Hochferner North Face with a Mountain Guide: Roped climbers ascending a steep snow gully.

Hochferner North Face with a Mountain Guide

Make your dream of climbing a north face come true.

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Overview

Difficulty
advanced
Participants
1–2 participants
Duration
2 days
Best season
October and November
Price
from €750 per person
Location
Pfitsch, Zillertaler Alpen

About this tour

The Hochferner North Face in the Zillertal Alps is an impressive ice route with climbing up to 70° steep. The route offers varied firn and ice passages and can be more or less demanding depending on the conditions and the line chosen. The summit rewards you with a breathtaking panorama. At the foot of the face, the Günther Messner Bivouac provides an ideal starting point for the tour. A long and scenically beautiful descent rounds off the experience. You can expect two adventurous and unforgettable days — pure mountaineering. The best time for this tour is October or November after the first snowfalls, or in spring with skis for the approach and descent. If this is our first tour together, I guide this route with only one guest due to its demanding nature, in order to ensure the highest level of personal attention and safety. In exceptional cases, if we already know each other well, I am also happy to take two guests.

Photos from the tour

Hochferner North Face with a Mountain Guide: Roped climbers ascending a steep snow gully.
Hochferner North Face with a Mountain Guide: Climbing ropes on a steep ice and snow slope.
Hochferner North Face with a Mountain Guide: Mountaineer in a long icy gully.
Hochferner North Face with a Mountain Guide: Mountaineer with a backpack on the approach in morning light.
Hochferner North Face with a Mountain Guide: Mountaineer with climbing ropes taking a break in the snow.
Hochferner North Face with a Mountain Guide: Mountaineers outside an orange bivouac shelter.

Itinerary

We may travel together to Sterzing and continue into the Pfitsch Valley. On the first day, we approach the Günther Messner Bivouac, which takes around two hours. The next day starts early with the approach to the start of the route. First, the route leads over glacier-polished slabs and two steep snowfields up to the first steep section of the face. Once this part is completed, the face eases off again. After this flatter section, the steepest and most spectacular part of the route follows. Depending on the conditions, we climb either directly or on the right-hand side of the face before reaching the upper basin. Finally, a 150-metre firn slope leads to the summit.

The first part of the descent leads down through the south face of Hochferner onto the glacier and once again requires full concentration. The long but scenically beautiful walk back to the car in Pfitsch rounds off this impressive tour.

Requirements

For this tour, you need good fitness and should be confident walking with crampons as well as using front-pointing technique.

You already have experience from high alpine tours or summer climbing tours. Experience in steep ice climbing is not strictly required, but it can be an advantage if the face is in very “thin” or icy conditions. Good fitness for a tour duration of up to 12 hours is required.

beginner
intermediate
advanced

Fitness

Technique

Experience

Equipment

I can provide ice tools as rental equipment if required.

Please refer to my equipment lists for guided high alpine tours and guided ice climbing tours to see what else you need for this tour. We will discuss the required equipment in detail before the tour. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Open equipment list (PDF)

Booking and enquiry

Would you like to do this tour on your own or with your own group of up to 2 people? Send me a no-obligation request with your preferred date.

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Prices & services

  • 1 participant
    €1,400.00 per person
  • 2 participants
    €750.00 per person

Included

Planning and guiding by a state-certified IFMGA mountain and ski guide
Any required rental equipment

Not included

Individual overnight stays for you and your mountain guide
Any additional costs for cable cars and lift passes for you and your mountain guide
Any expenses incurred by the mountain guide

Frequently asked questions about this tour

What happens if I need to cancel my tour?

Please note that a tour becomes binding once both parties have confirmed it. In the event of a cancellation at short notice, I reserve the right to charge a percentage of the guiding fee as a cancellation fee. You can find detailed information in my cancellation policy. Payment is usually made by invoice after the tour.

What happens if the weather does not cooperate?

Together, we will find an alternative in another region or postpone the tour. There are no additional costs for you in this case.

Is rental equipment available?

Yes, I can provide the technical equipment you need, such as a climbing harness, helmet, crampons or avalanche safety equipment. The relevant tour description and equipment lists explain exactly what is required and what you may need to bring yourself. If you are unsure what you need, simply get in touch – I will be happy to advise you.

Hochferner North Face with a Mountain Guide: Mountaineers outside an orange bivouac shelter.

Is the Hochferner North Face your goal?

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Unsure?

It is especially important to me that the tour suits you – both your fitness and your experience. If you are unsure, please get in touch! In a short phone call, we can work out together whether this tour is right for you. This gives us the best foundation for a safe and enjoyable mountain experience.

0043 (0) 66475109630

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Mountaineers with headlamps ascending through a snowy mountain landscape.

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