Wändlispitz & Diethelm - via Gross Sienen

Wändlispitz (1970 m) is a mountain peak which looks quite impressive, and it is not that easy to get up there. The routes across Gartenbeetli, Schäferweg, and SE ridge are all rated T6. Then there is the route via Gross Sienen (which is a T5) and that is the one I did today. Many thanks to Nobis for the report which gave me most of the information I needed to do this hike!

Start of the hike in Ochsenboden at 7:40 AM. I followed the white-red-white marked trail in direction Fläschlipass/Fläschlihöchi. At elevation 1100 m, I took a right turn through the forest until I reached the creek. Then I ascended up through the very steep forest. In the lower part, there are some animal paths, but further up less. I first headed a bit in the right (westerly) direction, and further up I headed back to the left (eastwards). Trees and bushes provided support, and I found the hiking sticks very useful. In many places the ground was a bit muddy or slippery, so caution was really needed. The slope is in the range between 35° and 45°. Overall I would rate the ascent from elevation 1100 m to 1300 m a T5-.

After getting out of the forest at approx. elevation 1300 m, it is a bit less steep, but the most difficult part of the hike comes fairly soon thereafter. At elevation 1400 m, the slope is about 50° for a distance of 70-80 m. It is mostly grassy terrain, with a few rocks in between. In the steep grass, the ice axe was absolutely necessary for me. Small trees and bushes were also helpful during the ascent. Overall I would rate the ascent in this area a T5.

Further up it becomes less steep, and the rest of the hike up to Wändlispitz is a mix of T3 and T4. The ascent over remaining snow fields was a little bit tricky in the steeper part, but the ice axe proved useful here as well. I reached the NW ridge of Wändlispitz at elevation 1800 m, and from there is is only T3. I did not meet anyone else at the summit of Wändlispitz.

After visiting Wändlispitz, I descended to elevation 1750 m and continued up to Diethelm via the north flank. The difficulty of the ascent is between T3 and T4. At the summit I met a fellow hiker, and others had been there earlier as well. I descended on the white-blue-white trail with chains and ladder (T4).

After a short lunch break, I used the snowfields on the northeast side to slide or surf down. It was a quick descent as long as the snow lasted, 260 m elevation loss in less than 10 min. Next, I followed the wrw marked trail to Fläschlipass and back to Ochsenboden.

Equipment:
- Gaiters (not used)
- Hiking sticks
- Ice axe

Remarks:
- Please see the attached GPS track for more details on the route. In the lower part of Gross Sienen, the track is not perfectly accurate due to the poor signal between the rock walls.
- Personally I would not recommend going downhill in the steepest part of Gross Sienen (perhaps unless you are used to T6 hikes)