Rotspitze and Weissspitze

In the Defereggen group, south of Matrei in Osttirol, the Rotspitze (2,956m/9,699ft) can be climbed in 5.5 hours, the Weissspitze (2,963m/9,722ft) in seven. At the head of the Defereggental a road (closed to caravans) leads from Erlsbach up to the Patscherhaus (1,667m/5,469ft; inn), from which it is three hours' climb to the Barmer Hütte (2,521m/8,271ft), a base for climbs in the Rieserferner group. The valley is being increasingly developed as a winter sports resort.