Pinnistal: On the road with Mr. Iceman

The Pinnistal is one of the hotspots for ice climbers in Tyrol, rarely can a cozy hut atmosphere and alpine adventure be combined so well. Out and about with one of the ice climbing pioneers from Climbers Paradise Tirol.

The Pinnistal is one of those places in Tyrol that you won't forget in a hurry. As a small side valley of the famous Stubai Valley, it is often in the shade, but is all the quieter for it. And you need shade anyway if you want to do one thing in winter: ice climbing. And you can do it here better than in almost any other place in Tyrol.

The epicenter of the icy hustle and bustle is the rustic Pinnisalm. There are colorful toboggans outside, and the Elferlift is an easy one-hour ascent. And an e-bike, because e-bike & climb is also possible for some people in winter, you just have to do it. Next to it is a large rucksack with pointed ice axes on the back and a bright red rope on top. Christian Piccolruaz, the keeper of the equipment, greets us with a big grin on his face. Picco, as everyone calls him, is an alpine jack-of-all-trades: bike pioneer, mountain guide instructor, route developer, Austrialpin athlete.

And an ice climber, of course, and not just any ice climber. Picco was there right from the start when it suddenly became fashionable to climb up frozen waterfalls with steel spikes. How long has he been doing it? "100 years," he laughs, shouldering his packed rucksack. In fact, there are probably only a few people in Climbers Paradise Tirol who have been practising this extreme sport for so long with so much enthusiasm and skill. Over the years, he has successfully maintained his enjoyment of the sport.

"Men without nerves", "Candle", "Family Sunday": there are more prominent icefalls in a very small space here than anywhere else in Tyrol. "A true Eldorado", enthuses Picco himself, who knows pretty much every place in the country where the water freezes in winter. We trudge up to the most prominent line here, the "curtain": the ice rises up massively, 80 meters vertically between the rock faces. Even from the Pinnisalm's parlor window, you can watch the climbers pick their way up. Rarely are cozy hut flair and alpine adventure so close together.

Mr. Iceman

A unique soundscape is created at the top at the entrance to the curtain: Cheerful children's laughter from the toboggan run mingles with the archaic sound of sharp steel hitting hard ice. The fact that the whole experience is by definition very temporary is evidenced by the fridge-sized chunks of ice scattered at the foot of the drop. "Even the helmet won't help," comments Picco. But today the curtain is in perfect condition, the ice firm and grippy. Relaxed and smooth, Picco climbs up the waterfall, twisting an ice screw into the ice every few meters as an intermediate belay - a walk in the park for him.

Ice climbing always involves a certain amount of equipment, but here the gear didn't have to travel far: Ice axes, crampons and ice screws come directly from the Austrialpin forge at the entrance to the valley, Picco himself was involved in the development of the ice tools. Metalworking has a centuries-old tradition in the Stubai Valley and the blacksmiths have made a name for themselves worldwide. Just like the alpinists.

Picco has left some difficult first ascents on the walls here, with resounding names that have a biographical quality: "Iceman", "Lasur d'Amour", "Chief Pinnis". Wild mixed tours where you have to climb with ice axes and crampons over both rock and ice. However, the tours are well secured with bolts, says Picco, "because I want to say 'see you later' to my wife in the morning with a clear conscience and mean it".

Back at the Pinnisalm, host Christian sweeps from table to table in his checked shirt and lederhosen like a whirlwind. But he never leaves without a cheeky remark. His father used to run the hut and his mother still helps in the kitchen. You can't come back to the Stubaital without trying at least one "Zirbila", a Swiss stone pine schnapps. "Donated by that very tree in the garden," Christian winks, "which everyone should hug afterwards. Cheers!"

INFO ICE CLIMBING PINNISTAL

The ice climbing paradise in the Pinnistal extends on the eastern side as a huge rock bar not far from the Pinnisalm. With around 20 icefalls, the Kirchdachsockel offers a whole host of impressive tours in an alpine setting, depending on the winter and conditions. Three classics:

Vorhang (WI4 - 5-, 80 meters). Hard to miss and often super pinned. Men without nerves (WI5, 140 meters). Impressive line, one of the most frequented tours in the Pinnistal. Family Sunday (WI4-, 150 meters). Beautiful, compact ice in a quiet location on the upper floor.

Well guided

Picco offers ice climbing training and guided tours for those interested. All information at www.piccolruaz.at

Austrialpin

Information on ice climbing equipment from Climbers Paradise partner Austrialpin can be found on the website www.austrialpin.at/produkte