Because of its relatively low elevation, the Blaueis has been particularly affected by glacial retreat which is common amongst Alpine glaciers.

Since the mid-1980s, rocks in the middle of the Blaueis have become increasingly free of snow and the upper part of the glacier is now more or less completely separated from the lower field of what is now dead ice.

At that time of the year there were sometimes fatal falls in the past caused by black ice.

It runs without touching the glacier from the Blaueis Hut over the Schärtenspitze, Blaueisspitze, Hochkalter, Kleinkalter and Rotpalfen back to the start.

The main difficulty is conquering the Blaueis north arête, which is at least a UIAA grade IV climb.