Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Jul 11, 2012 - 06:05am PT
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I neglected to post a picture of the Cima della Madonna, so here it is...wreathed in "Nebula." (Italian for clouds!)
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Jul 11, 2012 - 08:38am PT
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I'll ditto Presles as a great location to climb.
The Ecrins is fun too:
I seem to dimly recall tuesdays is the day the cheese truck shows up in La Grave, which can lead to this:
Recommend the Tour des Gémeaux on:
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Jul 11, 2012 - 09:35am PT
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The Dolomites have the best food and wine in the Alps.
Lots and lots of killer rock in the Sellajoch/Groeden region. Much less expensive than Switzerland.
Personally, I'd love to get back and do a route on the big south face of the Marmolada:
http://www.versantesud.it/INGLESE/dettaglio.asp?id=131
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Jul 11, 2012 - 09:43am PT
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Don't ignore the experience of a classic klettersteig or via feratta. You can do these solo and they allow you to cross terrain normally reserved for roped climbing. It's something that is for the most part unique to Europe.
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Impaler
Social climber
Berkeley
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Jul 11, 2012 - 10:38am PT
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I lived in Europe for a few years and found that even with the abundance of guidebooks sometimes it's hard to come by good
info on routes (especially in the French alps). However, a new guide just came out that I think might change the game.
It's called Mont Blanc Supercracks and is all about multipitch splitters in the Alps. Might be hard to order, though, since you
can only get it shipped to Europe and need a bank there to pay. I'd love to get a hold of a copy.

My personal favorite route is "Etat du Choc" on Petic Clocher du Portalet on the Swiss side of Chamonix and at 11d is
probably harder than what you are looking for, but is by far the most splitter route in entire Europe.
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Impaler
Social climber
Berkeley
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Jul 11, 2012 - 10:42am PT
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fgw
climber
portland, or
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Jul 11, 2012 - 11:01am PT
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Go for the Tre Cime Di Lavaredo group. An incredible cluster of spire-like mountains with tons of of moderates. Did Comici's Yellow Edge on Cima Piccola (5.9 13-pitch), Cassin's route on Picolissima (5.10 11 pitch) & Comici's line on the north face of Cima Grande (16 pitch 5.10 & WOW!!). Amazing climbing all of those! Tofana has a more moderate line right next to the 5.11 mentioned above that's rated about 5.9 & 18 pitches long (think it's called Tissi on the 2nd Buttress). There's a 5.7 somewhere next door too I think. Love the Dolomites. So much to climb.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jul 11, 2012 - 11:39am PT
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iep,
No fair posting those pics! They're awesome.
I've climbed in the UK (Peak District and North Wales) and Arco and hiked and done ferrata in the Dolomites (near Corvara, between Sella and Gardena passes). If I had a chance to go back with a rope, I'd hit either the Dolomites or maybe some of granite in Switzerland. Number one on my list in the N. Face of Piz Badile. Chamonix looks awesome but (and I could be wrong on this) I get the feeling the weather can shut people down pretty quickly. After the Piz and Dolomites, the Verdon Gorge would be my third choice.
BTW, I'd ditch the bike too. Maybe you were inspired by that article in Alpinist a while back? Kind of a cool way to go back to the way old school of climbing in the Alps, riding to climbs like Hermann Buhl, etc., but it'd be a lot of work.
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MoonGoon
climber
canadistan
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Jul 11, 2012 - 12:17pm PT
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Last June I went to Paklenica National Park in Croatia. I would seriously consider checking it out if you can. You might melt if you go there in August but should be good to go in September. Could even catch a cheap ferry from italy to Zadar if you happen to be there.
Can't say enough about this place: Awesome climbing - sport and trad both single and multipitch, cheap camping and apt accommodation for 20 euro/night if you want. About a 20 min walk to the park from the town of Sarigrad. beautiful beach complete with naked euros max 5 min walk from where ever you stay.
Here's kate rutherford's blog about the place: http://katerutherford.com/?p=637
Also the park website: http://www.paklenica.hr/paklenica_en/index_en.html
Not that much info on line but really, all you gotta do is rock up and buy a guide book at the local climbing shop.
DO IT.
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BruceAnderson
Social climber
Los Angeles currently St. Antonin, France
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Jul 11, 2012 - 12:54pm PT
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If you come over to SW France, cruise through the Gorge d'Aveyron. It's gorgeous with amazing uncrowded sport climbing. If you do hit me up and I'll put you up for a couple nights.
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona
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Jul 11, 2012 - 11:46pm PT
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iep: wow, that looks good! Stovelegs East. I suppose the mosquitos are the size of sparrows up there? What's the precipitation situation like in July/Aug?
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Jul 12, 2012 - 01:47am PT
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Whoa. That Norway stuff looks awesome.
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Impaler
Social climber
Berkeley
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Jul 12, 2012 - 04:35pm PT
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Lolli, thanks a lot for the offer! That's very nice of you.
I've been trying to convince my friend from Munich (and partner from
the Petit Clocher du Portalet trip) that he wants to get a copy (-:
I don't even know when I would ever make it to Europe again sadly...
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Riley Wyna
Trad climber
A crack near you
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Jul 12, 2012 - 06:36pm PT
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The Rebuffet route on the Aguille Du Midi is a great climb.
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Alpinist63
Mountain climber
Schleck-Country
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Jul 13, 2012 - 10:16am PT
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here some routes that would make an interesting trip:
roughly from east to west:
tre cime comici on the north face of cima grande
marmolada south face don quixote or vinatzer-messner
badile n-e face cassin
wendenstöcke ( switzerland, superb limestone)
grand capucin swiss route- o sle mio / mont blanc massif , excellent granite
meije (south face direct +) traverse , one of the very best alpine routes
and then finish the trip in the verdon gorge
these routes need good weather but are no way as involved as north face of the eiger or of grandes jorasses. in an average alpine summer, you have a good chance to get these done.
a good book to get some more ideas : parois de légende by arnaud petit
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jahwise
Trad climber
santa fe, nm
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 13, 2012 - 08:58pm PT
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Andy Fielding
Trad climber
UK
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Jul 14, 2012 - 01:30am PT
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If you end up at the Eiger Nordwand there is a relatively easy Klettersteig (Via Ferrata) on the far right hand side.
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Lamberto
Sport climber
Italy
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Aug 15, 2012 - 01:24pm PT
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MBSC will be soon distributed in US, in the meantime the order from Europe will be charged with delivery costs. If anybody is interested link www.camurrilamberto.it
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