We went through Rotmoosferner (Redmoss Glacier) in late June 2018 and found that climbing from the glacier to the ridge required snowshoes (slope > 70 degrees) due to deep unpacked snow. Visiting the Rotmoosferner trail is recommended to see the amazing rock debris left by the glacier melt.
However, continuing the trail to cross over the mountain ridge to Rotmoosjoch (Redmoss Notch) should only be done with proper equipment and in July or August. The snow and rock slides are unstable and the ridge does not appear to have existing rock climbing attachments to clip into, unlike other ridge crossing trails in the Alps. We do not recommend attempting this crossing in June, or without proper equipment.
Here is a video of the hike which allows you to see the angle of assent/decent:
We followed a dotted trail which is shown on some maps to cross the ridge to get to the Zwickauer Hütte. Note: dotted trails are seasonal unmarked mountaineering trails which require rock climbing equipment.
The trail we followed was a dotted line trail, we found out later that means an unmarked seasonal mountaineering trail which requires rock climbing equipment.
Locals said it is recommended to try to cross there only in July or August, and only with a Bergfahrer (mountaineer) who can secure the attachments.
It is an unmarked footpath (missing red/white markers on the ground). After the ground turns to snow and shifting rock, the path can be followed using GPS from the Ratmoosferner to the Ratmoosjoch. Once you get up to the ridge you will find the ridge does not appear to have existing rock climbing attachments to clip into at the GPS location of the joch (notch).
We climbed up until we could see the sun behind ridge through the fog. We could also see from Google Maps that we had reached the ridge. One of us went up to the rock face to look for attachments (blue dot in the image below). After what felt like 30 minutes of exploring the rock face, realized we would be unable to make the crossing, so we slid back down.
At one point, we were able to see the sun was unblocked by further mountains.
GPS trace from Google Maps, show section from the Ratmoosferner (Redmoss Glacier) trail to the Ratmoosjoch (Redmoss Notch).
After we had slid down the glacier and we were in a stable location, I took a screenshot of where the GPS showed us. I forgot to snapshot it while we were on the incline, which showed we had made it across the Italian border, possibly due to GPS drift.
We spent a while at the ridge, the GPS trace shows lots of slipping (speeds of 5km/hour without changes in altitude.)
On a sunny day we would have been able to see the notch.
Sleeping with ear plugs was magical. We had bread an muesli mit milch und milch cafe for breakfast. We got our things and went outside to fill the water bag and prep the bags for the day.
Well organized to maximize sleeping capacity.
We climbed out of the crater to a amazing view with shrubs. To the first crossing to another country into Austria by walking. We walked down, about halfway down passed a cafe which wasn't open yet (it was still only 8 am).
Morning view of hike out of the crater.
We saw the sign taking about the taxi from the town to Madau base of the mountain, we decided to take the walk to at least the Bach town, and re-evaluate there since it would be our longest day and didn't appear to be normal to walk it.
The hills and fields were beautiful, we got to town, changed from our boots to our shoes and called for info about the taxi. The dispatch said they didn't know when the taxi would be back. We went to the market to re-supply a bit, got meat and cheese and nectarines. We read the sign for the taxi and it said 60 euros for up to 4 people, we decided to keep going (we knew we could do the distance, and we are that cheap).
View of the village in the valley.
Leaving Bach towards Madau and found that the train was a pilgrimage trail with icons and benches along the way. We saw signs saying the village or the road would be closed that weekend. We were running really low on water for what we had left to do, with only 700ml of water left. Our trail led us on the west of the river, until we got to the turn in the road and saw that the GPS trace we were following wasn't a path, this was the first mishap of the Komoot app, we turned around and went back to where the village was supposed to be, and saw 1-2 signs for Gasthof, but no restaurants or markets on the road, and still no water.
We made some hiking staffs and started the gradual incline towards the mountains. We ate some wurst and talked to a nice older couple who were also on their way to the Memmingen hütte. We found a horse/hiker watering trough with running water, as we had seen elsewhere in villages and filled our water pack. We got to the end of the road and saw the cable car for taking packs and supplies up to the house. We read the signs 16€ per pack, that you can call with the telephone up to the hütte, but we decided we had enough energy to just keep the bags since they weren't very heavy.
We are going up there!
We started the climb at around 3:30, expecting to be at the top way before 9pm (sunset) since we had only 2km left to do, but 1km vertical also. We met a group coming down who warned us that it would take a trip least 2 hours, we smiled. Probably they thought we were going for a day hike as well. Yes we know...
Every 100 meters in altitude on our GPS we paused and had cheese, fig, tomatoes or wurst in alternation. This system, and the cold water from the mountains spicket gave us energy and we made it to the top by 7pm!
We crossed a few waterfalls and ice flows. It was windy, we even put on our tuque and gloves. We got to see mountain goats in person and even saw them battle (or play) for king of the boulder.
Mountain goats
We finally arrived at 7pm just before the kitchen closing of 7h30, it took us way longer than expected to do that last 2km.
Hutte in the distance.
While waiting for dinner I started getting the chills and, and I did put on m my winter clothes, but still kept shivering. We sat with a mixed group of folks, one of them (I think the guide of the group) said Mathieu didn't speak German. The rest of the table gave him an eye and said be careful, I had been speaking with them in German for over an hour before he arrived. He recovered by criticizing me of speaking hoch Deutsch. I shrugged. We ate most of our food to get energy and went out for a walk to enjoy the sunset and view the crystal mountain lake.
The view was breathtaking, and amazing!
A wheat beer to enjoy the view.
Breathtaking view of the glassy lake at the top.
Again to bed early, tomorrow would be a short day only 14km, almost all downhill so we put in our earplugs and planned to wake up at 7:30... but of course at sunrise at 5.30am UP we were!
We woke up early to get the 8am train. We walked by the trout to say goodbye, got coffee and our tickets.
The train platform listed two trains stopping at 8am, on the same platform. While we waited in the sun the train arrived. After waiting a few minutes we asked the conductor who was getting off his shift if that train went to Oberstdorf, he said yes, almost missing the train that was in our faces, in that zugteil, fortunately right on the platform where we had been waiting.
Inside the train car, the destination confirmed that it was going to Oberstdorf. Basically we found out it wasn't two trains that stopped, but instead one train with two engines, which would split mid way, the front engine continuing to au.. while the back engine to Oberstdorf!
We walked through the ski village of Oberstdorf, bought a pretzel bun tomato and cheese sandwich and then found the foot path that led up into the mountains.
We heard our first cacophony of cow bells in the hills.
Cow with bells that could be heard from several hundred meters.
After a little while, we stopped at a Gasthof for a beer and tea.
A beer in the valley.
We began to climb, saw our first rock slides, hid from sprinkles under a rain-forest style tree and had lunch. We saw a group retirees who passed us with their day-packs without realizing that we were there eating on a rock under a tree 1 meter away from them.
Climbing was slow going, getting used to the altitude, saw our first melting ice flows.
Finally around 7 pm we made it to the top of the mountains and we could see the Kemptner hut above us.
Kemptner Hütte above us.
We sat with two guys who told us that they were taking a taxi the next day, instead of the 29km we had planned. Dinner included svíčková and haluski, my favorite.
Walk after dinner.
We also got Glühwein and of course Witbier. We had schlafplatz near the door, with ear plugs slept the night through under heavy rain until it was time to wake up at sunrise 5:30.
