Enjoy high thrills? The Engadin offers climbing and bouldering to suit all tastes and levels of expertise – from traditional granite ascents to leisurely family climbs.
Climbing enthusiasts will find a multitude of well-equipped climbing gardens and sport climbing routes in the Engadin and in the neighboring southern valleys of Bergell and Puschlav. There are more than two dozen climbing areas, and new routes are constantly being added while old ones are being renovated. This is because there is an active climbing and bouldering scene in the valley that wants to provide everyone with the safest possible climbing experience. Nevertheless, everyone is responsible for themselves and their own safety when climbing. However, if you want to tackle the rock under professional guidance, the Pontresina Mountaineering School offers many outdoor activities.
If you are planning a climbing excursion on your own, you will find the perfect route in the guide "Kletterführer Engadin - Sportkletterrouten im Engadin, Bergell und Puschlav." You can order the richly illustrated climbing guide online www.klettern-engadin.ch. or purchase it in local bookstores. We would like to briefly present a selection of the climbing areas here. They all have one thing in common: the scenery is always spectacular.
This climbing garden is located on the south side between the valley stations of the Diavolezza and Lagalb cable cars. It is the largest in the Engadin and offers routes in all difficulty classes. Thanks to the altitude (2,200 m), the temperatures are pleasant even in high summer.
Climbing with a view of Piz Bernina or Piz Palü, that's what the climbing garden at Morteratsch offers. Moreover, it is easily accessible and equipped with many very easy and well secured routes that are suitable for beginners. But it also offers enough challenges to satisfy those with more experience.
At Serlas Parc climbing is possible all year round and even when it rains. The climbing hall in S-chanf offers climbing walls, an area for bouldering, a mini bowling alley, and a pizzeria. It’s ideal for first climbing attempts.
The first anchors were fixed to the rock here as far back as the 1950s: this idyllically located climbing area with views over Lake Sils was the cradle of sport climbing in the Engadin. Most routes are suitable for advanced and expert climbers.
The Albigna reservoir, accessible by gondola, is framed by spectacular granite cliffs. The climbing opportunities here are virtually unlimited, from well-equipped sport climbing routes to traditional alpine climbs – not to mention the famous rock pinnacle of “La Fiamma”. The area lies in the Val Bregaglia, and makes an attractive day-excursion from the Engadin.
In addition to the “normal” route (ascent with rope, ice axe and crampons), there are also thrilling climbing routes on what many call the world’s most beautiful glaciated mountain. The line via the eastern summit offers superb granite climbing with an icy final summit ascent.
The bouldering scene in the Engadin is still small but also excellent, and the local crags offer so much for climbing fans who prefer to go without a rope. Bouldering is all about the interplay of technique, quickness, agility, and balance. Boulder blocks can be found mainly near Morteratsch and in the Julier area. It is important for a good spot that there are a few blocks together, that the fall points are flat, and that the blocks consist of compact and non-brittle rocks. In the forest between the Morteratsch restaurant and Pontresina, for example, many smaller rocks are waiting to be discovered by bouldering fans. Also in Plaun da Lej there are many suitable boulder spots.
