The Wilde Kreuzspitze is a comparatively easy to ascend 3000 meters peak close to the town of Sterzing (Italian: Vipiteno) in South Tyrol, Italy.
This mountain is 3135 meters AMSL high, more exactly, and consists of two peaks, lying about one hundred and fifty meters apart.
Many hikers won’t proceed to the northern peak after touching the summit cross on the nine meters shorter southern peak however, for there are even in late summer large snowfields between the two rocky elevations which may demand some extra equipment such as crampons.
In our case, as we were pushing forward on this Saturday, July 20 without such gear, we had to face quite a few larger and smaller snowfields during the last and next-to-last sections of our hike starting at 2650 meters, what forced countless detours across loose rubble and crushed rocks.
Reaching the Wilde Kreuzspitze after two exhausting hours (three from the Sterzinger Hütte on 2348 meters) and without seeing any other mountaineers, we were finally rewarded with extensive views of the Zillertaler Alpen mountain range, and a splendid view onto the Wilder See in the south (sources claim it is the deepest mountain lake in South Tyrol).
The descent on the same way took us almost as long as climbing up the mountain. The boulders, ice and snow required tentative steps and anticipation of the ground conditions ahead. Nevertheless the rubble gave way two or three times under my weight, so I got the mandatory bruises and scratches but nothing too serious.
We decided to camp next to the Sterzinger Hütte because it was quite late in the day (sleeping inside was not possible), though pitching a tent is normally not allowed in this part of the Alps. Yet above 2000 meters, it is usually tolerated as long as you leave the place as you had found it (self-evidently) and disappear with the sunrise.
So we had a quite relaxed final day, descending to the parking lot in Burgum on 1400 meters and enjoying the splendid nature and the fine weather on a late July Sunday.
Photo and video gallery
July 20 ’24
Sterzinger Hütte
Wilde Kreuzspitze
Featured image: On the peak looking southwards