In addition, a number of excellent Rock Climbing Areas have sprung up in recent years. Here’s an overview of the most beautiful areas in the Tirolean Zugspitz Arena.
Text: Simon Schöpf
If you’re looking for an easily accessible, shaded multi-pitch area for those warm days – complete with rock as solid as a rock – then the ‘Wampete’ is one of the most rewarding walls in Tirol. Solid rock with well-bolted routes of medium distance.
You’ll need to be comfortable with a grade 7, though: technical slabs alternate with wall climbing featuring small holds. All in all, a brilliant Finishing Point above Biberwier.
The climbing potential here is simply stunning: from leisurely base climbs to challenging Multi-Pitch Climbing, the Plattspitzen offer it all. On the longer routes, the alpine sport-climbing style predominates, meaning good protection on bolts. And everywhere: rough, water-eroded limestone.
The Plattspitzen are situated above the Ehrwalder Alpine Pasture. The best way to get there is by mountain biking or using a Cable Car up to 1,500 metres, then on foot for a good half an hour to the start of the routes. If you’ve got several routes on your itinerary, the Hochfeldern-Alpine Pasture is the perfect base.
The standard route would, of course, be rather boring: a formidable 1,000-metre wall leads up to the Schneefernerkopf in the Zugspitze massif – and anyone who’s clocked up that many metres of climbing usually prefers to take the cable car back down.
Overall, the route is characterised by long, long climbs with plenty of easy terrain, but also a few tricky sections. Anyone tackling the ‘Zwischen den Toren’ route (6a+) can look forward to 23 distances.
Once again, we make our way up via the Ehrwalder Alpine Pasture to the Felshimmel: the western part of the Plattspitzen offers well-secured routes on superb limestone around the Roter Masten Rock Climbing Area – at 2,300 metres above sea level. The atmosphere is just right.
With an approach time of just over an hour, the area is unlikely to be overrun with climbers. Most routes are graded 6., so even Beginners can really get a go of it here.
For a change, here’s something down in the valley with short access: the Hanger Rock Climbing Area is easy to reach and offers steep climbing on good Wetterstein limestone. Even hardcore climbers who enjoy tackling a grade 9 or 10 will find something to their liking here.
There’s a wealth of rock to be found all around the Coburger Mountain Lodge/Hut: from exposed Via Ferrata/Iron Ways to long Multi-Pitch Climbing routes, you’ll find it all here. And there’s also a small but lovely Rock Climbing Area for a relaxing day on the rock.
Just ten minutes from the Mountain Lodge/Hut, you can train here for bigger challenges – the routes are mainly in the lower Levels of Difficulty.
An area that has long flown under the radar is now a must-visit – especially for anyone travelling with children or beginners: the Gamsgarten Rock Climbing Area on the Grubigstein above Lermoos.
Seven routes, all with a distance of around 15 metres and graded between 3 and 5 – plus a panoramic view of the valley basin that elsewhere would cost you an hour of access. The Rock Climbing Area lies below the top stations of the Gamsjet and Grubigsteinbahn cable cars and is particularly well-suited to top-roping.
At a glance
Tips & Safety
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