Page Type: | Mountain/Rock |
---|---|
Lat/Lon: | 46.62099°N / 8.45306°E |
County: | Uri |
Activities: | Trad Climbing, Sport Climbing |
Season: | Summer |
Elevation: | 9528 ft / 2904 m |
Geographical classification: Alps - Western part > Uri Alps Group > Winterstock Turm I
Winterstock Turm I is a granite tower belonging to the Urner Alps. The Urner Alps - or Uri Alps - are located in the Uri district, Central Switzerland, amongst the three most popular road cols in Switzerland: Sustenpass to the North, Furkapass to the South and Grimselpass to the West. This group is famous in reason of its compact and fine granite, that can stand comparison with the Mont Blanc one.
Winterstock Turm I is situated between the most famous Graue Wand (to the left) and Lochberg (to the right) and it's only one amongst the numberless climbing possibilities in this magnificent area.
Road Access
The nearest town in the Furka Pass Area is Andermatt, a little town lying at St. Gotthard Tunnel Northern exit. Andermatt can be suitably approached:
- From the Wallis via Sion, Brig, Gletsch and Furkapass
- From Luzern via Altdorf
- From Bern via Interlaken , Meiringen, Grimselpass, Gletsch and Furkapass
- From Milan (Italy) via Chiasso, Lugano, Bellinzona and the St. Gottard Tunnel
- From Chamonix (France) via Martigny, Brig and Furkapass
The starting point to climb Winterstock Turm I is the Furkapass road, connecting Andermatt on the Eastern side of the pass and Gletsch, on the Western side. From Andermatt take the Furkapass road; before reaching the pass the road gets to the Tiefenbach Hotel m. 2110, situated along the road on the east side of Furkapass. It’s possible to park here or alternatively follow an unsurfaced military toll-road (7 CHF to be payed before taking the road), starting on the right a few hundred meters past the hotel. The road cuts the walking approach time of about 20 minutes and rises with some hairpins to the Tatsch parking m. 2270.
Walk approach
From the Tatsch parking a good marked trail leads to Albert Heim Hutte (1 hour). From the refuge take the path that descends behind it, losing altitude and heading South East into the shallow valley behind the refuge, continuing slightly downhill. At the first crossroad (huge painted highway style sign) go left, crossing a few streams and arriving at a pond. Now go up along traces of path and snowfields towards Winterstock and finally cross to the left to reach the basal slabs, usually surrounded by a snowfield.
No particulary restriction in climbing and hiking. An entrance fee is due to get the Tatsch parking, where free camping is not allowed.
Best season is Summer
Albert Heim Hut 2541 m
Owner: SAC (Swiss Alpine Club) Sektion UTO
Size: 80 places
Approach: in 2 hours from Tiefenbach or 1 hour from the Tatsch parking.
Albert Heim on Summitpost: Albert Heim Hut
Hotel Tiefenbach m. 2110
Other accomodation in Andermatt, where you can find some hotels and a campground.
Guidebooks
"Schweiz Plaisir Ost" by Sandro von Känel - Edition Filidor 2015
"Schweiz Plaisir Ost" by Jurg von Kanel - Edition Filidor
“Arrampicare in Svizzera” Ed. Versante Sud
"SAC Guidebook - Urner Alpen" by T. Fullin - A. Bahnholzer
"Ascensioni scelte nella Svizzera Centrale" - Franco Malnati 1981
- Maps
Official Maps of Canton Uri:
CNS - Urseren 1231 1:25.000
CNS - Sustenpass 255 1:50.000