Bouldering with a view in Hoch-Imst

What was missing in the Outdoor region Imst besides all the sport climbing routes and alpine delicacies? Exactly, an area for bouldering. The Steinblock crew has been busy cleaning blocks in Hoch-Imst and has opened up a new bouldering area at 1,400 meters - we were there for the opening!

The Football World Cup is opening in Moscow, a new shopping center is opening in Singapore and a new bouldering area is opening in Imst. It's up to you to decide which opening you'd prefer to attend, but we're going for the version that promises the most rock and the fewest people: bouldering in Imst!

Best rock for bouldering

"The Imst mountains are better known for alpine activities," says Guntram Jörg from the Steinblock climbing hall in Imst. "For bouldering, we've always gone to Ötztal or Pitztal." But because Imst also has perfect quality boulders practically on its doorstep, the logical consequence was: "Pack a steel brush, bouldering brush and motivated friends, clean, boulder!"

Bouldering for everyone

The result is a small but beautiful bouldering area with lots of easier lines, but if you want "Straight to Monaco", for example, you have to be able to do 8a. There's something for everyone, and the ambience is unique: from Hoch-Imst, take the comfortable (you could almost say chilled) 2-seater chairlift up to the Untermarkter Alpe (1,491 m), the middle station of the Imster Bergbahnen, and from there, with crash pads on your shoulders, it's a leisurely 10 minutes downhill on a forest path to the boulders.

Blocks instead of walls

The best islands of high mountain limestone are waiting here, somewhat hidden in the lovely mushroom forest, embedded in a sea of ferns, larches and pines. However, you often have to fight over the best mushrooms with the beautiful Tyrolean gray cattle, who watch you with obvious bewilderment as you pick them. "People have been bouldering in Imst for a long time, over in Reithle, but almost only on walls there. Here we have independent boulders, which is of course more attractive for boulderers!" says Guntram, who knows the area inside out.

Down into the valley on the summer toboggan run

An altitude of 1,400 meters promises good temperatures for climbing even in summer, with good ledges, holes and even cracks. Only passionate fans of the Fontainbleau exit mantle will be disappointed; the water grooves on the top-outs almost always promise an ingenious handle as the last hold. And if that's not enough fun for a day outdoors, take the Alpine Coaster from the mountain station back down to the valley, the longest summer toboggan run in the world!

The facts about bouldering in Hoch-Imst at a glance: Reithle spot: 33 boulders on 11 blocks in difficulty levels 5a to 8a Spot U-ALM HUALIG ALMECK: 15 boulders on 6 blocks in difficulty levels 5b to 8a 10 minutes downhill approach from the Untermarkter Alpe, around 25 minutes without cable car from Hoch-Imst The topo and access map are available for download.