Ice climbing in Riva Di Tures, South Tyrol, Italy

Now that Christmas is coming, everyone dreams about presents and… holidays in the mountains. If you’re not really into sitting by the fireplace drinking mulled wine when it’s extremely cold outside, you can surely do ice climbing in Riva di Tures in South Tyrol, Italy.

Riva di Tures stands at the foot of the 3,436 m (11,273 ft) Collalto mountain, the highest in Vedrette di Ries-Aurina range. It is a small village, but very popular destination for cross-country skiing. There are over 15 km (9 mi) of ski tracks and loads of options for off-piste.

For ice climbing though you need a good level of experience. Some routes have around 200 m (656 ft) in length and require special equipment such as camalots, ice screws, ropes, slings and quickdraws. Leben ist jetzt is one of the popular itineraries, and it’s split in two pitches. Being located on the West side of the mountain, it may get some sunshine from February, so the ice may not be as good as in December or January.