[r-man]

So I'm trying to plan a month in the alps. Combine bouldering with sightseeing/craaaazy adventures. (that's  craaaazy with four a's, please note).

I've been looking on http://www.whatsonwhen.com/ which is pretty good for things to do and see. Thought I'd ask here too - Anyone have any recommendations for stuff in the alps area that isn't bouldering? Or skiing or opera.

And talking of bouldering, I've been trawling the web for alps stuff. The current plan is to go for pretty much all of August. Haven't been to any of these places but I'd like to check out a good variety, perhaps a few days in each place. Maybe a week if it's really good. Only problem is I've found a lot of names, and whilst I can just about read German sites, it's hard work, so I might be a bit confused.

Here's all the stuff that I've come across that seems like it might be a)worthwhile and b)climbable in August

France
Ailefriode

Germany
Blaueis

Switzerland
Magic Wood
Cresciano
Chironico
Sustenpass
Unterwallis
Berne

Austria
Zillertal/Zillergrund
Mühlau

North Italy
Sella
Falzrego
Prags/plaetzweise
Brunek

...So can anyone suggest a good circuit of places that I could drive between, and that are worth going to? Or even just tell me which ones out of those I should strike from the list, and which I should definitely visit?

Cheers

[Bubba]

Go downhill mountain biking

And make sure you do some of the big Via Ferratas - bumbly but really really good fun, and a good option if you've got non-climbers along with you.

[r-man]

All climbers I think, but we're keen to try everything. Via ferrata sounds like a good idea. I'm not sure about the downhill stuff - I tried it once in Tenerife where they called it "mountain rafting". Coming out of the restaurant I skidded and pulled a ligament landing beneath my bike. Carried on cycling and when we reached the bottom of the mountain I got of and realised I couldn't walk. They put my leg in a cast for the rest of the holiday. And I had to stand on one leg with my eyes shut every day for 3 months after to build up the atrophied calf muscle. Sheesh. My fault for bad cycling really, but it makes me wary of mountains and bikes...

[Bubba]

Oops - in that case stay *away* from downhill MTBs

V.F. would be a good rest day thing then if you're all climbers.

[a dense loner]

n stay away from fatdoc, he has the monopoly on cycling accidents!

don't think cresciano is too good in august, but i'm sure dobbin or co will set you straight there

[dave]

the zillertal valley (including zillergrund and the lower areas) have some good stuff, however finding info on the web is pretty hard, i had to fish around and do some translations of austrian and german websites, like climbtyrol and shit like that.

zillergrund (the sundergrund valley off zillergrund):











zillertal (Kaseler Alm) near sport crag of  Ewige Jadgrunde,:



felbertauren:





also the felbertauren area sort of a couple of hours east of zillertal) has some good stuff, and theres also a lot of stuff in the areas south of saltzburg, go on the schwieger brothers site. may also be some info on the udini site about the maltatal area, whihc is a valley about 3 hours drive from saltxburg to the south, and is home to some ill shit like emotional landscapes and shitlike that (see the DVD "climbing at the limit of human performance" off udini.com).

think theres also some bouldering in the area east of saltzburg. also the blaueis area is in the bit of germany that sticks out into austria west of saltxburg, so is well positioned for a general austrain tip. if you go to austria enjoy it cos its a totally rad place. the zillertal valley in particular is one of my favourite places i've ever been, climbing or no climbing.

[webbo]

meddonet which is just down the road from cham.theres info on page 4 of this thread.i've climbed there several times in august its shadey cos of the tree cover.

[SA Chris]

Thers some good rafting to be done in the alps too. Excellent fun if you haven't done any before.

[r-man]

Cheers guys, all sounds good. Dave, those pics are mouth-watering. Do you know if it's all good in August as I came a cross something that said it might be too hot, but perhaps I was getting areas confused...

Found a guide book for the Zillertal as well:

http://www.stonemonkeys.com/monkeyneu/_ankuendigungen/27-07-04_kletterfuehrer_zill/kletterfuehrer_zill.htm



http://www.Stonemonkeys.com seems to be the best site so far. Not sure what or where the Schweiger brothers site is.

[a dense loner]

http://www.schwaigerbrothers.com

some good vids

[dave]

august might be well hot, might not be. near where you park for the sundergrund area in the zillergrund i had a look (couldn't climb cos the missus was chomping at the bit to go back for tea) at soem very squamishesque boulders in the woods by the road, it was sweltering but in the woods (very dense woodland) it was very cool, even snow still under the boulders.

think that guide came out after i went. what a fuckup though - the picture on the front cover has been reversed - that problem is the same classic problem with climber on the same move as this photo

[zemike]

austria: zillertal is quality! there's an area close to the Berliner Hütte (start at the last parking up in the valley; ca. 2h approach) at 2200m (+-) elevation, should be really ok in august...
going to mühlau is a waste of time...
check the areas around vienna if thats not too far to the east.
italy: forget about sella (extrem choss, though the setting is excell) replace with Algund (Lagundo; gneiss); more quality bouldering in piemonte, valtellina (val di mello, val d'inferno), val d'aosta (on your way to ailefroide).
france: medonnet/col de montets, as mentioned before, are worth a stay (check zebloc.com for more info on the area)
germ: blue-eyes is good, the limestone is quite coarse and bring a mat or two; expect to be exhausted on the way up there ;-)

[r-man]

Cheers guys, all very useful. Really looking forward to it. I think we're going next week, though we haven't booked anything yet. Anyone have any experience of the best route to travel, best ferry to get?

And here's my list now that I've added and subtracted a few, based on your recommendations.

France
Ailefriode
Medonnet/col de montets,

Germany
Blaueis

Switzerland
Magic Wood
Chironico
Sustenpass

Austria
Zillertal/Zillergrund
Maltatal
felbertauren

North Italy
Algund (Lagundo; gneiss)
piemonte
valtellina (val di mello, val d'inferno)
val d'aosta (on your way to ailefroide).
Falzrego
Prags/plaetzweise
Brunek

There are still loads though. Which are the must-see places?

Ailefroide
Chironico
Magic Woods
Blaueis
Zillertal
Algund

Is that about right?

Incidentally, found a pdf topo for the blaueis boulders here (no grades though)

http://www.blaueishuette.de/dwnld/bl_bld1.pdf

plus some other climbing topos:

http://www.blaueishuette.de/

[cofe]

Anyone have any experience of the best route to travel, best ferry to get?

norfolk lines nearly always cheapest man. think it's dover-dunkerque.

[dave]

if you can go on a norfolkline ferry looking like a european truck driver (try a big tash, non-branded shellsuit top and some stonebleached wranglers, and don't wash or shave for 4 days) then you might be able to swing cheaper meals onboard cos they have special truckers rates.

[a dense loner]

we always go with norfolk lines. we're tight, n  i don't mean like cofe's vests after he's been benchin

[Scouse D]

yeah cos thats loose innit