Alpine climbing in Switzerland

In the cantons of Valais, Ticino, Graubünden, Bern, Vaud, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Uri, Glarus, and St. Gallen, you can go alpine climbing. The selection of routes is huge and climbers of all kinds, whether pure trad climbers or pleasure climbers, get their money's worth here. There are many trad/clean areas in the granite regions of Switzerland, but also plenty of (pleasure) routes secured with bolts. For beginners, the areas Valle Maggia, Brüggler, or Alpstein are ideal to start or to independently tackle the first tours without a mountain guide. The regions of Switzerland also differ in the length of approach and descent, their remoteness, the level of protection, and the route orientation at the starts of the respective walls. There are routes that are even marked with silver plates or paint on the rock. For others, the start must be found using the approach description and the topo.

For an overview and completeness, all alpine climbing areas in Switzerland:

• Valais
  • La Dyure
  • Orny Hut
  • Les Trappistes
  • Le Troubayet
  • Pierre Avoi
  • Pissevache
  • Eole
  • Miéville and La Balmaz
  • Dorénaz
  • Miroir d'Argentine
  • Col du Pillon
  • Cabane des Diablerets
  • Sanetsch
  • Moiry
  • Pfynpillar
  • Brunnegg
  • Gornerfluh and Riffelhorn
  • Jägihorn
  • Dri Horlini
  • Joderhorn
  • Wiwanni
  • Fieschertal

• Ticino
  • Piansecco
  • Pizzo dl Prévant
  • Freggio
  • Valle Maggia
  • Valle di Bosco
  • Valle Onsernone

• Bernese Alps (Bern, Valais, Vaud)
  • Gastlosen
  • Chemifluh and Mittagfluh
  • Niderhorn and Meniggrund
  • Chrindi and Stockhorn
  • Wissenfluh
  • Aermighorn
  • Bire
  • Gällihorn
  • Ueschenen
  • Hintisberg
  • Glacier Gorge Grindelwald
  • Meiringen
  • Engelhörner

• Obwalden
  • Pilatus
  • Melchtal

• Schwyz
  • Rigi Hochflue
  • Riemenstalden
  • Erstfeld

• Uri
  • Maderanertal
  • Schächental

• Uri Alps (Valais, Bern, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Uri)
  • Grimsel Pass
  • Susten Pass
  • Salbit
  • Furka Pass

• Graubünden
  • Bergell (Bregaglia) North
  • Engadin
  • Surselva
  • Rätikon South
  • Davos
  • Silvretta

• Glarus Alps (Glarus, Uri, Graubünden, St. Gallen)
  • Braunwald
  • Legler Hut
  • Bockmattli
  • Brüggler
  • Mattstock

• St. Gallen
  • Churfirsten
  • Alpstein (Stoss, Wildhuser Schafberg, Silber- and Kluckerplatte, Kreuzberge, Bollenwees, Meglisalp, Äscher)

In Switzerland, climbing is primarily done on limestone, gneiss, or granite. The granite climbing areas of Switzerland are among the finest and most beautiful in the Alps. 

Valais: Gneiss, granite, sandstone, limestone, sandstone, marble, quartzite

Ticino: Granite, gneiss

Bernese Alps: Limestone

Obwalden: Limestone, gneiss

Schwyz: Limestone, gneiss

Uri: Quartz porphyry, limestone

Urner Alps: Granite, gneiss

Graubünden: Granite, gneiss, limestone

Glarus Alps: Limestone, quartz porphyry

Sankt Gallen: Limestone

Alpine climbers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will certainly know the 100 demanding routes from the cult climbing guidebook „in extreme rock – 100 legendary climbing routes in the Alps“, as they are among the most sought-after routes for alpine climbers. The book was first published in 1970, and the author at that time was Walter Pause. In 2015, the climbing bible was revised by Christoph Klein and Jürgen Winkler, resulting in a third edition. The book contains 100 routes from the entire Alpine region, typical for their respective mountain areas and extremely difficult by the standards of that time. The guidebook quickly became the bible for every ambitious alpine climber, and collecting Pause routes became an important source of motivation. Even today, the routes are still highly sought after. Many of the routes are still protected according to the style of that era (many rusty normal pitons) and need to be supplemented with mobile protection gear. However, there are also a few routes that are well equipped with bolts.

In Switzerland, there are a total of 17 (3 of them on the Swiss-Austrian border) of the coveted 100 Pause routes in extreme rock to be conquered. Many of them belong to the alpine classics in Switzerland. They are divided into the following alpine climbing areas (route name, difficulty, wall height):

Bernese Alps:

1. Stockhorn - Bietschhorn traverse (S ridge, SO ridge), V-, 1800 m
2. Scheideggwetterhorn north face, VI, A2 or VIII+ (one section), 1300 m
3. Kingspitze northeast face, V, A0 or VI, 650 m

Western Uri Alps:

1. Tellistock south face (Inwyler/Bielmeier), VI-, A0 or VII-, 400 m
2. Salbitschijen west ridge, VI-, A0 or VIII
3. Gray Wall south face (Niedermann), V+, A1 or VI, 400 m

Bergell:

1. Piz Badile northeast face (Cassin), V+, A0 or VI, 900 m
2. Piz Cengalo northwest pillar, VI-, 950 m
3. Pizzi Gemelli north edge (Bügeleisen), V, A0 or V+, 850 m
4. Sciora di Fuori northwest edge (Fuorikante), VI, A0 or VII+, edge height 600 m / 850 m with direct start
   Here is a video of the ascent of the Sciora di Fuori northwest edge

Glarus Alps:

1. Great Bockmattliturm direct north face, V+, A1 or VI+

Churfirsten group:

1. Zustoll old south face, VI-, A1 or VII-, 300 m

Alpstein:

1. Rot Turm & Hundstein south face & south dihedral, VI-, A0 or VII, 150 m and 200 m
2. Second Kreuzberg direct south dihedral, VI-, A0 or VI+, 300 m

Rätikon (Swiss/Austrian border):

1. Great Drusenturm Swiss pillar, VI-, A0 or VII-, 500 m
2. Sulzfluh direct southwest face, VI-, A1 or VI+, 270 m
3. Scheienfluh west dihedral, VI, A1 or VII, A0 or VIII, 300 m

Anyone who wants to climb all the Pause routes can see this as a lifetime achievement. Sepp Gwiggner was the first person to succeed in this. He needed a period of 35 years for all ascents. For him, the route through the north face of the Scheideggwetterhorn belongs to the hardest Pause routes in Switzerland. 

• Switzerland plaisir SELECTION 2012. Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-906087-40-5 (German, French, English)
• plaisir SUD 2020 (Vol 1). Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-906087-54-2 (German, French, Italian)
• plaisir SUD 2020 (Vol 2). Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-906087-55-9 (German, French, Italian)
• extrem SUD 2014. Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-90-6087-48-1 (German, Italian, English)
• Switzerland plaisir WEST 2019 (Vol 1). Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-906087-52-8 (German, French, English)
• Switzerland plaisir WEST 2019 (Vol 2). Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-906087-53-5 (German, French, English)
• Switzerland extrem WEST 2010. Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-906087-34-4 (German, English)
• Switzerland plaisir OST 2015. Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-906087-49-8 (German, French, English)
• Switzerland extrem OST 2013. Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-906087-43-6 (German, English)
• Interlaken vertical 2013. Author: Sandro von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 978-3-906087-46-7 (German, English)
• Experience Salbit! 2004 (Edition 2009). Authors: Hans Berger, Jonas Gessler, Jürg von Känel, Publisher: edition filidor, ISBN: 3-906087-21-2 (German)
• Climbing guide Best of keepwild - Switzerland. Authors: Christoph Blum, Daniel Silbernagel, Publisher. Panico. 2nd Edition (2013), ISBN: 978-3-95611-011-5 (German)
• Alpine climbing guide Valsertal. Author: Michael Illien, Publisher: Panico. 1st Edition (2004), ISBN: 978-3-936740-22-6 (German)
• Alpine climbing guide Rätikon South. Author: Mario Luginbühl, Publisher: Panico. 3rd Edition (2008), ISBN: 978-3-926807-38-0 (German)
• Climbing in Switzerland. Author: Matteo Della Bordella, Publisher: Versante Sud. 2012, ISBN: 978-88-96634-64-6 (German, Italian)

In all areas, there are both sport climbing protected alpine routes as well as a wealth of classic, more alpine routes where you have to protect a lot or even everything yourself. In the granite climbing areas, there is a large offer of clean/trad routes, since granite with its many crack systems is naturally predestined for using camming devices. But there is also a large offer of bolted routes. Especially with the Plaisir guides from Filidor Verlag, you get a good mix of very well and less well protected alpine climbing routes and can choose the right one depending on your taste and region.

Finally, there is only one thing left to say: Let's go and have fun in the alpine climbing eldorado Switzerland!