From witches' cauldron to underworld and from boulder romance to slab creepers - the wild and romantic landscape of the Pitztal is the perfect place for climbing.
Summer vacation in the Pitztal? Definitely! The almost 40-kilometre-long southern side valley of the Inn Valley has a lot to offer: The beginning of the valley, better known as the outer Pitztal, is broad with gently sloping slopes and equally gentle elevations. The villages of Arzl, Wald, Wenns and Jerzens are located in the outer Pitztal, where the hilly terrain creates a picturesque low mountain landscape. The broad high plateau of the Pillerhöhe also enchants with its pretty landscape and marks the connection to the Kaunertal.
The village of Wenns in the outer Pitztal with a view of the Tschirgant, photo: Tirol Werbung
If you drive further into the valley on the main road in the Pitztal, the mountains slowly come closer, the valley becomes narrower and closes into a striking "V". The peaks are close enough to touch and the views are spectacular. Welcome to the Innerpitztal with its famous "Wildspitze", which is actually part of the Ötztal Alps - but never mind ...
The Pitztal has many different facets and the outdoor options are correspondingly diverse: from leisurely hikes to alpine tours, from waterfall trails to sunbathing, not forgetting the many trail running routes including the Pitztal Glacier Trail Maniak (95 kilometers and around 6,500 meters in altitude!) - the Pitztal has an almost inexhaustible offer for athletes. But most importantly: the Pitztal has a heart for climbers and boulderers. Off to the Pitztal, the climbing valley!
Whether bouldering or rope climbing - the Pitztal offers plenty of opportunities for all climbers, photo: TVB Pitztal, Benedikt Falbesoner
Summer freshness: bouldering at Mandlers Boden
36 degrees, and it's going to get even hotter, say the weather forecasters. So better to go swimming? Nope, bouldering instead! In the "Mandlers Boden" area. The boulders are scattered throughout the dense forest, which is interrupted by pretty clearings that invite you to relax, sunbathe or sleep. And otherwise: contemplate boulder problems, work out solutions and soak up the fresh, tangy scent of the forest - wonderful.
55 boulders are just waiting to be climbed on different lines. The difficulties range from "Hänsel" and "Gretel" - two easy routes on block 22 - to "Ninja Skil", a line rated 7c on block 54.
Bouldering at Mandlers Boden, photo: Tirol Werbung
And after bouldering is before swimming or a campfire. The Mandlers Boden area offers designated fireplaces - ideal for a little Canadian feeling with stick bread & co. When the fire flickers in the sky, the logs crackle and the night birds slowly become active and sing their songs, it is definitely a memory for young and old that you can cherish for a long time to come.
Dive into the Pitztal underworld on hot days
Do you prefer to be on the rocks with a rope? No problem, how about the "Unterwelt" climbing garden, for example? Located deep in the forest, the area is ideal for climbing sessions on hot summer days. The orientation is also perfect: north-east. It could hardly be better. However, Unterwelt is not for "softies", which means that the routes are hard and require full attention and muscle work from the very first move. But otherwise it is a top summer climbing area and a bit of "bouldering out" is always possible. The main thing is to have a chilled day in pleasant temperatures.
Hexenkessel: for cool summer days or early risers
The "Hexenkessel" climbing area is located in the rear Pitztal, or rather in the Innerpitztal, where the two sides of the valley are close together and the mountain peaks rise high into the sky. The elongated rock bar lies at an altitude of 2,000 meters and offers some fantastic climbing lines in the gneiss.
Perhaps not the ideal climbing area for beginners, and only of limited interest for the first switch from the hall to the rock. But: If you feel comfortable from the seventh degree and have experience in rock climbing, you will have a lot of fun here. Otherwise, choose an experienced lead climber as a climbing partner and have fun too. The lines are really impressive and - depending on the route and difficulty - are reminiscent of either an athletic street dance or a slab crawler. A cauldron of color with surprisingly varied climbing.
The Hexenkessel in the rear Pitztal offers climbing routes in the best gneiss, photo: Tirol Werbung
A small downer: the wall faces south-west, so it's not for warm summer days. This makes it all the more enjoyable when the day is cloudy with moderate temperatures.
Another option: get up with the chickens and take advantage of the coolness of the first few hours to spend the rest of the day in the lush flower meadow at the foot of the wall. The view towards the Pitztal Glacier and Kaunergrathütte is magnificent. Definitely a particularly idyllic spot that deserves to be explored extensively. In other words: take a blanket and a snack with you and become a forager yourself, because depending on the season, the sweet raspberries and thick cranberries almost grow in your mouth here.
Water march!
The kids don't want to miss out on swimming on vacation? Then pack up the water rats and head to Wasserwelten Stillebach. The bathing pond with a large sunbathing lawn offers a box seat towards the glacier, where the eternal ice sparkles in the sun. The Klockefall, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Pitztal, whose thundering masses of water plunge over 150 meters into the depths, can also be wonderfully viewed from here. If you like, read up on the positive effects of Sebastian Kneipp's alternating baths and wade through the Kneipp pool or try out arm bathing.
Something for little water rats - the Stillebach bathing pond, photo: Tirol Werbung
A piece of Hesse in Tirol: the Mainz and Rüsselsheim sections
Two Hessian Alpine Club sections are represented in the Innerpitztal, whose huts are practically opposite each other: On the one side is the Kaunergrathütte of the Mainz section at an altitude of 2,817 meters. The two-and-a-half to three-hour ascent from the valley parking lot is extremely varied. The surroundings of the hut are particularly attractive due to their high alpine and barren character.
The Kaunergrathütte in the Innerpitztal valley belongs to the Mainz section of the German Alpine Club, photo: Tirol Werbung
On the other side of the valley, the steep path to the Rüsselsheimer Hütte pushes its way upwards, conveniently passing the "Hexenkessel" climbing garden. The hut belongs to the Rüsselsheim section. It was built in 1926 by the Chemnitz section, from 1955 it was in the care of the Rüsselsheim section and since 1973 it has been owned by the Hessians after the Chemnitz section disbanded.
The Rüsselsheimer Hütte with its stone oriel is like an eagle's nest and offers breathtaking views. The two-hour ascent can be "sweetened" for little walkers with the view of a "knight's castle" complete with Kaiserschmarren, dumplings & co.
All information about the bouldering and climbing areas in the Pitztal.
