Piz Platta
3,392 m
Switzerland
Also known as Piz PiattaAlso known as
Piz Piatta
- Elevation
- 3,392 m
- Prominence
- 1,108 m
- Difficulty
- 5/10
- Easy alpine
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Approximate line — not for navigation
An automated check found that parts of this line could not be matched to mapped trails, so it may stray far from the real route. Use it for planning only, with a map and a guidebook.
Why? 4 check notes
- the line does not follow 'Val Bercla', the route's namesake (607 m away): mislabelled
- Mulegns → Tga: corridor (detour; 17 m of gaps, 4.0 km)
- unresolved waypoints: Pt. 3137, West-face ledge
- waypoints not on the route line: Val Bercla (290 m off the trail), Platta (214 m off the trail)
Sources differ: SAC L (SAC route portal (Aus dem Val Faller durch die Südwestflanke)) · T5 (gipfelbuch.ch) · WS (PD) / T6 for the summer route from Cresta (Avers) (SummitPost) · L (SW flank and south couloir from Cresta, 4½ h) (de.wikipedia.org, after the SAC Bündner Alpen 3 guide)
A long, mostly pathless day from Mulegns on the Julier road: up Val Faller and the lonely Val Bercla to the Platta pastures, over slabs, scree and the remnants of the Vadret da Piz Platta to Pt. 3137, then a cairned ledge across the west face and blocky ground to the summit cross. Grade I scrambling only, but about 1,900 m of ascent.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- ≈ 10.8 km
- one way
- Ascent
- ≈ +1,925 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 3,392 m
- Time Up
- ≈ 7h 48m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- ≈ 5h 16m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From Mulegns (about 1,480 m) follow the farm road up Val Faller to just before Alp Tga. Cross the bridge below and take the marked path south into the quiet Val Bercla. At about 2,250 m two cairns, one on each bank, mark where to cross the stream; on the far side a clear but unmarked path climbs steeply north-west to the Platta pastures (about 2,500 m), from where the glacier is in view. Climb on the right (true left) of the glacier stream, first on paths, later following occasional cairns, to the edge of the firn. Keep as far right as possible over firn, ice-polished slabs and glacier remnants to Pt. 3137, where the route from Avers over the Tälihorn joins. A prominent cairn marks the start of a cairned ledge that crosses the west face to a short ridge; follow it left (north), then cross flatter ground of blocks, slabs and scree to the summit cross. The occasional climbing on the approach to the glacier and on the summit block does not exceed grade I. The SAC gives 4–5 hours from Val Faller (1,540 m). Descend the same way. A road bike or mountain bike to Tga shortens the start, as one 2026 party did.
Start
Mulegns1,485 m
- PostBus Chur–Tiefencastel–St. Moritz (Julier line) to Mulegns
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mulegns → Piz Platta | 10.8 | 1,925 | 18 | 7h 48m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Mulegns1,485 m
PostBus stop on the Julier Pass road
- Feature: Tga1,924 m
Alp in Val Faller; former Ski- und Wanderhütte Piz Platta (closed since 2021)
- Feature: Val Bercla2,330 m
Stream crossing at about 2,250 m marked by two cairns (not on route line)
- Feature: Platta2,534 m
Pastures below the glacier (not on route line)
- Feature: Vadret da Piz Platta3,028 m
- Summit: Piz Platta3,392 m
Key Passages
- Stream crossing in Val Bercla at about 2,250 m
- Slabs and glacier remnants to Pt. 3137
- Cairned ledge across the west face
- Blocky summit slopes
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
The highest peak between the Oberhalbstein and Avers (3,392 m) and, with over 1,100 m of prominence, one of the most independent summits in Switzerland. The normal route is a long, lonely and technically easy ascent over scree, slabs and glacier remnants from Mulegns or Avers, with a view that reaches the Bernese and Valais Alps.
Piz Platta gives its name to the Platta group of the Oberhalbstein Alps in Graubünden. It rises south-west of Mulegns on the Julier road and north-east of Cresta in the Avers valley, bounded by the Val Gronda, Val Faller and Val Bercla on the Oberhalbstein side. Its 600 m north face drops steeply to scree, while the east and south sides are easier. The small Vadret da Piz Platta lies to the south and another glacier to the north-west, both much reduced.
The usual summer ascents are from Tga in Val Faller above Mulegns, through the Val Bercla and up the south-west flank, or from Cresta in Avers over Pt. 3137; both are graded L by the SAC with only grade I scrambling, but they involve 1,500–1,900 m of ascent through largely pathless terrain, and old snow or firn early in the season. The ridges and the north face are graded WS+ to S and see few ascents; the rock is often loose.
In winter and spring Piz Platta is regarded as one of the finest ski mountains in Graubünden, with long descents to Mulegns, but the summit section is steep (up to 45 degrees over 150 m) and needs safe conditions. From the top the view on a clear day extends to the Finsteraarhorn, the Mischabel group and the Weisshorn.
Climbing Notes
You need stamina for a 1,900 m day from Mulegns (or about 1,450 m from Cresta), sure-footedness on steep scree and slabs, and route-finding skills, because most of the route above Val Bercla is unmarked and cairns are sparse. The scrambling never exceeds grade I. In early summer take crampons and an ice axe for the firn and glacier remnants; a helmet is useful on the loose summit block.
There is no hut on the normal route any more: the Ski- und Wanderhütte Piz Platta at Tga has been closed since the end of summer 2021, so plan a long day from Mulegns or Cresta, starting at dawn. Some parties cycle the road to Tga to save time. Thunderstorms are a real risk on the long exposed upper slopes in summer.
History
SummitPost gives the first ascent as 7 November 1866 by Arnold Baltzer and S. Hartmann. The mountain gives its name to the SAC Piz Platta section.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Possible
- March: Good
- April: Good
- May: Possible
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; long, avalanche-prone ski tour
- Feb
- Ski tours in safe conditions only
- Mar
- Classic ski tour from Mulegns
- Apr
- Spring ski touring
- May
- Late ski season; wet snow low down
- Jun
- Snow on the upper route; crampons and axe
- Jul
- Best summer conditions
- Aug
- Mostly snow-free; afternoon thunderstorms
- Sep
- Often stable
- Oct
- Possible on fine autumn days; early snow
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter
Access & Permits
- Rules
- No staffed accommodation on the normal route: the Ski- und Wanderhütte Piz Platta at Tga has been closed since the end of summer 2021
- Getting There
Mulegns and Savognin (Oberhalbstein); Cresta (Avers)
Zurich (ZRH)
- Train to Tiefencastel (Rhaetian Railway), then PostBus on the Julier line towards St. Moritz to Mulegns
- Avers side: PostBus from Thusis via Andeer to Cresta in the Avers valley
- By car: Julier Pass road to Mulegns; or Thusis–Andeer–Innerferrera to Cresta
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Glacier
- Weather
- Remoteness
- Avalanche