UKC

Hello mates,

I'm heading down to the alps for two weeks in July. Gonna do 4-5 days in Chamonix and then head over to Valais for 5-6 days and then maybe some route on Matterhorn.

I have only once been to Valais (did some route on miroir d'argentine) and have been wanting to come back ever since. Anyone have some recommendations regarding both Trad and Alpine routes in the Valais area? Trad up to 6b/c and Alpine AD.

Also, which guidebooks to get for Valais?

Much appreciated!
Best,
Jonas

In reply to Jonsa:
Sanetsch has some fabulous routes in that sort of grade range. They aren't trad but are by no means 'sport' either (you're best carrying a light rack). Much nicer than the Miroir in my opinion too with mostly much better rock and a sunnier aspect.

In reply to jon:

Jon, awesome. Any particular routes?

In reply to Jonsa:

If your looking for an Alpine route you could try the Portjengrat at AD or The Lenzspite - Nadelhorn traverse at PD. The Portjengrat is really good fun on unusually good rock.

In reply to jon:

Many thanks!

In reply to OwenM:

The Portjengrat looks like a good route. Thanks. I only have one short summer season doing alpine stuff, so this route looks quite perfect. Would you recommend any other routes on the same peak? Preferably something committed and couloir type? Still AD tho...

Cheers

In reply to Jonsa:

The Portjengrat is really just a long ridge, the summit such as it is is called the Pizzo d'Andolla 3653m. Most of the climbs up it's sides are short ribs. There's also the Weissmies and Lagginhorn on that side of the Saas valley I can't remember if there's any couloir climbing on those. Over on the other side of the valley you'll find all sorts to go at.

In reply to OwenM:


In whose dreams? AD + and serious, at very high altitude.

In reply to Simon4:

That's what I was going to say!

In reply to Jonsa:

I was still coughing too much to type! A "PD" frightener with attitude!

In reply to Jonsa:

Not to worry, naturally I'll check the guidebooks and ask locals guides before heading out anyway.

Any other recommendation?

Are there any good guidebooks that cover this entire area for rock and alpine?

In reply to Jonsa:

For rock climbing:

The basic guidebook for rock climbing is Plaisir West from Filidor, with about 10 crags in the Valais area. The climbs are sport climbs, although some may require a bit of gear. The grade range does cover up to 6b/c but focuses on the lower grades. For one trip, this book might be adequate for you...for example it includes multi-pitch 6c routes at Sanetsch.

Harder routes are in Extrem West from the same publisher and there are also other guidebooks to smaller areas, e.g. Oberwallis from the SAC, you find some details in the UKC logbooks on these.

Pure trad routes are rare to find, although in general there are guidebooks dedicated to "clean climbing", for example the "keepwild! climbs" from Panico Alpinverlag has something promising, but beware that the routes might also not be pure trad.

Richard

In reply to Jonsa:

The 2 vol. ac valais guide is out of date but still pretty good covers a life time of alpine routes and some rock. Martin Moran's more up to date ac 4000m peak book is very good if your going high.

I
L'eveque above arolla has a good short ad traverse at moderate altitude, well worth doing and u can stay at the delightful bouquetins refuge as a bonus.

In reply to Jonsa:

If you fancy driving to the end of the Rhone valley and up the Grimsel Pass you have access to the best granite slabs and walls I've ever climbed on. At your sort of grade Eldorado, near the top of the pass, sounds ideal, easiest routes being the classics Motorhead and Septumania both 6ish and only bolted where necessary (and often not then!). Over the North of the pass there are easier routes too, and these are not usually over-bolted either. Highly recommended.

In reply to rlrs:

Richard - thanks for that!

In reply to alasdair19:

Alasdair - Really helpful! Cheers

In reply to Alex Pryor:

Alex...that does indeed sound ideal! I'll do some research on this! Thanks

In reply to Jonsa:

Forgot to mention these are mostly long routes, from 6 to around 20 pitches, but as they are slabby they are mostly quick climbing.
Some pics here: https://picasaweb.google.com/117669991069776351446/Summer2009AlpsSwitzerlan...
First 25 or so are in the Grimsel pass area, but only up to 5c. You'll see they are VERY easy-angled, but fairly holdless. Eldorado is quite a bit steeper.
Best guide is Schweiz Plaisir West, or Schweiz Extrem (West?) for the harder routes.

Guys, thanks for all the ideas!

We are starting to get a good list of routes for the trip. Looks promising.

If anyone is planning to be in any of the areas 4-20 July, please let me know!

CHAMONIX
ALPINE (snow / ice / mixed)
Tour Ronde Ridge, Mont Maudit D
Couturier Couloir, Aiguille Verte D
Triangle Tacul: Contamine-Grisolle AD
Mallory AD
Grands Montets Ridge, Aiguille Verte D
Aiguille du Chardonnet: Arête Forbes AD
Couloir de la table (mixed) PD+

ROCK
Planpraz Charlanon
Le Clocher de Planpraz: Cocher-Cochon TD+ (6a)
Chapelle de la Gliere 5b
Dent du Géant: Face SW par les plaques Burgener D-
Pyramide de Tacul D- (5a)


Portjengrat
ALPINE
South ridge AD+

Matterhorn
ALPINE
Arête du Lion AD

Sanetsch
ROCK
Lumière des Justes
Douce Violence ED-
Grüne Welle
L'Ange Bleu


Grimsel Pass (Eldorado)
ROCK
Motorhead TD (6a+)
Septumania TD (6a+)


Piz Badel (quite far away but looks amazing)
ROCK
Cassin TD?
North Ridge D

In reply to Jonsa:
Nothing wrong with being optimistic, but you did say you had 2 weeks in total?

Allowing for aclimitisation, bad weather, being buggered by a previous route, hut approaches, descent, rest days, you will be doing very well to get a tenth of that lot done in that time. I also don't see much (in your Alpine route list anyway), that could be called training routes or work-up routes.

BTW, the Lenzspitz -> Nadelhorn is not a bad route (I would love to do it myself), just the grading given was wildly below what it should be.

In reply to Simon4:

Obviously we are not going to manage all this on one team over two weeks.

In reply to Jonsa:
Fine that you are realistic about that, but you might consider something like the Glacier du Milieu on the Aiguille d'Argentière to gain aclimitisation.

In reply to Jonsa:

Motorhead is one of the best routes i've done, and septumania has a great reputation too.
They will take a day each.

Personally i wouldn't bother with the Aiguilles.Rouges, or most Chamonix crags as theyre so busy. Last time i was there we met more climbers on a single 6 pitch route than in 4 weeks in Austria! May not be so bad early July, but i don't emjoy queueing for, or on routes.

In reply to Alex Pryor:
I hear you... Did Frison Roche early July last year, three teams in front of us and three teams behind. The last two teams had to turn back as they ran out of day light! Not ideal if one likes to go fast and light!

In reply to Jonsa:

RE: Le Clocher de Planpraz: Cocher-Cochon TD+ (6a)

Note that the TD+ is a rock climbing TD+, not at all comparable to the normal Alpine TD+ (a flaw in the UKC logbooks...) Having done it, it is essentially a 9 pitch sport route and very well bolted (and surely an easier proposition than Motorhead, for example). And the photo for Cocher-Cochon in Plaisir West shows the start 15m to the right of where it is!