Lüsener Villerspitze (3027m) via Roter Kogel (2832m) from Lüsenstal

guest post by @bennibru.

Technical difficulty: 8/10
Fitness: 8/10
Objective danger: 7/10
Landscape: 9/10
Busy: 2/10

The Lüsener Villerspitze (often also referred to as Lisenser Villerspitze) stands in stark contrast to the well known and crowded ski touring peaks above Praxmar in terms of both popularity and accessibility. In this demanding round tour, we utilize the Roter Kogel, also visited in the Fotscher Express, as a transition into the Fotschertal to then tackle the solitary route up to the scenic and exposed Lüsener Villerspitze. On the descent, we enjoy rewarding north-facing slopes on our return to the starting point in Lüsenstal.

Starting point: Parkplatz Moos (Praxmar)
Ending point: Parkplatz Moos (Praxmar)
Ascend: 2300vm / 7h
Exposition: all but south

Route:

The tour begins at the paid parking lot at the fishpond below Praxmar. From there, we follow the road downhill for a few meters before immediately beginning the ascent eastward through a forest clearing. Since the lower part of the ascent route is also used as the descent from Roter Kogel, the track is often skied out and can be challenging from the very start. Additionally, due to the west-facing orientation, afternoon sun exposure is high, and after clear nights, ski crampons can be useful. After passing Aflinger Alm and reaching the treeline, the route shifts southeastward, gaining elevation along a terrain ridge and providing great morning views of Lüsener Fernerkogel. In the uppermost section, we reach the gentle summit ridge between "Auf Sömen" and Roter Kogel to the south. After the last undulating meters, we arrive at the summit cross, where we can take in the descent route as well as a direct view of the Lüsener Villerspitze.

For our traverse, we use the vast eastern slopes leading into the Fotschertal. To do so, we ski down the steep gully between the two summit plateaus, where safe conditions are absolutely necessary. We descend with the ascent route to Wildkopf on the opposite side of the valley in view, but in the final section, we tend southward into the valley to minimize the subsequent climb at Fernerboden. We follow the Fotscher Bach upstream until we pass the ridge extending eastward from Hohe Röte. A steeper section requires some kick turns before the terrain flattens and we enter a high valley (Innerer Bremstall), at the end of which the Hochgraffljoch (2693m) soon becomes visible. This is our next target and marks the transition back into Lüsenstal.

At this point, it should be emphasized that for ski tours of this nature, conditions must be assessed more thoroughly in advance than usual. If a turnaround before or at Hochgraffljoch is necessary, it would result in a long and strenuous return trip or potentially an extremely long "escape" through Fotschertal to Sellrain.

The ascent to Hochgraffljoch steadily steepens but remains feasible with skis under good conditions and proper kick-turn technique. After a short descent on skins, we begin the final ascent to Villerspitze through a north-facing cirque. Once through the potentially wind-affected but otherwise straightforward cirque, we reach a sunny, flat plateau offering an impressive view of the nearby north face of Hohe Villerspitze. From here, we proceed westward over a steep step to reach the northwest ridge of Lüsener Villerspitze, providing our first detailed look at the imposing north-facing summit slope. On the ridge, a small rock step is easily climbed, followed by a descent into a small notch, which can also serve as a ski depot if conditions are less than optimal. If conditions are good and safe, the final meters can be ascended on skis, allowing us to reach the highly scenic summit with a beautiful cross at 3027m.

The north face is interspersed with some rock sections and requires a solid snow base for a descent. If conditions are favorable, the direct descent from the summit is one of the greatest ski touring experiences, comparable to the descent from Grubenwand in the immediate vicinity. After about 300 meters of vertical descent, the slope flattens, and we enjoy the further north- and northwest-facing slopes in Schönlisental with lots of possibilities for powder turns. At approximately 2300m, a decision must be made: either stay to the right of the stream in the direction of descent, following the "regular" ascent route into the valley (which may involve a potentially avalanche-prone traverse), or, as in our case, take further turns to the left of the stream toward the treeline. In this variant, we follow steeper gullies and also ski directly along (or on top of) the mostly frozen and snow-covered Schönlisensbach. Note that this section is directly above a waterfall popular among ice climbers, so careful descent is required not to trigger any slab or even rocks. After a final steep slope, we reach the open area above the road and the cross-country ski trail, which we follow for about 1 km to return to the starting point.

Pro Tip: If snow conditions on the (south) east-facing slopes of Roter Kogel are not ideal, the more north-facing, long, and usually enjoyable descent toward Potsdamer Hütte is an alternative. This extends the ascent in Fotschertal by a few hundred meters but also offers a great opportunity to refuel at the hut.

Photos by @bennibru and @troopni