Hurschka – Val Mezdi – Guided Mixed Climbing Tour: Climber on mixed rock and ice terrain.

Hurschka – Val Mezdi – Guided Mixed Climbing Tour

A steep tour on rock and ice — an off-the-beaten-track ice climbing adventure in the Dolomites.

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Overview

Difficulty
advanced
Participants
1 participant
Duration
1 day
Best season
December to February
Price
from €540 per person
Location
Val Mezdi, Dolomites

About this tour

The Hruschka Route was first climbed in summer and is named after the Bruneck pharmacist M. Hruschka. Today, due to its north-facing aspect, it is not only considered a classic route for warm summer days, but also a popular and rewarding mixed climb in winter. In summer, it is graded around the classic upper fourth Dolomite grade.

The route follows a logical line of chimneys and corners. Steeper ice and mixed passages alternate throughout the climb. The approach takes around 1.5 hours, and the descent is by abseiling down the route.

For this tour, you should be fit, have some ice climbing experience, or be a good rock climber. The tour is not extremely long, but it is consistently steep and demanding. Since it is possible to abseil after each pitch, the Hruschka Route is ideal for approaching your technical limits in mixed terrain in a controlled way.

Photos from the tour

Hurschka – Val Mezdi – Guided Mixed Climbing Tour: Ice climber belaying a lead climber at an ice step.
Hurschka – Val Mezdi – Guided Mixed Climbing Tour: Climber in a blue jacket on a stepped ice wall.
Hurschka – Val Mezdi – Guided Mixed Climbing Tour: Following ice climber in a narrow gully.
Hurschka – Val Mezdi – Guided Mixed Climbing Tour: Roped climber in a rock and ice chimney.
Hurschka – Val Mezdi – Guided Mixed Climbing Tour: Climber on mixed rock and ice terrain.
Hurschka – Val Mezdi – Guided Mixed Climbing Tour: Snow-covered rock wall of a mixed climbing route.

Itinerary

We either travel together or meet directly on site at the car park of Hotel Luianta at the foot of the Gardena Pass, the starting point of the tour. From there, we follow a comfortable hiking trail into Val Mezdi, the Mittagstal Valley, between Dent de Mezdi and Boesenkofel, up to the start of the route. Depending on the snow conditions, the approach takes around one to two hours.

The first 100 metres of the route lead through easy snow terrain before the actual climbing begins. The route starts with two easier ice pitches, WI3 and WI4 — a good warm-up for what follows. After that, four excellent, steep, and often surprisingly enjoyable pitches in rock and ice await. The grand finale is a beautiful chimney in pure rock.

The descent is by abseiling along the line of ascent. Afterwards, we descend back to the starting point and the car.

Requirements

Since it is possible to abseil after each pitch, the Hruschka Route is ideal for approaching your technical limits in mixed terrain in a controlled way.

For this tour, you should be very fit, have some ice climbing experience, or be a strong rock climber.

beginner
intermediate
advanced

Fitness

Technique

Experience

Equipment

You can find all equipment information in my equipment list for guided ice climbing tours.

Of course, we will discuss the required equipment in detail before the tour to make sure you bring neither too much nor too little. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Open equipment list (PDF)

Booking and enquiry

Would you like to do this tour with me? Send me a no-obligation request with your preferred date.

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Prices & services

  • 1 participant
    €540.00 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.

Hurschka – Val Mezdi – Guided Mixed Climbing Tour: Snow-covered rock wall of a mixed climbing route.

Rock and ice on Hurschka?

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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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