Normal route to Mt. Ortler

With 3905 m Mount Ortler is a majestic mountain, whit countless ridges and walls to say nothing of the Ortler north-face, which challenges also extreme alpinists.

We want present to you the ascent on the "normal"-path to Mount Ortler. But attention: normal doesn’t mean, that the Ortler is easy to climb. You need a lot of stamina and glacier experience. Rope, ice axe and climbing irons are obligatory.

Tour description:

Starting point is Sulden in Vinschgau. Take path 4 to Tabaretta Refuge and go on to Payer Refuge at 3029 m above sea level. We recommend staying here overnight and to climb the peak in the next day (3,5 hours from Sulden).

The next day you have to start early. Follow the green marked path to the rocky west-ridge of Mt. Tabarettaspitze and descending you will reach the embrasure between Mt. Tabarettaspitze and Ortler north-ridge. Take the ridge – some exposed passages are secured with a fixed rope – to the glacier. Put on your climbing irons. On the flakier you have to follow the mostly present path on ice and snow to the peak (3-4 hours from Payer Refuge).

The descent is the same as the ascent.

Details of the tour:

• Length: 3,5 hours from Sulden to Payer Refuge, 3,5 hours to Mt. Ortler, 5-6 hours back to Sulden
• Altimeters: 1114 m to Payer Refuge, 885 m to Mt. Ortler
• Level of difficulty: difficult