UKC

Spent quite some time in the French Alps climbing sport in the last two years, and there is always articles in Climber mag. etc about foreign sport to get excited about.

However, really fancy getting away to try some foreign trad. but I really dont know very much about places to go.

What are people's experiences and preferences?

Hope to get away for about 2 weeks and climb 5.10 and upwards.

Thanks,
Matt

In reply to Matt Maynard: Bump....come on someone must have some ideas?

In reply to Matt Maynard:

Feb is a tad cold for most alpine routes and Scandiland... And Southern Yurp doesn't have that much pure trad lines... More like sport, or at times mixed protection...

In reply to Matt Maynard:

Costa Blanca not quite the Alps but got enough good trad to keep you going for two weeks...

Check out Adrians site http://www.geocities.com/costablancaclimbing/

Sam Orange

In reply to Matt Maynard:
Malta used to have a lot of trad climbing and is likely to be warm in Feb. It might be bolted now though.

In reply to Matt Maynard:

Malta is an option or Corsica. Check the Rock Climbing Atlas South Western Europe & Morocco for more ideas!

In reply to Matt Maynard:

Sardinia has more rock than you can shake a stick at but I don't know what it'll be like in the mountains in Feb, cold and unreliable I'd guess. I doubt there's much documented trad either, loads of (endless!) potential but that may not be what you're after.

The seacliffs round the airport city (name escapes me) were good and adventurous, some sport, some trad.

jk

In reply to Matt Maynard:

The Costa Blanca does have some trad climbing. Most of this is on the big mountain routes, Penon, Puig Campana, mascarat gorge, etc.

However Al Evans and myself have been developing a number of new crags and these have been done using trad gear. Check out my Segaria page:

http://www.geocities.com/costablancaclimbing/segaria.html

Is there enough for a two week trip? Hmm, depends how many long mountain routes you want to do. Or how much new routing. More than enough at Segaria still to be developed to last you 2 months not just 2 weeks.

Adrian

In reply to Matt Maynard:

Can't remember the name of the area, but there's a place in Germany with hundereds and hundred of free-standing sandstone (?) towers.

It's one of the oldest trad-climbing areas in europe/the world I think. Has a very strict damage limitation ethic because of it's history. Not sure, but i think it's preferred that knotted rope is used for protection...

I think I got this (possibly dodgy) info from 'World Climbing: Images from the Edge' by Simon Carter, which is worth a look purely for the amazing imagery.

In reply to Matt Maynard:
I'd say not Corsica - distinctly iffy Feb weather, Bavella is currently under snow, & flights won't be cheap.

In reply to BobbyH:

The area in Germany you're thinking of is Saxony. You're correct in thinking that you're not allowed to use metal protection (because of the softness of the sandstone) and have to use knotted rope instead (sounds kind of hairy to me). Not sure it would be particularly warm in February.

Malta would be a good choice. Lots of trad lines on limestone. The local climbers are just about to publish the first guide book for the island - it should be out early next year.

In reply to Matt Maynard:
I would love to do some of the trad routes round where we live in Sardinia (I have the guidebook ), as well as the multi-pitch sportingly bolted routes. My tick list (only sports routes so far) has these routes:-
• Multi-pitch
o Gole su Gorruppu
 Tziu Basibi 275m 6b+ (6a obb)
o Donneneittu
 Debito Formativo 110m 6b/6b+ (6a+ obl)
 Donneneunlitru 120m 6c+ (6a obl)
o Aguglia
 Dolce Stile Novo
 Sinfonia
 Onda su Onda 6c, 6a+ obbl
 Sole Incantatore
o Serra Oseli
 Any of routes with max 6b+ 4-5 pitches
o Giradili Peanuts 6c, 6b obbl °°°/°°
o Then harder
 Evinrude 6c+; Freak 6c+; Abissi 7a/6b+ obbl; Güllich 7a, 6b obbl °°°/°°; Mediterraneo 7a+/6b obbl °°°/°; Spleen 7a+/6c obbl °°°/°;

Have been checking out trad multipitch routes in Gola su Gorrupu (I don't need pegs, it seems, talking to the guy who put it up), there are good trad routes also at Surtana. All limestone.

Am away until 18/2, but after that would definitely be up for doing these routes. I climb about the same level as you

Interested?
ciao Peter

In reply to jkarran: In fact, the trad climbing is very well documented in the 1997 CAI guide, which is really excellent, detailed descriptions, good overlays on photos. Only drawback is it's in Italian. Wish I'd bought it years ago. Granite and limestone, mostly. Details here http://www.ecstore.it/negozio/bcguide_monti_Sardegna.htm €30-ish and very good value IMHO. Anyone who wants info from it, feel free to contact me
Peter

In reply to Nigel Patching:



Guide book has been released finally and many of the cliffs and routes are still trad.

http://climbmalta.com/guidebook.html

Great destination, but given the small number of local climbers you will need to come with a climbing partner.

In reply to Matt Maynard:


Sarca valley, often referred to as "Arco". Big fat guidebook of routes in Italian or German with English scheduled for February.
http://www.versantesud.it/sarca.eng.html
Enough trad climbing to keep you going for a lifetime.
Excellent weather all winter and usually perfect in February. Camping available.

In reply to Nigel Patching:

The third actually - I have the first two ...

In reply to Matt Maynard:

Is there any particular reason that you are limiting yourself to Europe?

We went to Sinai last February - the weather was perfect, it was very cheap, and there was more trad climbing than you could shake a stick at:

http://www.israelalpine.org/sinai/