The Schartenschartl is a steep counterpart to the Ödkarscharte and due to its final section which is like a gun barrel, it is very popular in ski touring circles. The view from the Schartl to the north into the neighbouring, legendary Steinkar and the ascent gully back impart a feeling of wildness and adventure, just above the rooftops of Lienz. In spring it is often firn snow conditions which prevail in the sunny flanks on the area running out of the gully, whereas the Ödkar opposite still has one or another powder snow slope.
Starting point is Gasthaus Kreithof (1090 m, fee for parking), 3.5km to the south east of the town of Tristach, which we get to via the road to Tristacher See. When the toboggan run is operational the ascent to Dolomitenhütte (1610 m, chains compulsory) is only permitted at specific times or is completely closed off (taxi service). Via open pastureland we get to Dolomitenhütte in around an hour, where we now head beneath a steeper cliff face to the south, into the broad Laserzkessel. Behind the Instein Alm (1680 m) the road climbs and we leave this in the first big left bend via a fosse to the left of the summer trail. The ski track then swings along the summer trail through fields of mountain pines up to the impressive Marcher Stein (2000 m). We cross the broad base terrain and in 20 – 30 minutes come to Karlsbader Hütte (2208 m). Around 150 m to the north of this accommodation, we climb east through the flanks on the sunny side (30 °) beneath the Gr. Sandspitze to a somewhat difficult to make out gully outlet of the Schartenschartl. Quite a few hairpin bends later, a gully begins and you are up at around 2500 m. The final 170 m climbing in the narrow channel are tiring, either carrying your skis or masterfully tackling the hairpin bends, before we head for the small, often corniced recess between the Kl. Sandspitze and the Lavanter Gamswiesenspitze (south, 35°). Please be aware that after new snow fall avalanches from vertical terrain affect the gully. 4 - 4 ½ hours from the Kreithof.
Additional ski tour tips can be obtained in the ski tour guides by Thomas Mariacher. These are available here: http://www.grafikzloebl.at/verlag/buecher/
