Climbing with children in the Steinberge

In contrast to other sporting activities, the youngest members of the family are involved in climbing right from the start. Age doesn't play a major role here, as "diaper rockers" as young as two years old can let off steam on the rock and in the gym even before they can pronounce the words "carabiner", "belay device" or "lowering" correctly. But how and where is the best way to approach climbing with children?

Correctly "mock" climbing with children

As the need to "scramble" is innate in children and is acted out by them as soon as they can stand and walk, parents don't actually have to do too much, just let the children act out the urge and ensure their safety. Being able to "mock" properly is therefore also important for moms and dads. They should be prepared for all possible fall scenarios and always adapt their own position to the child's movements with full concentration. It is particularly important to protect the head and back.

Playgrounds for climbing with children

Once the sofas and chairs have been conquered by the little ones, it's soon time for the cupboards and then climbing frames on playgrounds. In a family region like the Steinberge, there are plenty of opportunities to playfully live out the urge to climb: for example at the alpine adventure playground in the Almenwelt Lofer or in the low ropes course in Timok's Wilder Welt at the middle station of the Fieberbrunn cable cars. Balance and dexterity can also be practiced at any age on the low ropes course in the Triassic Park on the Steinplatte.

The first rock climbing attempts with children

With the right equipment (full harnesses), children from the age of three can get started on the rope and rock. The Halser Grund children's practice crag and the Wiesensee climbing garden between St. Ulrich am Pillersee and Hochfilzen offer good practice terrain for families with young climbers. The Halser Grund is 8 m high with routes of 3rd to 5th difficulty, while the Wiesensee even offers routes of 7th difficulty. Both climbing gardens are just a three-minute walk from the road, and you can cool off in the lake at any time.

Climbing courses for children

Children's climbing courses run by sports climbing instructors and mountain guides start at around five years of age, as this is when children can be separated from mommy and daddy for two to three hours. Before that, the "pain of separation" is usually a problem, which is why parents of younger climbers should be familiar with safety techniques in order to be able to "lend a hand". You can get a taste of climbing or join a basic course for 6 to 14-year-olds at the Felsenfest climbing hall in Saalfelden. There, basic techniques and climbing rules are learned with special climbing games, safety techniques are demonstrated and toprope climbing is practiced indoors and outdoors on the wall in good weather. Young adventurers can also climb up the colorful holds on hotel walls such as at the Salzburger Hof and Mama Thresl in Leogang. You are also protected from bad weather at Familienland Pillersee in St. Jakob in Haus.

Vacation program for children

The Salzburger Saalachtal has included climbing for children in its vacation program in July and August. When the weather is fine, they go to the Weißbacher Platte with the professionals from the Markus Hirnböck Alpine School, in bad weather they go into the hall to make their first climbing attempts under supervision and gain experience with harness and rope. The 6 to 10-year-olds are always on Monday afternoons and the 11 to 16-year-olds on Thursday mornings. From the age of eight, climbing is the order of the day at the Pillersee summer program. There, the youngsters can climb with professionals in Halsergrund every Monday.

Via ferratas for climbing with children

Once the kids are a little older, via ferrata climbing also becomes an option. The suitable average age here is eight to ten years and requires that the children are supervised by an adult on the via ferrata and that they are supervised when being clipped on. The minimum weight of 40 kg must also be observed so that the via ferrata set - provided it is one that complies with the new standard - can properly arrest a fall in an emergency. In addition, the accompanying adult on the via ferrata must be able to use the additional rope safety device on difficult passages. This is where the youth summer programs supervised by mountain guides, such as the one on the Adolari via ferrata in St. Ulrich am Pillersee, are ideal. The nice, short via ferrata in difficulty level B/C with an integrated bridge and Flying Fox at the end is not only fun for youngsters. In Weißbach near Lofer, the "Zahme Gams" is tempting. At level A/B and in places C, it is easily doable for all young (and older) beginners with the right equipment and knowledge of belaying techniques.

So if you want to discover climbing for yourself and your children, the Steinberge region between Tyrol's PillerseeTal and Salzburg's Saalachtal as well as Saalfelden Leogang is the perfect place for you and offers a wide range of activities for all ages throughout the summer.