UKC

I know it's early in the season to be climbing here but I'm looking for recommendations on areas / or particular walls that are more likely to have climbable multi pitch routes at this time of year (mid April to end May). Thanks

In reply to Tuborg:

Arco

In reply to jimtitt:

Thanks. I'll probably end up climbing here as an alternative and I have the Arco walls guidebook. I was just hoping to get the chance to climb in the Dolomites and thought there must be some south facing walls that are climbable this time of year.

In reply to Tuborg:

Anything can happen between now and Easter, right now it´ s all a ski resort. I´ ve never been before Whitsun and some years it snows down into the valley, some years it´ s great. Whether it´ s climbable depends on whether you are a hard-core alpinist or not.

In reply to jimtitt:

Ok thanks. Good to know.

In reply to Tuborg:


I've gone around that sort of time in the past and always found something to go at. Make sure you check the state of the descent routes as well though as gullies can still be blocked by snow surprisingly late into Spring - as I found to my cost when we had to downclimb the whole of Brigita Tridentina one time for precisely that reason..

In reply to Phil Anderson:


Sounds to me like a very good tip - I would have thought there will often be south-facing walls that don't hold snow or take too much drainage and will be eminently climbable, but the descent issue would certainly be a major concern

In reply to Tuborg:

Personally I'd say Jims appraisal is a little over zealous. It very much depends on the year - this year has been utterly abysmal for snow so many of the lower south facing crags will be climbable and with careful route choice yu could have a good time. Added to this the weather can be stable and sunny and the mountains are super quiet.

Venues with short walk ins and bolted abseil pistes provide excellent sport - for example Civazes, Sella towers, bolted routes at Passo Fedaia, sport climbing at Sass di Roccia at Laste, Sass di Stria south Arete, Picolo Lagozuoi, Cinque Torri, some of the south facing climbs on Tofana di Rozes, although the descent from these could be difficult andwould likely require a cool head and crampons and an axe.

Other possibilities are doing snow and mixed gullies, like the Canalone Oppel, or doing easy routes for example the Sassolungo normal route but taking full equipment, the Marmolada North face routes (AD+ if I remember correctly?), snowed up Via Ferrata. Or going to the Lagorai area which is a little lower and has 400m trad routes on igneous rock.

If you search, you will find!

In reply to beardy mike:

Many thanks! Very useful / optimistic information!

Super quiet mountains is very appealing too if we can find some good routes to do....