UKC

Hi There,

Could anyone recommended any of the multi pitch routes in the Englehorner area of Switzerland? We are looking for routes up to 6a+. We would be grateful for any information on how they are equipped and on the sources of topos and descriptions aside from those in Swindon's AC guide.

Many thanks,
Colenn.

In reply to colenn:

There are Topos for the popular routes around the Engelhorner in Schwiez Plaisir West

www.filidor.ch

www.needlesports.com/acatalog/Mail_Order_Switzerland_118.html

In reply to colenn:
Get Jurg von Kanel's Schweiz Plaisir West - I got mine from Needlesports (Keswick) internet shop which is really efficient.

Engelhorner looks very much a summer months only mountain - having just returned it was totally white out with recent snow. We had hoped to sample its limestone but it wasn't on. I could e-mail you a photo taken from the valley on 27th May if you want!

In the area, Gerstenegg at the top of Grimsel Pass has brilliant granite slab routes up to 400 metres, all obscenely well-equipped. Most of these are up to 5a, and a good introduction. Round on the reservoir is Raticherbodensee - more granite slabs of similar length but harder routes, up to 6b. Gelmerfluh at Grimsel (opposite side of road) has 6a/6b multi-pitch granite slabs up to 450 metres. Back down the valley is Handegg - some very long granite routes here e.g Fair Hands Line 6a and 330 metres.


Further back down the valley is the gneiss of Mittagfluh - check out the 350 metre south face, routes from 5a to 6b+, the classic is the Sudkante at a mellow 5a.

In increasingly bad weather we retreated to Meiringen and found some good limestone sport at Rotsteinl and Bereitl, and even resorted one day to the not bad climbing wall in Meiringen!

All grades I've quoted are French. If you meant 6a+ as a UK grade, that's out of my league to help!

Thanks for the replies - I did mean 6a+ french. That guide looks exactly like what we are looking for and I have ordered it.

In reply to colenn: Hi

Full stottie is right, if youwant an enjoyable climb on the Engelhoerner the weather needs to be good and most of the snow must be gone. This can be the case from middle May till middle september with a bit of luck.

Engelhoerner is a complex and dangerous area, beware especially of the treacherous descents. If the weather is right for you I 'd recommend a) getting booked into the Engelhorn hut the night before (it's pricey but worth it)
and b) a recce the day/evening before to identify your route and waymarkers for the descent.

I can recommend the Kingspitz Nordostwand and Westkante Vorderspitze, both excellent, no harder than F6a. They re both serious alpine outings that take a little planning and I wouldn't go on them in shaky weather.

There are some more escapable multipitch routes of that grade on Rosenlauistock which are also very good.

Stay away from Breitenbodenturm - it looks good from below but is a falling apart mess.

There is an excellent, very detailed Guidebook called "Engelhornfuehrer" readily available locally (Author Kaspar Ochsner) which I think is essential if you want to give it a go, even just for the detailed topos.

As much as I like the "Plaisir" book, on the more alpine craggs it has bitten of more than it can chew. By that I mean the chapters about Engelhoerner and Gelmerhoerner.
They are a little too complex and hazardous for a compressed guide like that. It's still the best by far though to get started in the area.

Good luck, have fun, "Hals- und Beinbruch..!"

In reply to colenn:
Hi Colenn,
Would definitely second the comments above about the Engelhorner being a great venue. We did Vorderspitz West a couple of years ago - "sparingly" bolted and a bit loose in places low down, but a real adventure. Caught in a bad hail and thunderstorm on the way down - seriously not to be recommended.

We're going back for the Kingspitz NE later this Summer - here's a link to some pictures which give a feel for the place, and the Kingspitz route in particular.

http://www.andakt.ch/Galerien/Kingspitze/index-frame.html

Dave