UKC

I am planning a trip to the Alps in July and have been training in Snowdonia. I have been climbing some of the classic VD and S climb's around that area in B2 boots. Admittedly, some of the climbing has been very un-graceful as i get more and more used to climbing in them. Is that an acceptable grade to prepare me for the Alpine summer.? Many thanks - Matt.

In reply to Matt Adey:

depends entirely what grade/ style of route you're planning on doing out there. If you're comfortable climbing Severe in big boots I expect you'll be fine

In reply to Matt Adey: You'll probably find yourself climbing around those grades in your boots and crampons while wearing gloves, particularly on more mixed type routes with snow and rock sections.

on easier routes with snow and glacial approaches and longer rock sections ( Voie normale on the dent du geant springs to mind). you'd take your crampons off and climb the rock in big boots, around Severe I guess,

if you're confident on that kind of ground then you'll be fine in the alps, While training for the alps last year we were moving together on routes up to around MVS in big boots and then repeating routes we'd done in rocks shoes up to E1 in boots, I found that was a great confidence booster.

HTH, Pete.

In reply to Matt Adey: If you can climb VS in big boots you should be able to get up most alpine classics up to and including ED2. You may have to pull on a peg or two though. I only carried rock shoes when there were multiple pitches of HVS and above. You do not want to be stopping and changing from one to the other. Speed is the main thing on the big routes but if you think that you can best achieve that by wearing rock shoes then you should. Out and out rock is another matter though and I know that I found the Rebuffat Route on the Midi more pleasurable in rock shoes than when I had done it previously in big boots.

Al

In reply to Matt Adey:

Big boots are great for cracks. Well, big boot size ones ...

In reply to Gaston Rubberpants:

Hi if I am leading at VS/HVS does that mean I can climb ED2 ie North Face of The Eiger 1938 classic????

What is French Sport 4+ uk trad wise?

Bye

In reply to Matt Adey: Remember that a pair of rock shoes doesn't weigh much. As long as you aren't wasting time changing back & forth they can be worth having.

In reply to Mountain Spirit: No, that's over simplistic.

This and your other post is now leading me to believe that you are either very, very naive or trolling.

In reply to Gaston Rubberpants: agreed!

In reply to Gaston Rubberpants: ... Surely it was obvious that was a troll. Sarcasm dripping from it lol.

In reply to Tim_C7: No the original post was fine it was only the followup that sounded like a troll and yes at that point it became sarcastic. Perhaps???

Al

In reply to Gaston Rubberpants:

Hiya Al.

What other post?

I know it is more complex than that as they far more things to consider such as exposure, altitude, objective dangers eg rock and ice, crevasses, how sustained the climbing is and where Aid is involved!

With the Eiger North Face you need to do it in good weather!

Bye

In reply to alooker:

nope

not a troll!

In reply to Matt Adey: Many thanks to all of your advice. I will give a VS a try in my boots which will un-doughtably make me cake myself a bit but should be fun