Altmann Ostgrat
Climbing on the second-highest peak of the Alpstein — officially 3+, in practice more, and over a thousand metres of approach from Wildhaus first.
Walk first, climb later
At 2435 metres the Altmann is the second-highest summit of the Alpstein, and the east ridge is the line you see from below and immediately want to understand. Except that the climbing day starts as a hiking day: from Wildhaus it is over a thousand metres of ascent to the foot of the route, a long steady climb through Alpstein terrain with the rack along for the walk. Underestimate the approach and you arrive at the start already half spent.
The guidebook grade is 3+. In reality it is stiffer than the number — and above all steep for a grade 3. The rock stands up far more than you are used to at this grade, the footholds turn out smaller than expected, and it is exposed throughout. That is no reason to avoid the route, but a good reason not to plan it as a warm-up.
Alpstein limestone, in other words: sharp, mostly solid, and thoroughly alpine. This is not a bolted plaisir ridge but ridge climbing on your own gear, with your own route-finding, and a descent by the normal route that asks for concentration once the climbing is done. Timetable and weather decide more here than the grade does.
Tip: summer and autumn, with autumn bringing the better air and fewer people. Because of the approach, either start very early or split the tour over two days and stay at the mountain inn on the Zwinglipass or the Rotsteinpass — then you climb in the morning on fresh legs instead of after a thousand metres of ascent.