Mountaineering, rock climbing and via ferratas offer a unique combination of nerve-tingling excitement and an intimate experience of nature. The ascents in the Diavolezza region take you to spectacular vantage points and promise exhilarating challenges along with high thrills!
Before you set off up the rock face in your mind’s eye, we’d like to repeat – better once too often than once too little! – the three most important rules on the mountain. First: safety first. Second: safety first. Third: … exactly, safety first. For this reason, we recommend you tackle your first climb with a professional mountain guide. Do you already have the necessary climbing equipment (helmet, harness, climbing shock absorber and gloves) and ideally also warm clothing, mountaineering or via ferrata boots, food, mobile phone and first-aid kit to hand? Great! Then you’re ready to set off …
300 vertical metres, 500 steps, 600 m of cables, a triple-cable bridge and a 35 m zip wire: the Engadin’s first via ferrata still packs a punch! The entry point lies a 20-minute walk from the Diavolezza cable car summit station, at the foot of the Piz Trovat crags. An easy initial climb leads up to the gentle Cambrena section and then a cable bridge. Next comes the trickiest stretch (graded K3 – difficult) of the whole ascent, which is otherwise graded K2 (moderately difficult). The reward is breathtaking: a spectacular view down to the Pers Glacier. Afterwards, simple stone steps lead up to the summit of the Piz Trovat (3,146 m). The descent is via the north-east ridge. Beware: the steep paths definitely require a sure foot and good balance. Children aged 12 or over with a minimum weight of 40 kg can also tackle the Piz Trovat I via ferrata in the company of an adult.
This variant of the Piz Trovat via ferrata is not for the faint-hearted – in fact you need to be a good climber with excellent upper-body strength, strong nerves and real stamina. The entry point and the initial stretch are the same as for Piz Trovat I, but then the route branches off after the Cambrena section, just before the cable bridge. An ascent via a sequence of stone slabs leads to a zip wire and a long traverse, with the mighty Bernina massif always in sight. The technical climax with demanding overhangs in the Biceps Wall (!) is just one of the reasons why this route is not suitable for children. In order to be able to reach all the holds, climbers must be at least 1.60 m tall.
The awe-inspiring north face of the Piz Palü (3,900 m) exerts a spine-tingling attraction on mountaineers. Even the standard route features narrow, snow-capped ridges, giant crevasse zones and precipitous slopes. Ideally start your mountain adventure with an overnight stay at the Berghaus Diavolezza mountain hotel, so that you can begin your ascent before dawn. A narrow footpath leads you to the Pers Glacier, where your team ropes up. When you reach the shoulder of the mountain, you enjoy glorious views south into the Valposchiavo and to the Eastern Alps, before you continue to the eastern summit and then the main summit. The descent follows the route up.
This multifaceted route to the summit of the Piz Cambrena is a real all-rounder. In summer, mountaineers can enjoy classic alpine rock climbing; in winter, challenging mixed climbing with snow and ice passages. The level of difficulty is rated 12 SL in the 5+/6- range (M5+ in snow and ice). The Diavolezza Express was designed as training terrain for budding north-face climbers and is secured along its entire length – mostly with M10 climbing bolts – but is nonetheless suitable only for experienced and technically skilled mountaineers. The access route starts at the Berghaus Diavolezza mountain hotel and leads along the Pers Glacier, initially in the direction of the Piz Palü, until the beginning of the crevasse zone – where the west face of the Cambrena towers to the left. The descent is via the Arlas ridge.
The devil is often in the details – and in the Diavolezza region, often also in the names. This route up to the Munt Pers translates as “Devil’s path”, and is marked white-blue-white and classified T5. From the base station, route markings point the way to the north-east ridge of the Munt Pers. A stone marker shows the options of a direct climb or a more roundabout route via the Lej da las Collinas. Either way you reach the north-eastern ridge and eventually the summit. The necessary climbs are mostly easy, the terrain is exposed in places and often without a clear route. Particularly exposed sections have been equipped for safety, but beware: there is a real danger of slipping and falling, especially on steep rocky slopes!
