Of course, it’s easy to understand: After a long, harsh winter, finally feeling the southern sun on your sun-bleached skin again; after months of deprivation, finally savouring a vanilla ice cream with cream once more; perhaps even taking that first, tentative dip in the still-freezing lake: For many, the Easter break on Lake Garda marks the start of a new climbing season.
But there’s a downside: traffic jams as early as the Brenner Pass, overcrowded campsites, and the longed-for peace and quiet on the crags a distant dream. So here are five reasons why you’ll be just as happy at Climbers Paradise Tirol.
A large part of Lake Garda’s appeal lies in the Sarca Valley, which stretches northwards from the northern tip of the lake. With cliffs on either side – virtually wherever you look – an Easter egg hunt couldn’t be more rewarding. In Tirol, there’s a smaller (and quieter) version of the Sarca Valley: the Tannheimer Valley. Easily reached from Germany, it’s something of the first serious indentation in the Allgäu Alps. Of course, the Tannheimer Valley can’t compete with the grandeur of the Sarca Valley, but nor does it need to: 9 sport climbing areas, 10 multi-pitch routes, 3 Via Ferrata/Iron Ways … quite honestly, who needs more than that for a week’s holiday? And when it comes to rock quality, ‘Tyrol’s most beautiful high valley’ certainly has nothing to hide.
In particular, Multi-PitchClimbing around the majestic Rote Flüh, the Gimpel and the Zwerchwand is wonderfully south-facing and therefore ideal for spring, as soon as the snow has melted away. From the end of April, the Gimpelhaus is also open – the perfect forward base camp at the foot of the walls.
The Ötztal valley, too, need not shy away from comparison with the Sarcatal: anyone travelling through here will find it hard to choose between the many top-quality Rock Climbing Areas. There’s just one difference: here, it’s all about granite climbing; you won’t find any limestone here. But that’s just as well, because rock doesn’t get any more rock-solid than this. To soak up some sun, try the popular Engelswand with its pleasantly flat base (sunny from around 11 am), the equally comfortable Oberried Rock Climbing Area (sunny in the morning) or the Moosalm near Sölden.
For the obligatory scoop of gelato after a day’s climbing, there are several excellent options in the village of Oetz at the entrance to the valley: at the Vivan ice-cream parlour or Café Heiner, you’re sure to experience that Italian feeling of pure bliss.
So as not to constantly draw comparisons with Lake Garda, let’s digress briefly into France: the Steinplatte is the Verdon of Tyrol. The reef limestone in the Tirol-Salzburg border region is excellent; the sunny Multi-Pitch Climbing routes are incredibly good; and the offers are vast. The Rock Climbing Areas up on the Steinplatte are also top-notch: at ‘St. Johanner Palven’, for example, or in the ‘Wintergarten’, the rock leaves nothing to be desired – climbing through holes on devilishly sharp holds is the order of the day here.
But the Pillersee isn’t far from the lovely campsites in the valley either, so you get that ‘lago’ feeling once again. Those who prefer to linger comfortably in the valley certainly won’t get bored either: the Adolari Rock Climbing Area is well worth a visit, and there’s plenty of offers, especially for families and Beginners: The region boasts no fewer than five dedicated family Rock Climbing Areas. The Wiesensee Rock Climbing Area is particularly lovely; with an access time of roughly three minutes, it’s easily accessible even for the youngest vertical heroes and lies directly above Lake Wiesensee. Once you’ve had your fill of climbing, you can simply go for a splash!
Who needs the Fischzuchtplatten in the Sarca Valley when there are the Sonnenplatten in Scharnitz? Not far from the German border, situated on the edge of the Karwendel Mountains, this newly refurbished Rock Climbing Area – with its 60 or so routes – is particularly appealing to Beginners, as the difficulty levels are mostly easy to moderate. It’s an ideal spot for families: short access, a chill-out area with benches, a fountain and slacklines, and plenty and plenty of sun.
The routes were renovated by Scharnitz climbing legend and slackline pioneer Heinz Zak, who was one of the first to bring the concept of free climbing back from Yosemite Valley in California to his Tirolean homeland. He has left behind many brilliant routes on the local crags, many of them wild and untamed – in the Karwendel Mountains, the Kalkkögel and the Schüsselkar. Not so at the Sonnenplatten, though; here, it’s all about Leisure Climbing. And to recharge your batteries after a long day’s climbing, there’s only one option: head to the ‘Alte Mühle’ pizzeria in the centre of Scharnitz, where there’s a very special pizza on the menu: the ‘Heinz Zak’ pizza – you won’t even find one like it in Arco!
And if the Sonnenplatten aren’t enough, the Seefeld Olympic Region has plenty more up its sleeve: the legendary ‘Chinesische Mauer’, another south-facing limestone ridge, offers some of the most rewarding routes in Tirol – hard-core climbers in particular will have a blast here. Things are a bit more laid-back at the Mauerbogen; of the 30 routes, many are Grade 6 and, after the first belay, offer a few more challenging metres towards the top as a ‘bonus challenge’.
Tips & Safety
Would you like to know more about climbing safety? Click here for our safety tips.And because Arco is also known for its combination of challenging routes, zero-point-zero Access and a castle in the background: we can easily offer that in Tirol too. At the Geisterschmiedwand, that historic limestone wall just outside Kufstein, you can reach the routes in a matter of minutes, even in flip-flops. And then there’s the town’s fortress, far more impressive than the ruins near Arco! In any case, pioneers such as Hans Dülfer have already made their mark here; generations of top climbers have continually raised the bar, and at the moment it’s already set quite high. Namely at 9a+ with the route “Qui”, which was first climbed by Stefan Fürst back in 1996 and only repeated in 2019 by Adam Ondra himself (watch the video).
For anyone who prefers to take a more leisurely approach to their holiday, the Morsbach Rock Climbing Area comes highly recommended. Admittedly, you’ll need to swap your flip-flops for approach shoes here, but you’ll be at the crag in a good 10 minutes. It’s just as sunny here, and there’s a good number of routes in the lower Levels of Difficulty. Probably one of the first Rock Climbing Areas in Tirol!
And because nothing feels quite as good as dipping your sore toes into cool water after a long day’s climbing: no, you don’t have to drive all the way to Lake Garda for that either – just walk the few metres over to Lake Pfrill. And think to yourself: Ah, how lovely, the solitude!
