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European multipitch (Read 7490 times)

Yossarian

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European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 10:36:24 am
Looking for suggestions for a shortish (long weekend to a week) easy fun sport multipitch next year...

Criteria are:
Easy - the partner for this doesn't climb loads and Fr6a/b is about his limit (though possibly could be pulled up something very slightly harder)
Preferably not requiring a car, but that's not a dealbreaker
Not too stressful in terms of logistics / routefinding, etc
Some nice single pitch in the mid 7s would be nice too, so I can try to tick some Goalz
This would probably be in the summer / late summer
Maybe southeastern Europe / Turkey, etc
Basically fun / low hassle

Is that vague enough...?

Snoops

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#1 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 10:46:33 am
If you don't want a car, suggest Costa Blanca...stay in Calpe and spend the weekend on the Penyal d'Ifac. Easy walk in and nice paella after! Some awesome multi-pitches perfect for a weekend. Deidre UBSA, and Costa Blanca are the classics but there is loads of excellent routes...great view too right on the sea

webbo

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#2 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 11:06:11 am
Freyr in Belgium
Stuff up 5 pitches long plus lots of single pitch stuff. Can be polished and run out but there’s always the beer and frites to console you if you have a bad day.

dunnyg

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#3 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 11:09:52 am
I imagine summer in Turkey would be a bit warm for climbing. Maybe somewhere like Briancon or the Ariege, or Valle de l'Arve.
 
Only been Briancon and mainly did single pitch stuff but some more options anyway!

seankenny

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#4 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 11:19:28 am
These guys seem both fairly well traveled and climbing at straightforward grades, might be something in their archives to spark the imagination:
https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/


cheque

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#5 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 11:27:39 am
the partner for this doesn't climb loads and Fr6a/b is about his limit

Is it your son?

Yossarian

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#6 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 12:26:32 pm
the partner for this doesn't climb loads and Fr6a/b is about his limit

Is it your son?

Ha! No - my son is 6, and is so far untested at belaying his 98.7kg dad on European sport routes. However, I am looking at every possible option to speed up his development, make him weigh more, etc to reach what I have started referring to as B-Day as soon as possible.

The partner in question has had some minor experience in Verdon and Bregaglia in previous years, but doesn't really train and thinks the best preparation for climbing is reading books about Hermann Buhl.

Paul B

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#7 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 01:08:49 pm
It doesn't fit all of your wants but Calanques flashed into my head. I wouldn't entertain summer though.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwAS_cPBMPj/

Again, this might appear to fall down on a few of the ticks but stick with me, Meteora. You can fly to Athens then get the train to the nearby town. From there you could get away with walking only or you could hire a scooter. Route finding is pretty straightforward (they're towers!) and although on the face of it everything seems pretty bold, the bolts tend* to be where you need them (/want them). It's perfectly possible to have big days out without too much fuss; I took my Dad who climbs a similar grade. It's a stunning place too.

*a caveat being that every now and again they're not but with a bit of guidance you can avoid that issue, mostly.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2021, 01:14:59 pm by Paul B »

SA Chris

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#8 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 01:15:22 pm
Sardinia?

Aussiegav

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#9 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 01:20:39 pm
I highly recommend Quiros in Asturias (North Spain). You need a car to get there but once you’re there, you can walk to all the crags. Multi pitch sport and lots of grades. I stayed with mates at Casa Quiros. https://rocaverdeclimbing.com/?page_id=678

Amazing rock, not polished. Well equipped.

https://rocaverdeclimbing.com/

Teverga is about 10mins drive and there’s a ton of sport of all grades. Some multi pitch as.


You won’t be disappointed

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#10 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 02:27:36 pm
Just back from Montserrat with mixed views.

It was a nice place. Busy on the weekends, mainly on the single pitch. The rock is bullet hard conglomerate and there are loads of routes (1000+) to go at.

However, we found it to be:

- sandbagged on the single pitch stuff
- hard to navigate, both finding routes and staying en-route. The routes mainly had a paucity of natural line, and the bolts are often so far apart (5m+ in places) that you just had to keep climbing until you stumbled across one, or not.
- despite reading online that a single 70m rope would be fine for many routes, we got caught short on occasion.

I'd say it just defies initial impressions. It looks like fun, low stress easy nav multipitch sport, but it's actually much more like bolted semi-alpine adventure trad. (despite the guide books and online posts saying "it's not as bad as it was in the 80s, really, it's not that scary...."

The indistinct lines were really the most unappealing feature of the place.

AJM

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#11 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 02:36:33 pm
Just back from Montserrat with mixed views.

It was a nice place. Busy on the weekends, mainly on the single pitch. The rock is bullet hard conglomerate and there are loads of routes (1000+) to go at.

However, we found it to be:

- sandbagged on the single pitch stuff
- hard to navigate, both finding routes and staying en-route. The routes mainly had a paucity of natural line, and the bolts are often so far apart (5m+ in places) that you just had to keep climbing until you stumbled across one, or not.
- despite reading online that a single 70m rope would be fine for many routes, we got caught short on occasion.

I'd say it just defies initial impressions. It looks like fun, low stress easy nav multipitch sport, but it's actually much more like bolted semi-alpine adventure trad. (despite the guide books and online posts saying "it's not as bad as it was in the 80s, really, it's not that scary...."

The indistinct lines were really the most unappealing feature of the place.

In some respects it's good for macro-scale lines - lots of towers with faces or broad aretes or what have you - but not as many micro-scale features when you're on the lines (unless you tackle the cracks I suppose). I definitely spent an age looking for one particular bolt (20m up and the only bolt on the pitch - that and the belay above were effectively invisible!). On the other hand the bits that are still bolted for aid, hard pitches on otherwise easier routes for example, you can't miss them!

I quite enjoyed the fact it felt more adventurous than the grades might suggest - I did 2 trips with my wife, the first time at c6 months pregnant, so it was nice to combine a bit of adventure for the leader with fairly amenable climbing for the second

joel182

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#12 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 03:09:39 pm
Orpierre comes to mind for me. Not sure how easy it is to get there without a car but lots of climbing that can be reached without driving once you're there. The guide on the other channel seems ok. Some cool multipitches at f5/f5+, like Diedre Sud.

seankenny

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#13 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 03:18:27 pm
I highly recommend Quiros in Asturias (North Spain)... Amazing rock, not polished. Well equipped.


I can second this - it's a beautiful area and the rock is first class. Was a bit rainy on our trip but temps were very reasonable. Cheap, not much driving required.

Paul mentioned the Calanques. It's really beautiful but I found the rock quality and climbing a bit meh, amongst the worst cliffs I've climbed on in France. Also timings - I once went to Provence in early September thinking that September was the beginning of autumn, when what I should have thought is September is only just not August; it's a bit brutal down there. If you went later then Buoux might work as there is a surprising amount of easier graded stuff, tho I'm not sure how easy it actually is! Very easy access from the airport. There is also multipitch around Buis that is pretty good from what little I've done there.

I borrowed AJM's Schweiz Extreme South guide and it's clear there's loads of good climbing around Ticino, lots of it very long but all quite hard, perhaps the Plasir guide is worth a look tho? Also northern Italy generally seems to have a lot of multipitch climbing in the alpine foothills. I've not been to this area myself tho (except Finale) so can't really comment on whether it's good or meets your criteria.

Alan Little on here/the other channel might be worth getting in touch for info on more Germanic long limestone excursions?

duncan

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#14 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 04:20:35 pm
I've been to central and south-east Turkey and Montserrat in August on non-climbing trips. Pretty darn hot.

Naranjo de Bulnes has some very good 200-300m routes to a proper summit on the N and E sides. Great rock, a beautiful spot, cheap, uncrowded, a stiff walk-in, I have the guidebook. Very good sport climbing in the valleys if the weather doesn't play ball. Needs a car but the driving is easy.

I'd second Sean's suggestion of northern Italy / southern Switzerland. I have the Schweiz plaisir select guide which has a selection from different valleys, though not Val di Mello which might be the most obvious choice. You could also nip through a tunnel and try something a bit more trad. around Grimsel if the weather it decent. Might be a bit familiar for you?

Ailefroid? I've not been but from the campsite you'll have access to a little bouldering and single pitch sport but you're here for the long rock routes (very good by repute). The plaisir select guide has also annexed this.

Dolomites? eg Sella Pass area. Expensive, busy, polished 'classics' but also new wave bolted plaisir type routes like Delenda Carthago and plenty of sport climbing dotted about.

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#15 Re: European multipitch
December 03, 2021, 04:24:19 pm
Ailefroide is perfect for what you describe. Loads of brilliant multipitch from easy to hard and a decent amount of sport climbing as well. I was there for a couple of weeks this year and had a brilliant trip.

Yossarian

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#16 Re: European multipitch
December 04, 2021, 09:24:44 am
Wow. There is some really good info here, thank you all.

I would love to go back to Val di Mello and the Swiss / Italian border again but my trad is quite rusty, and it’s probably not as convenient as some of the other suggestions. I’ve been flicking through Plaisir Sud and the Mello guide thinking about a longer trip there in a year or two…

Yossarian

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#17 Re: European multipitch
December 04, 2021, 09:31:38 am
Am going to look into Ailefroid quite carefully.

TBH something like Calpe would prob be perfect in many respects, tho maybe too hot in mid summer?

I loved Sardinia but I remember doing a lot of driving last time, and would prefer spending a bit more time there on a longer trip.

I’ve heard great things about Sicily / San Vito which sounds super convenient for loads of stuff sitting walking distance of the town. The single pitch stuff sounds the main attraction though - apparently there is a lot of multipitch but the bolts are often old and of dubious quality.


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#18 Re: European multipitch
December 04, 2021, 09:49:17 am
I was going to reply, but I see that Duncan has already made most of the points I was going to make. The Schweiz Plaisir guidebooks are now split up in West (vol 1 and 2) and Ost.

I will add my own suggestion:

Obviously there are thousands of routes that matches the OP in the French limestone alps, many at high altitude perfect for climbing in the summer. My suggestion is to base yourself around Gap with a car. There are simply too many guidebooks to get for the area, and browsing the internet takes too long time especially if your French is rusty. Get the guidebooks of Philippe Mussato, Itinéraires d'un grimpeur gâté (there are two volumes, get both or volume one.... or volume two). They are in French, but has plenty of info-graphics that can be decoded with little effort (I believe). All routes described has beautifully drawn topos (Mr. Mussato is a painter) and access information.

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#19 Re: European multipitch
December 04, 2021, 11:54:38 am
I don't think Calpe would be a good choice for summer - the Penon multi-pitch routes are in the full sun from late morning. Also there are only really two 'easier' routes and they're v.polished (though still great). We did the UBSA route in November one year and it was hot.  Nice to be solid at at least 6c to enjoy more options.

Paul B

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#20 Re: European multipitch
December 04, 2021, 12:34:42 pm
Paul mentioned the Calanques. It's really beautiful but I found the rock quality and climbing a bit meh, amongst the worst cliffs I've climbed on in France. Also timings - I once went to Provence in early September thinking that September was the beginning of autumn, when what I should have thought is September is only just not August; it's a bit brutal down there. If you went later then Buoux might work as there is a surprising amount of easier graded stuff, tho I'm not sure how easy it actually is! Very easy access from the airport. There is also multipitch around Buis that is pretty good from what little I've done there.

Which guide did you use? I think if you stick to the Rockfax stuff you'll be disappointed.

The easy stuff at Buoux is still nails. Nat went up a whole number in terms of OS simply driving from there to Spain (i.e days later).

Personally I wouldn't class Mello as low stress even though the Pizzocheri is almost a good enough reason in itself to visit.

mrjonathanr

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#21 Re: European multipitch
December 04, 2021, 01:10:59 pm
Freyr in Belgium
Stuff up 5 pitches long plus lots of single pitch stuff. Can be polished and run out but there’s always the beer and frites to console you if you have a bad day.

Good if you have fingers of steel; like old school grading; think Stoney isn't as polished as people make out; like the fact that the pub is at the top of the crag.

Verdon is incomparable so long as you can cope with abseiling.

Yossarian

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#22 Re: European multipitch
December 04, 2021, 06:59:56 pm
jwi and Duncan - I have the previous Plaisir Sud, and just realised that it does have some Ailefroide in it, which does look quite decent.

The Philippe Mussatto books look and sound really nice. Going to order the original one I think.

I think Ailefroide might make a particularly good destination for trips with the kids as they get older, in that the bouldering sounds very good, but there are obvs routes of all sorts, from low hassle sport to longer more adventurous things.

 

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#23 Re: European multipitch
December 04, 2021, 07:37:27 pm
Paklenica in Croatia? Lots of grade and route variety, shade available in summer. We stayed nearby and ran or cycled there but a car would be better really.

https://mojagear.com/paklenica-national-park-croatia/

SA Chris

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#24 Re: European multipitch
December 06, 2021, 08:41:35 am
Which Plaisir guide is the Miroir d'Argentine in? West? The direct on that must have been one of the most enjoyable multi pitch routes I've ever done anywhere; amazing bit of rock, easy approach and descent, and fantastic rock quality and climbing.

 

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