UKC

I have the first week in August off and would like to take my son away on a trip.

He is 11 and has a reasonable degree of fitness and experience (rock, VF,ridges, caves).

He can't belay and I am ok soloing very easy rock (maybe Diff).

Dolomites is a possibility but looking for other options too.

Hut to hut easy traverses, easy ridges.

Happy to bivvy if needed.

All ideas gratefully received!

Thanks

Neil

In reply to ColdAndWet:

Maybe get a petzl ohm and teach them to belay. Opens up some more options. 

Easy ridges with a kid are sometimes more dangerous than a few bolts and easy retreats.

my parents took me up loads of stuff in arolla, Valais alps in Switzerland when I was 5-14. Had lots of fun but I’m not sure what our safety margin was!

Via ferrattas are great fun with kids , just get them on a rope as they don’t weigh enough to use the kit properly. 

Have done some great easy multi pitch routes in the alps with my kids 10-16 but I stick to bolts and am confident with them holding my falls at the wall etc.

we use walkie talkies which sorts the communication issues completely.  Great to just have  a chat and talk team through stuff. Make sure their mobile is charged and they know how to call for help.

i would say best bet is do stuff you know already. New routing with kids is spicy, it’s funny how it affects your confidence Climbing with your kids. I find I have to drop about three grades and it still feels scary! Amazing for their confidence though, get a go pro then they can wow their mates for street cred  

Best of luck

In reply to ColdAndWet:

You can’t go wrong with a week in Lech, Austria. Mega place. 

In reply to ColdAndWet:where do you live and how far do you want to travel.  I'd say Jotunheim ( see article) but you'll spend a day each end traveling

 

In reply to ColdAndWet:

Scotland?

Plenty of scope for walking, scrambles and can do bothy trips. Keep accommodation loose to chase the better weather, would need a car to make it easier to get around. 

In reply to ColdAndWet:

My children loved the alps, loads of possible locations. Some of the activities they say they loved the best include:

- Ladders down to Mer de Glace and ice climbing, crack jumping on the glacier

- Luxury bivvy by the Index Telepherique

- The Crochues Traverse

- Bivvy near the Cosmiques hut and short route such as the Lawrence or part of the Lachenal

- Breithorn

- Petit aiguillette d'Argentiere

- Vallorcine slabs

- Balcon from the Midi to Montenvers

In reply to ColdAndWet:

Sorry for slow reply - stuck at work 

Some good ideas - hadn't really thought about very easy alpine trip.

The Ohm looks interesting - would be very helpful to enable more climbing

Not sure about crossing crevasse terrain with me and a child though or do you rely on a second adult?

Cheers 

 

In reply to OP

Have  a quick gander at this. Done loads of bouldering, skiing, biking etc with kids in various parts of Europe but this trip was special.

No idea how to post a link. Soz.

singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wet-highland-way-duathlon-with-the-wean/

 

In reply to ColdAndWet:

Crevasses are tricky with a big weight disparity. You can tie a series of overhand knots every foot or so. When you fall in the knot jams in the lip and you use the knots to climb out. You can’t expect a kid to hold a fall on a glacier or help pull you out.

Ive not done it with mine though. I think long bolted rock routes with a walk off and no glacier travel felt safer to me.

In reply to rurp:

Really? I wouldn't want to rely on the knots to hold a cravasse fall, they're there to help but your partner(s) arresting it is really what you are depending on. And knots work better on a wet glacier, mer de glace near montenvers usually bone dry in summer, which at least means the crevasses are obvious and can be avoided.

That said, no reason you couldn't safely take an 11 yo on a dry glacier, would be a great adventure.

In reply to ColdAndWet:

Ask him what he would like to do, rather than than seemingly project what you would like him to do?

In reply to ColdAndWet:

I've now completed many trips out with my lad, starting from 9yrs old (now 13) and its not all been easy. It always helps to go to sites where environment and other climbers add to the interest, in particular water is a major attraction - a dip at end of day or even midday heat. The lad has been belaying me for several years - but then he's heavy and me light. Otherwise he can attach to a tree. Climb with a grade (or 2) in hand. Promise fav food at end of day !

In reply to ColdAndWet:

Ecrins would be a great base.  Plenty of VF, bouldering, MTB (lift uplift), mountain walking and single pitch granite at Ailfroide (and oterh areas) that is easy to rope solo.