[Lostboy]

Off on a european bouldering trip this summer.  So far stops on the trip include Ailfroide, Sustenpass, Magic Woods, Val di Mello.  Looking for some other suggestions if anybody has any ideas

[r-man]

Did this last summer -

In order

Went to Meddonnet (worth a day or two) - Nice wooded spot an hour or two south of Geneva
Ailefroide (worth a week or two)
Tralenta (couple of days worth, the rest needs lots of pads and/local knowledge)
Niquidetto (Italy) - looked good but rain prevented climbing, and we had to head back to ailefroide to pick up our car (don't ask)
Magic woods (worth a couple of weeks)

We also tried Cresh, but it was way too hot in August. Everything else was perfect, though it did rain far too much in Magic Woods. I've heard Sustenpass aint all that. Zillertal and the Blaueis sound good, though you'd need to do a lot of travelling. We did plan to go to Val di mello as well, but just getting around that lot was a LOT of travelling. All depends how much time you have. Beware maps where everything is on the same page. You need a day of travelling to get anywhere from anywhere.

Check out these threads:

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4267.0.html

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4296.0.html

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4295.0.html

[Phil D]

Alright mate,

Spanish bouldering :-

* Albarracin, close to Teruel
* Can Boquet, close to Barcelona
* Tarifa, southern most point on Iberian Peninsula
* la Pedriza, close to Madrid (Euro version of Joshua Tree)

Money goes along way in Spain n' the beers good 

Cheers Phil D

[erm, sam]

If it was me, I wouldn't go to sustenpass.. Cresciano and Chironico offer LOADS more bouldering.. and are still near the  Val di Mello. Blau eis is ok, but needs a decent bit of investment timewise to find the probs (large area, terrible scree) and you need Certified Grade A spotters for real. A good call might be to book a couple of nights at the hut up there and spend a bit of time hanging out and bouldering in an wicked alpine setting..

[Lostboy]

Think cresc might be a bit hot, cheers for those threads r-man.  I have heard that sustenpass isn't that great, hit magic woods last year and can't wait to get back.  Ailfroide looks pretty awesome saw a few pics in an old OTE, looks like there is loads of stuff to inspire.  Is there a guide for Meddonet?

[r-man]

We saw French people with some sort of guide, but the topo on this thread will do the trick:

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,2411.0.html

It's a slightly confusing topo and doesn't seem to have all the problems marked, but there are directions for how to get there, which is really all you need. It's quite a compact area - we just wandered around and tried everything that looked good. Definitely a good place to go if you want to break up the journey down to Ailefroide. Also, depends on when you are driving down, but Geneva is also on the way, and sometime in August the summer festival kicks off - with fairgrounds, beer tents, food, music and fireworks above the lake. Worth going to.

[SA Chris]

Alright mate,

Spanish bouldering :-

* Tarifa, southern most point on Iberian Peninsula

Does Tarifa have a lot? There are now direct flights from Aberdeen to Malaga, and fancied a surfing frip down that way, with maybe a bit of bouldering thrown in.

[webbo]

  Is there a guide for Meddonet?

yes.its in the valley de griffe guide which covers the area between cluses and chamonix.

[SA Chris]

Or click print

http://www.chamonix.net/english/climb/bouldering_medonnet.htm

[webbo]

the topo in the guide is better than that and there is another set of boulders just below that are worth a session.

[SA Chris]

Yup, I have the guide, just an easier option rather than buying the whole thing just for some boulder topos.

[webbo]

there are a couple of other bouldering crags in the guide.the one i've been to is across between parisellas and jesmond dene.it was hard to work out the problems from the topo but there were some decent problems.i think its the hang out of one fred nicoles mates.stays dry in the rain as well.

 it may also be the local solvent sniffing hang out.

there is one or two reasonable routes in the guide if you're of the that bent.

[SA Chris]

I'm planning a non-ski related trip out there maybe next summer. There's apparently a crag 5 mins walk from my relatives' place at Pont de Gets, looks a bit steepnard though.

[webbo]

which one is it.the foron is one of the steepest i've been to out there.pretty classy as well.

[SA Chris]

Just called Pont de Gets in the Guide.

Sorry for hijacking the thread guys.

[webbo]

is that one those near flaine.i've heard most of them are pretty crap.

[SA Chris]

No, it's within 5 mins walking distance of my relatives' place in Pont de Gets. Please try to understand.

[webbo]

as i have'nt got the guide or a map in front of me.i don't know where pointy gets is.

[SA Chris]

Its the houses around the bridge just before the turn off left to Praz de Lys on the road to Les Gets. The last houses before the narrow valley as you approach Les Gets from the SW (Taninges) Side.

[webbo]

finally the penny drops.i've not been there but i think my mate dinky dawson did some of the first ascents.from what i've been told you will be better off driving a couple of miles to the foron.mind there ain't much below 6c there.

[Houdini]

At the time I visited, I found Mello to be somewhat limited, but that was then, and as mentioned before there's bound to be stacks more to do now.  I rate this as the most stunning valley I've been to.  Just gobsmacking.

Mello has some awesome chunks; and here lies quite frankly the most beautiful arete I have ever laid orbs upon - I'd return there just to try and climb this.  I've searched for pix (and have none of my own to offer) but found nothing.  But trust me - it really is the line of lines (more so than L'angle Parfait).  It can be found approximately 2 or 300 meters before one reaches the mother of ALL boulders, dripping with Fr8b's, opposite (just about) the campsite.  Look on the right hand side of the road.  There  are other cracking problems to be found here.

Further up the valley, in town, there is a cafe/bar frequented by clingers. There is a big topo on the wall showing many boulders/problems.  I recall that they have printed copies of this and they can be found here too.

The family that owns and runs the campsite are pretty cool too, especially if you drink the bar dry.