UKC

I'm planning my first trip to the alps and was wondering if I could have a hand with my intinery. I'm looking at the Aosta valley and hopefully a trip up the Gran Paradisio and Aiguille de Entreves.

However I have found out that the Torino Hut will be closed in August and I'd appreciate any suggestions on access to the Entreves or other good options in the area.

Climbing wise I am a rock climber with experience of plenty of trad including mountain routes in the UK. I am after some technically easier stuff, more akin to scrambling the cuillins, Anoach Eagach or anything up to VDiff with the occasional S or HS pitch.

Any suggestions would be appreciated before I reconsider location.

In reply to JohnBson:

The lift to the hut will be open so you could consider camping or bivvying, away from the building works! That way you can stick to plan A.
Otherwise Arolla or Ailefroide could be good alternatives. For non serious easyish climbing /scrambling there are some nice routes around Chamonix especially in the Aiguilles Rouges area.

In reply to JohnBson:
Personally I'd try and mix it up as much as you can. I found on my first trip some of the stuff we did at quite high altitiude wasn't far off my UK mountain grade whilst other stuff felt harder than it should ( especially when getting acclimatized or when there were complications due to objective danger I wasn't used to - which is certainly quite route specific and might be the easy desent as much as the route up).

I can't suggest routes in that area as I've only ice climbed in winter around there. However I loved the Dolomites for pure rock climbing Breggaglia was good too and Chamonix has a good mixture of stuff.

It should be fairly obvious form a good guide book where you can push the grade and where you need a lot of leeway. Rock routes of a reasonable length with an uncomplicated approach / descent once acclimatised I found I could lead pretty much my UK mountain grade. Some of the unchainments in snowdonia are good training btw......

In reply to JohnBson:

I was going to suggest camping, as Mark has already done