Canyoning in the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena

Canyoning – a sport that has become incredibly popular in recent years. And one that’s definitely not for the faint of heart. The Lermoos Alpine School offers a range of canyoning tours in the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena, making it easy for even beginners to get into this exciting activity.

‘Lean back just a bit further. Really push your feet against the rock and stretch out your legs. Like that – you need to lie completely flat; nothing can happen, I’ve got you on the rope!’

That sounds fairly easy. But it isn’t. This is the situation I find myself in: a wetsuit keeps me warm, while sturdy shoes provide support and safety, as do the helmet on my head and the rope attached to the harness around my thighs and hips. And yet – the rocks below are wet and slippery, and underneath me there’s a drop of two metres – into a pool of water glistening in the sunlight. But fine. Marco Seitner, our canyoning guide, tells me to bend down even further. He knows what he’s doing, right? Just two seconds later, I have my answer. ‘Lean back a tiny bit more – that’s it! And now: byeee!’

How do I feel right now? I’m lying flat over a pool of water, looking up at the rocks above me – and then my guide simply lets go of my rope. My reaction? A sharp scream before I plunge into the pool. Water splashes around, and when I come up again, I can hear something else – Marco and my team colleagues loudly laughing. This is canyoning in the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena, and our guide, the owner of the Lermoos Alpine School, has just played a joke on me – one that I, after the initial shock, also can’t help laughing at.

What’s canyoning like in the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena?

Canyoning in the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena is an outdoor sport for daredevils. You don’t just get wet, you also need to be sure-footed and have a head for heights. Put simply, canyoning is about descending a canyon. In practice, this involves a great deal of jumping, climbing, swimming, sometimes even diving – and no end of fun. There’s almost no better place to test your own limits while vividly experiencing the wild forces of nature and, especially, of water.

The Lermoos Alpine School offers a range of tours and is keen to respond to the needs of participants. With so many options, such as ‘Family Canyoning’ for young and old, the two-day ‘Take it Easy’ basic course, or the ‘Action Tour,’ which as Marco stresses, is ‘not for the faint of heart,’ there’s really no excuse not to try canyoning. And since 2020 there’s even been a double thrill available, ‘Heli Canyoning,’ where participants are flown by helicopter directly to the top of the canyon. A true adrenaline rush!

Jump into the cold water or abseil from the heights

The two tours ‘Jump’n’Fun’ and ‘Go Vertical’ are sure to be of particular interest to anyone who wants to try out canyoning in the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena. The first is mainly suitable for beginners who want to let out their inner child by jumping into the clear mountain water. It’s exactly what it says it is, as Marco explains: ‘Participants can look forward to lots of jumps from heights of up to ten metres, incredible views of the canyon stretching down below, and a number of beautiful waterfalls that you can see really close-up – while you’re abseiling underneath them at up to 32 metres of height.’ He does stress, though, that many of the jumps can be avoided if they’re too high for a participant.

The ‘Go Vertical’ tour, on the other hand, is perfect for those who’ve tried canyoning before and already have a little experience under their belts. ‘This one goes steeply down – abseiling, not jumping,’ says Marco. There are a total of 12 abseiling points of up to 25 metres in height, but with almost 50 metres to look down amidst the spectacular scenery of the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena, and even a fantastic view of the Zugspitze, waiting to be discovered. ‘A head for heights is an advantage on any canyoning tour, but it’s essential here.’

That said, there’s no need to be afraid: ‘Our people are qualified canyon guides, all with many years of experience. Safety is always our top priority,’ says Marco. Followed by fun – which I can definitely give the thumbs-up. After all, I know that Marco carefully planned my drop into the water. It’s the downside of going first: while I had no idea of what was about to happen, Marco let everyone else in the team fall into the cold water at the same time he was laughing – with a warning for them, but no less adrenaline, I’m sure.