cakes-and-how-to-wrap-them/. Highly recommended as you get plenty of carbs in and as they are easily digestable and not too sweet. You should aim for probably 60 g of carbohydrates per hour of ascent (= 1 Muesli bar or 1 banana is roughly 30 g). You do not need a super bike but a disc brake makes the descents much easier and arguably safer. I used 30 mm Continental 5000 tyres with inner tubes inflated to 5.5 bar. These wider tyres are great on the sometimes bumpy road and add safety. Finally, plan your clothing well. Prad is below 1000 m and the summit is at nearly 3000 m, so expect a temperature difference of more than 10 degrees. A light rain or wind jacket is essential for the first part of the descent. Good luck for your attempt!

HW