UKC

I’m planning a trip to Switzerland this summer. I quite fancy climbing at both Salbitschijen and Eldorado. Would early July be a good time to go or would it be best to wait until later in the Summer?

We went in the first week of September and the weather was pretty much perfect - we could climb in t-shirts...but it not never got too hot.  It’s a brilliant place - one of my all time favourite trips.  Would love to go back again.  Enjoy!!!

Do you feel lucky, punk! Well, Do ya?

Having to set a date for the Alps that far in advance is a gamble. I have stood at the start of Septumania in July, and it was waterfall not a climbing route, but in most years early July can be ideal, late July and August possibly too thundery (especially for the long routes at Salbit), and September better again.

Good luck with the timing!

CB

Hi Matt,

Salbit is climbable pretty early in the season - especially the ridges, as they don't have any drainage. You might need to cross snow to get to the routes, and the "easy walking descent" becomes less easy under snow (so you might need to take axe and big boots rather than trainers) - depending on what route of course (some on the W ridge 2nd tower, GKB, Hammerbruch etc, are ab descents).

Eldorado has lots of terrain above it so takes drainage. If its been a snowy year you might find the bottom still under snow, the middle a waterfall, and the descent needing big boots and axe again (once again, normally just trainers in "summer condition").

The biggest problem with "planning" a trip to the Grimsel - Furka - Susten triangle is the weather. According to one local campsite owner, this is the dead centre of the Swiss alps, and hence will get all the bad weather going from any direction. We have abandoned trips there many times due to consistent rubbish weather. On the plus side you can just drive through the Gotthard Tunnel and pop out the other side in glorious sunshine.

Hope you get the weather - Salbit in particular is brilliant, as is the Graue Wand up at Furka.

Oh, and if you haven't already seen it, the new-ish Swiss Alpine Club "Dreams of Switzerland" guide is brilliant for this area.

For both, think of taking an alternative (Ticino or Lecco) with you ... not to far away, but often climbable when the weather is awful in central switzerland

Th

Let me know! I have been in early September when the weather was initially perfect but then it broke in a big way. When this happens in September there can be a wintery edge to the weather. We moved down to Como where it was dry but hot, very easily reached and with a lot of single and shorter multi pitch (5 pitches, may be longer one). Eldorado has routes near by that can be done in gaps in poor weather if you are lucky - in Handegg or on the Mittagfluh? Days as said are shorter.

I have spent a fair time in the swiss granite area and have had to sit out a fair amount of bad weather - it is the Alps.