Boulderführer Alpen en bloc - Band 1: Deutschland - Schweiz - Italien

Scope and coverage

Alpen en bloc, Volume 1 is a selective bouldering guide to the central Alps, spanning Germany, Switzerland, and northern Italy. It mixes marquee zones with quieter crags—think Magic Wood, Gotthard and Susten passes, Murgtal, Allgäu, Kochel, Sudelfeld, Vils, Val di Mello, Val Daone, Arco, and the Dolomites—making it a realistic backbone for a multi-country road trip. The 2024 edition refreshes the content and layout.

How it’s organized

The book leans on clean photo-topos and area maps, with each sector introduced by practical wayfinding, seasonality, and logistics. Usefully, zones are profiled with criteria boulderers actually need—best season, altitude, landing quality, orientation, child‑friendliness, and approach—plus an “Ambience” rating that helps you gauge scenery and vibe as well as difficulty spread.

A standout extra is the included code for the Vertical‑Life app, which unlocks the guide’s topos on your phone—handy for finding blocs, checking problem lists, and navigating in the field.

Field notes and usability

On the rock, coverage balances household names with family‑friendly and beginner sectors (for example around Arco and Val Daone), while still flagging worthwhile mid‑ and higher‑grade lines. Photo‑topos are legible, symbols consistent, and maps intuitive; together they make linking sectors in a single day straightforward. If you plan to focus deeply on a single province, consider pairing this volume with local titles (e.g., the regional Trentino Boulder guide) to expand problem density and recent openings.

Authored by South Tyrolean boulderer Florian Wenter with Lorenz Delago, the series reflects years of localism and cross‑border knowledge, now updated across two volumes (Band 2 covers Austria and South Tyrol).

Verdict

For visitors who want one book to stitch together the Alps’ greatest hits with lesser‑known gems, Volume 1 delivers: broad geographic reach, clear topos, thoughtful on‑the‑ground criteria, and a useful companion app. It’s an excellent trip‑planning tool and a reliable crag‑side partner—highly recommended for anyone plotting a bouldering tour between Lucerne and Bozen.

Details

Weight

2350g

Pages

576

Publisher

Panico Alpinverlag