Standing here in the summer, looking down, it’s hard to imagine that people climb here. And how! The Ova da Bernina whitewater gorge is a magnet for ice-climbing enthusiasts from near and far. Every winter since 2007, Pontresina has constructed an ice-climbing centre here – another milestone in the village’s long tradition of mountaineering. Pontresina is the mountaineering village in the Grisons – thanks to the mighty Bernina range, where the Alps tower at an impressive 4048 metres above sea level before gradually levelling off toward the East. You can find out more about Pontresina as a mountaineering village using the QR code. More information about ice climbing can be found up the road at the “Suot la Via” site.
Viaduct da Mulin
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Mountain Safety since 1872
Mountain tourism started in the Alps in the mid-1850s. People suddenly wanted to climb the menacing mountains, including the snow- and ice-covered giants that make up the Bernina range. The profession of mountain guide was introduced to meet the increasing demand from guests. In 1872, two dozen men with mountaineering experience got together in Pontresina and founded an association. This was Switzerland’s third mountain guide association.
First Crossing of the Piz Palü
Well-known mountain guides include Christian Klucker, Martin Schocher and Hans and Christian Grass. In 1868, the two Grass brothers from Pontresina led three mountaineers over all three peaks of Piz Palü, accomplishing the first crossing of the Palü. This was a remarkable mountaineering achievement at the time and remains one of the most popular tours in the Bernina massif today. If you would like to find out more about the local mountaineering history, we recommend a visit to the charming Museum Alpin.
Piz Palü – an Achievable Climb
The Piz Palü is considered the most beautiful glaciated massif in the world. With a little training and a reasonable level of fitness, climbing it is a realistic goal for many. For comparison: if you can climb Piz Languard from Pontresina, you will also be able to climb Piz Palü. Bergsteigerschule Pontresina (Pontresina Mountaineering School) are happy to provide would-be climbers with the training and knowledge required. Founded in 1962, this mountaineering school is the oldest and largest in the Grisons.
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Ballroom of the Alps
The construction in 1956 of the Diavolezza cable car was an important milestone for Pontresina. The mountain lodge of the same name, together with the various SAC Huts, is the starting point for high-altitude tours in the Bernina range and had already been there for some time. The new cable car, which shortened the lengthy climb up to the Piz Palü, contributed to this breathtakingly beautiful region becoming a popular skiing and travel destination. Not for nothing is the view from the Diavolezza terrace called the «Ballroom of the Alps».
For the Sake of Four Metres
Do you know which is the highest mountain in the Grisons? Easy – it’s Piz Bernina of course, at 4048 m above sea level, the easternmost four-thousand-metre peak in the Alps. But do you also know the second-highest mountain in the Bernina massif? No? It's not the Piz Palü – this is «only» 3899 metres high – but the Piz Zupò at 3996 metres above sea level. «Zupò» means «hidden», its name stemming from the fact that it can be hard to identify this inconspicuous mountain.
