UKC

I am a member of a small slightly aging (early 60's)group of rock climbing mates who have climbed in the Dolomites for a week every summer for years, with one foray into Slovenia and one this summer onto Elba.

We are looking for a new area in France/Austria/Switzerland/Italy for next July/August that provides reasonably accessible lift systems (mainly for getting down as one or two have sorry knees), multi pitch rock climbing around 250 to 400 metres long at S/VS/HVS standard, good mountain walking for our wives, mountain biking for days off the rock, and good food !

Boys used to camp but who are we to deny our wives greater comfort so reasonable hotel accomodation required.

Suggestions gratefully received

In reply to Stephen Turner: Ailefroide/Ecrins.

In reply to Stephen Turner:

i see someone has recommended Ecrins and Ailefroide, i live near there for
most of the year, Ailefroide is a amazing area but bolted mainly, some
trad more alpine routes higher in this valley?



Over all the ecrins is great for rock climbing, walking and mountain
biking, with lots to offer,



one area you may be interested is the Massif des Cerces, this is north of
Briancon not far from Ailefroide, it has lots of multi pitch climbs from
200m to 400m and walking ins from 30 mins to 2 hours, all sorts of grade's,
in terms of equipment there is a mix of sports routes through to trad, in
the guidebook each route is given a star rating for gear 1 sat being fully
sport and 3 and 4 being total trad. But the best thing is this area gets
good weather and is very quiet not many people know about it?



the below link give some idea and pics of the area,



http://www.gdargaud.net/Climbing/BrianconClimb.html

or look up dream-trails.com on facebook its mine and has photos of the area



if you don’t mind doing some sports and trad the whole area is great for a
climbing break, lots of hotels and apartment’s to for accommodation





if you would like any more info let me know?



cheers Rob

In reply to Stephen Turner:

Dachstein south - Austria: 200-900m limestone. bolted 'alpine style' great classics and modern routes ... and a cable car down after your climb ... lots of walks, via feratas ...

a minimal selection of topos: http://www.bergsteigen.at/ first select 'Klettern' (left), then: Bundesland Steiermark, then Dachsteingebirge; guidebook should be availlable locally ... if you need more info -> PN

th

In reply to Stephen Turner:
Ecrins/Cerces does indeed fit all your criteria.
I've been summer and winter for a few years.

This is the hotel
http://www.chaletdestouristes.net/anglais/
(my mate Marienoelle's hotel, but it really is very nice)(and it was built for touristes in 1938 so it is the oldest little wooden hotel in the valley)

They know all about the local climbing walking via ferratas and natural history, and there is a thermal spa complex at Monetier for when one's old kneebones ache. And biking - MTB but also the Tour de France goes through quite often.

It's half board, but being climbers they understand about rolling home in the dark after an epic and won't put the dinner in the bin; and they'll put out breakfast things for early starts. And Vincent is a vv good cook as well as being a mountain guide.