Ice climbing in the Alps

Provider for ice climbing tours

Local mountain guides are a good choice for your first climbing attempts.

Ice climbing at the waterfall in Sertig

Climb a frozen waterfall with an ice axe and crampons and test your own limits: Ice climbing is attracting more and more adventurers. The Sertig side valley in Davos offers ideal conditions for this all winter long.

Carabiners rattle, pitons clink, ice splinters trickle. With one hand, you hammer an ice axe into the wall above you and ram the crampon into the ice. A short break. Take a deep breath and continue. Step by step, you climb the cascades of the frozen waterfall, which shimmers in different shades of blue in the light. This is what an ice climbing adventure in Sertig feels like.

The Sertig side valley in Davos is a rewarding destination for ice climbing in winter.

The Sertig side valley in Davos offers ideal conditions for ice climbing throughout the winter.

Ice climbing in Davos: The frozen waterfall in Sertig is mainly suitable for multi-pitch routes with a length of 150 to 180 climbing metres.

Idyllic journey to Sertig

If you take bus no. 8 from Platz station to Sertig Sand, you quickly feel as if you have been transported to another world. No wonder: an unspoilt winter landscape with old Walser houses is a contrast to the highest town in the Alps. And all this in 25 minutes by car. There are only a limited number of parking spaces at the Walserhuus Sertig. The path to the frozen waterfalls takes about an hour on foot from the Walserhuus and leads steeply uphill in places. If there is fresh snow, it is worth wearing snowshoes to save energy for climbing.

Additional equipment required for ice climbing

For all those who already climb on rock: The rope handling and the procedure for ice climbing is similar to that of alpine multi-pitch climbing. The climbing technique itself is not very different in ice climbing. However, additional equipment is used for ice climbing. This includes ice screws, steep ice axes, special crampons and gloves with a good grip. Warm gloves and a down jacket also keep you warm when belaying, as you are in the shade for a long time.

Different levels of difficulty for ice climbing

The frozen waterfall in Sertig is mainly suitable for multi-pitch routes with a length of 150 to 180 climbing metres. The levels of difficulty vary from easy (WI 3) to very challenging (WI 5). This means that there is a suitable route for every climbing level. Ideally, ice climbing beginners should be accompanied by a mountain guide.

Book an ice climbing tour

4 tips
ice climbing
in the Sertig

One

Have an experienced person with you

It is advisable to make your first attempts at ice climbing under the guidance of a mountain guide. Not only for safety reasons, but also because ice climbing requires extensive equipment. This can easily be provided by mountaineering schools during a course.

Two

Plan your journey

Bus route 8 takes guests from Platz railway station to Sertig Sand in 25 minutes. There is also a limited number of car parking spaces on site. The walk from the Walserhuus Sertig to the frozen waterfalls for ice climbing takes around an hour. Snowshoes are worthwhile if there is a lot of snow.

Three

Where to get rental material

Compared to normal rock climbing, you need additional equipment for ice climbing. This includes ice screws, ice axes, special crampons and gloves with a good grip. If you are still missing something for ice climbing, you can hire it on site in Davos at the Fullmoons sports shop.

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