Silvretta boulder

The bouldering area can be reached in two ways: the first is to go down from the camping towards Galtür. Park free of charge at the Wirl cable car, use the Silvretta Card and travel to the Birkhanbahn Bergstation in ten minutes. This is where the upper sectors are located, so it is best to choose this option when you want to boulder in these sectors. We advise against walking down towards the lower sectors and then walking back up again in the afternoon! Apart from the long walk, don’t forget that the last cable car leaves at around 5 o’clock, and considering how long it remains light, sometimes it’s a shame to leave this early before the sun starts setting (reckon circa 1/2 hour on foot from the lower boulders).

The second option which is, we believe, also the best one, is the following: park directly at the end of the piste at the Ballunspitzbahn Talstation (follow pink signs from the campsite for ‘Klettergebiet’), which is closed in summer. The car park costs 5 euros/day, and we recommend you to pay, since wardens check the car park daily (in this case you have to pay despite having a Silvretta Card)! From the car park to the first boulder in the Sekten sector you have to walk about ten minutes up a steep track, circa half an hour to reach the higher sectors.

Summer. The boulders are located between 1600m and 2100m.

The roughness of the rock will certainly force you to take some rest days, even if you’re planning to stay here for just a week: Galtür has many attractions and is an ideal resort to enjoy the rest of your holidays. The Zeinissee campsite is located at the side of lake Zeini; if you’re planning on coming in mid-August, we recommend you book in advance. Just like all accommodation at Galtür, it provides a free Silvretta Card for your stay in the area.

The Card is useful both on rest days and climbing days: it provides free access to all cable cars and chairlifts that are used for the treks (of various difficulties) to the mountain huts. The card also provides free entrance to the indoor and outdoor and swimming pools (at Galtür and Ischgl), as well as the High Alpine Road (Hochalpenstraße), one of main approach roads to Silvretta; without the card this costs 34.50 euro one way, and 40.50 return. Updated prices are published on: www.grossglockner).

As to the food, there is no doubt that the Ballunspitze restaurant is the best you can find in Galtür: both the main courses and pizza are excellent, the ice creams are gigantic and worth eating at least once! Ballunspitze is also a free wi-fi cafè, as it is the Alpinarium, a museum/ cafè with a small climbing wall; this also offers a wide selection of local desserts and cakes.

The Ischgl Valley is fairly close to Imst (1.5 hours by motorway, for which you have to purchase the Vignette toll. This costs 8,70 euro but is valid for 10 days). Ischgl is a quiet and lovely town, and also offers the beautiful Kletterzentrum climbing gym, something well worth remembering in bad weather.

Alpen en Bloc vol. 1, Panico Verlag