The Urner Alps are located in the district of Uri, hence the name, in central Switzerland. This group is famous for its beautifull granite that can stand comparison with Mt. Blanc or Bergell granite. The highest peak of the area is the Dammastock with 3629 meters. The Rhone river finds its source in the glaciers of the Urner Alps.

The earth has formed many jagged ridges and sharp peaks in these mountains which offer both plaisir or extreme rock climbs. Most famous plaisir route is maybe the Salbitschijen S-grat. The most famous extreme ridge and maybe on of the most beautifull ridges in the alps is the on the same mountain: the Salbitschijen W-ridge.

The approach is very varied in this area, it is possible to avoid glacier travel and still do some awesome rock-routes or you can cross glaciers for as long as you want.

The area is not only famous for it's rockclimbing possibilities in the summer but also for skitouring in the winter. The ascent from the Furkapass to the Dammastock is one of the most popular ski tours in the Alps.

The group described on this page (which follows the geographical boundaries) is located between the three most popular passes is Switserland: Sustenpass in the north, Furkapass is in the south and Grimselpass in the west. The east boundary is formed by the Reuss valley. Some people consider the Uri Alps group as a bigger group bordered by the Vierwaldstätter See in the north, the Reuss valley in the east, the Furka- and Grimselpasses in the south and the Brünigpass in the west. Many mountains that fit in the latter category are attached to this site but do not consist of the compact granite of the central Uri Alps.

Overview of subgroups

1. Gelmerhörner-Tieralplistock-ridge
2. Dammastock-ridge
3. Galenstock-ridge
4. Tierberg-ridge
5. Gletschhorn-Schöllenen-ridge
6. Sustenhorn-Bergseeschijen-ridge
7. Fleckistock-ridge
8. Salbitschijen

Getting There

You can reach the group from many different directions:

From north: Luzern > A2/E35 > Sustenpass (exit Wassen) or Furkapass (exit Andermatt)

From east: Disentis / Müster > N19 > Andermatt

From south: Milano > A8/E35 > A9/E35 > A2/E35 (Switzerland) > Andermatt

From west: Thun > A8 > Innertkirchen

Red Tape

No permits required. Most passes are closed from november till may.

Usefull resources

Planning tools:

General:
Basislager.ch - Actual winter and summer conditions
Swiss Avalanche Forecast
Weather:
Swiss Webcams
Weather Radar
Live Cam
Five Day Forecast

Swiss Mountain Rescue:
REGA
In Switserland call 1414 fo help.

Useful telephone numbers:
117 Police
118 Fire Department
144 Ambulance

General Information:
1811 Adress information on doctors i.e..
140 Road Rescue (like ADAC, ANWB etc.)
162 Weather Bulletin
163 Traffic Information
187 Avalanche Bulletin

When to Climb

Seasons
Climbing & Hiking:
July-October
If the weather is really hot in spring it may be possible to do some ridges in june.

Skiing:
March-June

Camping & Sleeping

Huts:

Name	Ridge	Bewartet	Tel. number
Gelmerhütte	Gelmerhörner-Tieralplistock	July - September	033 973 11 80
Windegghütte	Gelmerhörner-Tieralplistock-Tierberg	Spring - Fall	033 975 11 10
Trifthütte	Gelmerhörner-Tieralplistock-Tierberg	March - September	033 975 12 28
Albert-Heim hütte	Galenstock-Gletschhorn-Schöllenen	June - Oktober	041 887 17 45
Sidelenhütte	Galenstock	June - Oktober	041 887 02 33
Dammahütte	Dammastock	July - September	041 885 17 81
Tierberglihütte	Tierberg	July - September	033 971 27 82
Chelenalphütte	Tierberg-Sustenhorn	June - Oktober	041 885 19 30
Bergseehütte	Sustenhorn-Bergseeschijen	June - Oktober	041 885 14 35
Voralphütte	Sustenhorn-Fleckistock		041 870 88 34
Salbithütte	Salbitschijen	June - Oktober	041 885 14 31

Campsites:

Zeltplatz Matli - Göscheneralp

Gotthard Camping - Andermatt

Books & Maps

Books:

Clubführer Urner Alpen. Bd.2, T. Fullin & A. Bahnholzer, ISBN: 3-85902-222-9
Schweiz Plaisir Ost, J. von Känel, ISBN: 3-906087-15-8
Salbit Erleben, H. Berger, ISBN: 3-906087-21-2

Maps:

Landeskarte der Schweiz: 1:25.000:

1210 Innertkirchen
1211 Meiental
1230 Guttanen
1231 Urseren

1:50.000:

255 Sustenpass

1. Gelmerhörner-Tieralplistock-ridge

Description:
This area boasts some excellent mid-grade rock climbs, for example the traverse of the Chli and Grosses Gelmerhorn, traverse of the Gelmerspitzen, the Burg NW-ridge. More difficult rock routes are to be found on Gelmerspitze V, VI and VII and the Gärstenhorn. In the winter the area around the Trifhütte offers a lot of skitouring possibilities to the main-ridge.
Maps:
Guttanen 1230 1:25.000
Urseren 1231 1:25.000
Sustenpass 255 1:50.000
Summits

Name Height (m) Comments

Vorderes Gärstenhorn 3166

Mittleres Gärstenhorn 3189

Hinteres Gärstenhorn 3172

Schoibhoren 2683

Gelmerhörner 3317

Alpliturm 3043

Burg 2598 Not in Landeskarte

Tieralplistock 3383

Diechterhorn 3389

Gwächtenhorn 3214

Ofenhoren 2493

Mittagflue 1865

Wyler- und Bottiger-Dümen 1642

Bänzlauistock 2529

Brunnenstock 2519

Graustock 2689

Mährenhorn 2922

Steinhüshorn 3121

Chilchlistock 3114

Passes

Name Height (m) Comments

Obri Triftlimi 3101 Rhoneglacier / Triftglacier

Undri Triftlimi 3075 Rhoneglacier / Triftglacier

Gelmerlimi 3000/3100 Handegg / Rhoneglacier, E one is the best.

Diechterlimi 3215 Diechtertal / Triftglacier

Gwächtenlimi 3100 Gelmerhütte / Trift- & Windegghütte

Üssri Garwydilimi 2685 Guttanen / Diechtertal

Indri Garwydilimi 2684 Guttanen / Diechtertal

Furtwangsattel 2568 Rindertal / Trifttäli

Chichlilimi 2952 Rotlauital / Triftglacier

2. Dammastock-ridge
Description:
This area is home of the highest summit of the area: the Dammastock. This area is unlike some other areas in the Uri alps not so much the domain of the alpine rock climber but more of the general alpinist. The east flanks of the ridge from Tiefenstock to the Dammastock offer beatiful combined outings. In the winter some tours are to be made from the Rhone glacier, for example to the Eggstock, Rhonestock and Dammastock.
Maps:
Urseren 1231 1:25.000
Sustenpass 255 1:50.000
Summits

Name Height (m) Comments

Tiefenstock 3515

Vorderer Rhonestock 3566

Hinterer Rhonestock 3596

Dammastock 3629

Scheestock 3608

Eggstock 3583

Moosstock 2611 Bad weather alternative

Dammaplatten 2811 Bad weather alternative

Passes

Name Height (m) Comments

Tiefensattel S 3406 Between Galenstock and Tiefenstock

Tiefensattel N 3335 Between Galenstock and Tiefenstock

Unteres Winterjoch 3425 Between Tiefenstock and Vorderem Rhonestock

Oberes Winterjoch 3525 Between Vorderer- and Hinterer Rhonestock

Rhonejoch 3519 Between Rhonestock and Dammapass

Dammapass 3525 Between Rhonestock and Dammastock

Dammajoch 3560 Between Dammastock and Scheestock

3. Galenstock-ridge
Description:
This is an area with excellent ridge climbs, both on rock or in combined terrain. Examples in rock are the Gross Bielenhorn SE-ridge and the Chli Bielenhorn SW-ridge. The Galenstock offers the excellent SE-ridge.
Maps:
Urseren 1231 1:25.000
Sustenpass 255 1:50.000
Summits

Name Height (m) Comments

Klein Furkahorn 3026

Gross Furkahorn 3169

Galengrat P. 3235 offers some great climbing.

Galenstock 3583

Gross Bielenhorn 3206

Chli Bielenhorn 2940

Passes

Name Height (m) Comments

Sidelengratlücke 2980 Rhoneglacier / Sidelenglacier

Sidelenlücke 3120 Rhoneglacier / Sidelenglacier

Obere Bielenlücke 3225

Mittlere Bielenlücke 2980

Untere Bielenlücke 2900 Albert Heim hütte / Sidelenhütte

4. Tierberg-ridge
Maps:
Guttanen 1230 1:25.000
Innertkirchen 1210 1:25.000
Meiental 1211 1:25.000
Sustenpass 255 1:50.000

Summits

Name Height (m) Comments

Sunnighoren 2412

Radlefshoren 2603

Graue Stöckli 2776

Drosistock 2822

Giglistock 2900

Brunnenstock 2763

Vorder Tierberg 3091

Mittler Tierberg 3311

Hinter Tierberg 3447

Maasplangstock 3401

Passes

Name Height (m) Comments

Steinlimi 2734 Steinglacier / Windegg- & Trifthütte

Tierberglücke 2986 Tierberg- & Chelenalphütte / Triftgletscher

Chelenlücke 3203 Chelenalp / Tierberghütte

5. Gletschhorn-Schöllenen-ridge
Maps:
Urseren 1231 1:25.000
Sustenpass 255 1:50.000

Summits

Name Height (m) Comments

Gletschhorn 3305

Graue Wand p. 3172

Winterstock 3203

Lochberg 3074

Blauberg 2955

Müeterlishorn 3066

Hinter Feldschijen 3021

Vorder Feldschijen 2962

Mittagstock 2989

6. Sustenhorn-Bergseeschijen-ridge
Maps:
Urseren 1231 1:25.000
Meiental 1211 1:25.000
Sustenpass 255 1:50.000

Summits

Name Height (m) Comments

Sustenspitz 2930

Chli Sustenhorn 3318

Sustenhorn 3203

Vordere Sustenlimihorn 3316

Brunnenstock 3210

Voralphorn 3203

Chelenalphorn 3202

Hoch Horefellistock 3021

Schijenstock 3161

Bergseeschijen 2815

Hochschijen 2634

Gandschijen 2388

Gwächtenhorn 3420

7. Fleckistock ridge
Maps:
Meiental 1211 1:25.000
Sustenpass 255 1:50.000

Summits

Name Height (m) Comments

Chli Griessenhorn 2851

Gross Griessenhorn 3202

Stucklistock 3308

Fleckistock / Rot Stock 3416

Chüeplanggenstock 3207

Rorspitzli 3220

Spitzli 3011

8. Salbitschijen
Maps:
Meiental 1211 1:25.000
Urseren 1231 1:25.000
Sustenpass 255 1:50.000

Summits

Name Height (m) Comments

Salbitschijen main summit 2981

Salbitzahn 2728 Lowest tower in the S-ridge

Plattenturm 2900 Tower in S-ridge

Zwillingsturm 2920 Tower in S-ridge

Meiggelenstock 2448

Meiggelenplatte 2405

Meiggelengrat 2512

Images
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