UKC

Hi,

I'm after some suggestions for a destination with lots of well bolted multipitch sport routes in the 6a-b sort of range. This would be for a trip in May / June, so nothing too hot please.

I've come across suggestions for Ariege and Ailefroide but happy to take advice on other areas. verdon looks tempting but possibly a bit serious / runout from what i've heard.

Cheers

KB

In reply to kingborris:
Switzerland around Asilies (?) beach

Costa blanca has some easy stuff both single and multi pitch

We had a great time in Ailefroide and it's all within easy walk of the campsite. Plus awesome pizzas available on site afterwards!

In reply to kingborris:

Switzerland!

Look at the Schweiz Plaisir guide, lots of bolted stuff to do in that range, e.g.in the Grimsel area, Handegg if the higher crags are still to cold / snowed in.

CB

In reply to kingborris:

Ailefroide is a nice place but the endless slabs get a bit samey after the first couple of days

In reply to cb294:



Agree with this. I would also say, though, that a lot of the granite slabby things are the same move a hundred times. Better routes (IMHO) on the gneiss and limestone. This is one of my favourite places though a bit popular at weekends.
Brückler
It is an idyllic location. You expect Heidi to emerge from her cottage on the walk up to the crag.

In reply to kingborris:


I've found Ariege no more / less runout than Verdon based on my limited experience. The French generally seem to space things a little more on multipitch routes verses single pitch. I've sometimes found it useful to carry a small rack to supplement.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Brüggler looks good! Will give it a try next time I am visiting my brother (who has a house in Switzerland, with views from the terrace ranging from Matterhorn and Dent Blanche on the left to Mont Blanc on the right, but who does not climb or ski). Pearls before swine, etc....
CB

In reply to kingborris:

Orpierre? Not sure of climate at that time of year, but lots of long & very well bolted routes in that range.

In reply to kingborris:

Corsica has some fantastic multi pitch in that grade range. We went at a similar time last year. Recommend both Bavella and the Restonica Valley.

If you mean 6a-b Euro France difficulty grades, then there's several good multi-pitch limestone routes around 1600-2400 meters altitude in the Aravis mountain group in France (say about an hour's drive SW from Chamonix).

. (Unless you're really into slabby granite, Aravis limestone is significantly more interesting than Ailefroide).

Also some good 6a/6b multi-pitch limestone routes in the Cerces mountain group (NW of Briancon and N of Ailefroide) around 2000m altitude -- in case you enjoy the Ailefroide camping experience but get bored with the rock within walking distance. Also lots of single-pitch non-granite-slab sport crags around Briancon (with new edition bilingual French-English guidebook) - and at least one multi-pitch wall around Freysinnieres (S of Ailefroide).

Ken

In reply to kenr:

hi just to add a bit more to ken's post I live 25 mins from Ailefroide and it is an amazing place to climb but i understand the comments about it getting a bit samey if non stop for a week or two,

as Ken mentioned there is so much rock around here that it is easy to mix it up, the Cerces is one of my favourites area 50ish big limestone faces and towers and normally no one there, it is about and hour from Ailefroide and has longer walk in's up to 2 hours, most of the routes are fully bolted (it says in the guidebook) but have an alpine/mountain feel, up to 400 meters in height

also there are some amazing routes on the Tenailles montbrison three spires and faces that can be seen from Briancon

both these areas are not in the new sports climbing guide (briancon climbs) but in the big route guides Oisans Nouveau Oisans Sauvage

multi pitch in the new guide are a bit shorter, there is Freissinieres but it is getting a bit polished and not the best the area has, there is also Le ponteil and paroi des lys both are 200 meters in height and down in the valley so gets lots of sun they are about 45 mins from Ailefroide.

over 3300 route in the sports book + the big wall one and a few via ferrata's if you fancy a easier day,

if you would like any info drop me a line rob@dream-trails.com

cheers

In reply to kingborris:
Thanks everyone. some great information there.

Any suggestions for mainland Italy? I'd have thought there'd be something there?

In reply to kingborris:
The Vercors is dripping with them
Completely out of mode with British these days but not entirely with French. If you really want some routes of 20 or so pitches try Rocher d'Archiane, Pilier Livanos particularly recommended. Gerbier, Presle also to be recommended. And super country.

In reply to jcw:
hi My bad i didn't see the time of year you where think about, may/june would be to early for the cerces, we are still ski tour there at the moment and would be very cold then.

can also recommend JCW ideas i really loved Presle amazing setting

In reply to ecrinscollective:

What about the rest of the Briancon crags? Too cold at the end of May?

Are there any guidebooks around for the Vercors area?

In reply to kingborris:

hi

ok late may early june, all the valley stuff is in like Le ponteil and paroi des lys is good, (i was climbing at le ponteil thursday shorts and t-shirt)

Ailefroide is normally ok then, if it has been a hard winter there can be snow at the bottom of some routes, but i should be fine this year, I like Ailefroide early or later in the season as it's less busy.

for the Vercors guide book we have 2 guide's to presles that a friend gave us, escalades a presles and les plus belles voies de presles, they are old, not sure if there is a new version or a rockfax type guide to the area sorry

cheers

In reply to ecrinscollective:
I only have fairly old guidebooks, but Camp to Camp certainly has descriptions of some routes.

In reply to kingborris:

Have a look at Paklenica in Croatia. Easy to get to (Ryanair and Germanwings fly to Zadar, which is about an hour away by car), cheap, has a great climate, and the sport climbing is excellent. Should be perfect in May/June.

http://www.climb-europe.com/RockClimbingCroatia/Paklenica-Routes.html

Mark