UKC

Hi,

I have the chance to work in Ulm. I was wondering if anyone could answer the following questions?:
Is there good evening cragging and mountain biking?
How long does it take to get to longer alpine rock and more extensive sport climbing?
How close is the nearest ski resort and good ski touring?
What is Ulm like?!

any info appreciated!

Tom

In reply to tnj:
All I know about it is that it has the highest cathedral spire in Europe - over 500ft - you could always climb that!

In reply to tnj: http://www.ig-klettern-alb.de/index.php?id=146
Seems quite close, it's where I will go when I eventually move down there.

In reply to tnj: I am in Friedrichshafen

Take a look at the map, Ulm is on the highway from Stuttgart to Bregenz (Pfander Tunnel). So a fast route to Bregenzerwald and St Anton areas. Davos, Laax and other swiss areas are also down that way. The same highway turns north east to Munich so Garmisch is probably a possibility.

Going south to Friedrichafen and Zurich isn't so quick. West to the Black forest gives some hill walking.

Bregenzerwald is a top Mountain Biking area, up to 2500m altitude, quite a few Kletterstieg as well.

In reply to tnj:

Thanks very much for your info guys looks a like a good venue!

Tom

In reply to tnj: ulm is really close to the alps!! it takes about 1,5 h to the tannheimer, an alpine climbing area at the german-austrian border with quite good climbing, (100-300m) but all the routes have been (retro)bolted. nevertheless, it's a nice place, espacially early or late in the season. about the same distance, you have good cragging close to reutte in austria . guidebook: allgäu. for more alpine venues, wetterstein and the innvalley is a further hour away, so makes an excellent weekend trip! enjoy!!

In reply to tnj:
For sportsclimbing the nearest crags are in the Blautal (approx 15 km west of Ulm with German Grade 4 - 10). There are further climbing areas in the surrounding (max 1 h driving) on the Schwäbische Alb and in the Donautal (here are also longer climbing routes).

On the Schwäbische Alb are also many possibilities for mountain biking.

A first survey of the German Climbing areas you can get on climbing.de.

In reply to tnj:
Tannheim, tannheim & tannheim

In reply to tnj:

I lived in Ulm for a year. I would say go for it. As mentioned, the Blautal is really close. In summer I used to be able to get out there in the evenings after work. Tannheimer Tal just down the A7. A little bit further gets you to the Wetterstein, the mountains on the south side of Garmisch, which are great, especially the Schüsselkarspitze. The Lechtal is just a little further than the Tannheimer Tal, although I've never climbed there. The guidebook publisher Pannico has got guides to most of these areas.

Ulm is also good for getting down to Switzerland. Four hours gets you to the Furkapass. It's not quite as handy for the Dolomites and Arco since you have to go "cross country" for a stretch.

There is enough ski touring there to keep you going for years, and it's popular enough that it's really easy to get to know people to go with. Oberstdorf and Nebelhorn are probably the nearest ski resorts, and St Anton is also close enough for an easy weekend.

I'm not so much of a mountain biker, but two of my colleagues there are really keen, and I think they find enough to do.

Alex