Alpine North Walls · Jochpass · Engelberg Valley
Ice climbing Graustock North Wall
The Graustock North Wall is clearly visible above the Engelberg ski resort. Nerven auf Eis and Horror Show use the lower ice curtain, while Sinfonie des Grauens and Schwarzwaldklinik run through the entire wall. The large mixed lines are rarely repeated and require demanding protection.
- Difficulty
- WI4+ to WI5+ · M6 / 5c / A3
- Length
- 170–1060 m
- boarding
- 1 hour
- Starting point
- Trübsee
- Altitude
- Elevation of entry: 1980 m above sea level.
- Season
- December–March
- Aspect
- NO
- Character
- Ice curtain · alpine mixed routes
The area overview lists 170–1000 m. Sinfonie des Grauens is 1060 m longer.
Starting point and access
boarding
The preferred access is by ski from Trübsee. The map leads via the Frutt and Fruttdössli areas to the base of the wall. An hour is considered the guideline.
Assigning lines
Area and route overview
Route data and detailed maps
Route description
Compare difficulty, length and material. You can open the appropriate topo directly in the respective route box.
Nerves on ice
- Length
- 170 m
- Rope
- 2 × 50 m
- Material
- Hedging
The most climbed line on Graustock is located in the lower ice curtain.
First ascent: R. Jasper, 1992.
Horror Show
- Length
- 180 m
- Rope
- 2 × 50 m
- Material
- Hedging
Line in the lower ice sheet that rarely fully grows together.
First ascent: R. Jasper and M. Maier, 1994.
Symphony of Horror
- Length
- 1060 m
- Rope
- Material
- Full program
- Hedging
Long mixed line through the entire north wall. The topo shows several distinctive sections of the wall and a snow band in the upper part.
First ascent: P. Keller and U. Odermatt, 2000.
Black Forest Clinic
- Length
- 965 m
- Rope
- Material
- Full program
- Hedging
Continuous wall route with ice, rock and technical climbing sections.
First ascent: R. Jasper and M. Roeper, 1994.
Plan the return journey
Descent
The detailed topographic maps show climbing points on the lower ice curtain and the further routes of the long climbing routes.
Ice formation and objective hazards
Safety and conditions
The risk of avalanches and landslides is explicitly mentioned. The rarely repeated lines through the entire wall are difficult to secure. Horror Show rarely grows completely together.
Check before the tour current conditions in Engelberg, that SLF avalanche bulletin and the weather development. The seasonal timeframes and walk-through photos do not replace an up-to-date assessment.
Briefly answered
Questions about Graustock Nordwand
Which routes remain in the lower wall section?
The lower ice curtain is used to create ice slides of 170 m and a horror show of 180 m.
How do I reach the Graustock North Wall?
Ski down from Trübsee via Frutt and Fruttdössli to Wandfuss. Expect an hour of ascent.
How difficult are the long hiking routes?
Sinfonie des Grauens is indicated with WI5+ and M6, Schwarzwaldklinik with WI5+, 5c and A3. Both lead through the entire wall.
Dani Perret · UIAGM/IFMGA mountain guide · Engelberg
Ice climbing tour with a mountain guide
Do you want to plan a line or work on your technique in the ice and mixed-surface area? Write to me about your experience and the goal you are interested in.
Further in the tour database
