While Switzerland is certainly more well known for its skiing opportunities, there is no shortage of ice climbing here for those seeking it out. Flying into Bern or Zermatt is your best option to get out onto the ice as soon as possible. All sorts of ice climbing from courses to challenging climbs may be found scattered around these two locations.
For those looking to get into winter mountaineering, ice climbing builds a good skill set that comes in necessary on numerous expeditions. For those looking for a spectacular view, ice climbing get you up to spots that are inaccessible in the summer, such as frozen waterfalls and gives you a different perspective of the country than hiking, mountaineering or ski touring can as well.
The weather varies throughout Switzerland during the winter. However, on average, you can expect average daily temperatures between -2ºC and 7ºC in the valleys. Higher up in the mountains temperatures are colder. Most of the time, the weather will be tranquil enough for ice climbing, but storms are not infrequent.
This depends on how much time you have. Many guides offer a range of options from single-day ice climbing trips to courses lasting several days. Overall, a week is sufficient time to explore much of the ice climbing available in any given location.
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