I had wanted to go climbing at least once since I moved to France. It has been 7 years since I moved to France that I was finally able to go multi-pitch climbing in the Swiss Alps.
My impression on my first climb (July 2018) was that the climbing itself was not very interesting.
I had an image of climbing in Switzerland as being deep in the mountains, with spectacular views, and without worrying about the route next to you.
But that was alpine climbing (alpinism), and I was thinking "maybe sport climbing with bolts in the first place is not such an elegant way to climb đ€"
This impression turned out to be wrong on Sagittarius (13pitch, max 6b, 450m), which I climbed the following year (2019.8). Sagittarius was a great route with scale, great views, and fun đ
I learned that there are great routes in Switzerlandđšđ, even bolted routes, if you choose the right route đ€Ł
The sport climbing route is a 300/400m ascent, but the altitude at the starting point is high. So if the weather is good, you will definitely have a great view. This may be the best part of climbing in Switzerland.
Gelmerfluh
Sagittarius (L13, TD 6b>6a, 400m)
đą L1 - L9
*We finished in 9 pitch due to lack of time. All pitches are lead climbed.
It is a popular route and 7 parties including us (2 parties) were climbing it. It is a route with beautiful slabs and nice cracks.
Here are my impressions after climbing up to 9 pitch.
The slabs on pitche 8 & 9 are very high altitude and my heart felt numb đ€Ł I would climb this route again if I had a chance.
Handegg
Fair Hands Line (L10, TD- 6a>5c, Trad, 300m)
đ±đ»ââïž L1-L5, đą L6-L10
It is (6a/6a+) in terms of grade, but I recommend this route for its variety of slabs, hanging walls, and cracks. The technically difficult parts may be (L2 & L9) đ
The last pitch is different in the topo "Schweiz Plaisir west Guidebook for the Eastern Swiss Alps" and in the topo "Dreams of Switzerland".
This time I chose the route on the right side described in the "Dreams of Switzerland" topo, but it was a solid slab with no bolts. It is supposed to be (5a/5b) but my heart felt numb đ
Bergseeschijen
Voie Andrea (L10, D 5a>5a, 330m)
đ±đ»ââïž L1-L5, đą L6-L10
I lead climbed the last 5 pitches (L6-L10), but the worst part was that there were almost no bolts. I climbed knife ridge climbing with a strong effort, aiming at the occasional bolt.
On the other hand, it is an easy grade, and the altitude is quite enjoyable. I think cams (Spring Loaded Camming) are a must. Unless you are used to alpine climbing, it might be tough for a (5c) climber to lead climb this route đ
Mittagflue (Guttannen)
SĂŒdkante (L10, D- 5a>5a, 350m)
In the topo (Dreams of Switzerland) it was (5b), but in the web site it was (5a). My personal opinion đ€ I can't really say as I don't really know the difference between (5a) and (5b) đ
This route is a slab of granite. The route we climbed was close to the corner, so the view was good. The route is well bolted and can be enjoyed as a sport climbing route đ Probably a good route for those with little experience in multi-pitch climbing đ
Sustenpass - Dalles S - Platten
Plattenweg (L7, AD+ 5b+>5a, 200m)
The topo (Dreams of Switzerland) gave (5b/5b+), but the web site gave (4c). I personally feel it is easier than (5b).
This area is conveniently approached from the parking lot in about 20 minutes. Conversely, the proximity to the road and the noise of motorcycles can be a bit deafening. The view of Sustenhorn (3503m) in front of the climbing area was nice.
The route is a granite slab. If you have climbed âYawaraka Soramame (5.8)â on the Soramame Slab in Ogawayama, Japan, this route may not be enough for you. Maybe it is a good route for beginners to experience slabs đ
Spin-Off
Sarneraatal
Polizeiposten Sarnen
It is a single pitch climbing wall area with about 60 routes and a maximum height of 30 meters. It is relatively well protected by bolts, so if you are tired of multi-pitch climbing, climbing here may not be a bad idea!
Climbing gym in Switzerland
Kletterzentrum Gaswerk Schlieren
A trendy climbing gym in ZĂŒrich. The gym's main focus is lead climbing, with areas ranging from an over hanging wall to a vertical wall. The walls were high and they recommended bringing a 70m rope or longer. The routes were French grade, which is easier than my impression of the grade.
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