Ortler Mountain

Address: Ortler (Ortles), South Tyrol / Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

Hours: Open year-round; main climbing season June-September

Ortler (Italian Ortles) is the highest mountain in the Ortler Alps, reaching an elevation of 3,905 metres. It stands on the border area between South Tyrol and the Trentino region in northern Italy and is the dominant summit in its range.

The mountain is a classic alpine objective with glaciated slopes and routes of varying technical difficulty, attracting mountaineers and ski tourers. Climbers follow established routes that traverse glacier terrain and use nearby mountain huts as bases for ascents.

Over the 19th and 20th centuries the Ortler became a focal point for Alpine exploration and alpine mountaineering in the Eastern Alps; it remains an important peak for regional mountain guides and alpine clubs.

Ortler lies within the high alpine landscape of northern Italy, with approaches from valleys in South Tyrol and Trentino and mountain hut networks providing access for ascents.

• Elevation: Rising to an elevation of 3,905 metres, it is the highest peak of the Ortler Alps and a prominent mountaineering objective in northern Italy.

• Plan any summit attempt for midsummer (June-September) and start the final push very early to avoid afternoon storms and to handle glacier sections in firmer conditions.
• Use the village of Sulden/Solda as the common base for routes on Ortler and hire a certified mountain guide if you don't have glacier experience; crevassed terrain and rapidly changing weather make guided ascents the safer option.