Trip Report
Miniature Adventures in our back yard – a winter climb in the Jura mountains, Switzerland
Wednesday January 18, 2017 12:36pm
Well, the title doesn’t really tell the whole truth. More than a winter climb it was a winter scramble in the woods with some tree-hugging, rock-finding, snow and wind. And we used a rope and our hands; that qualifies for climbing, maybe? And adventure.
And the Jura mountains are not really mountains, they are more like big hills, but whatever, Wikipedia-know-it-all calls them mountains. After a very dry winter start in December and early January we finally have some snow even in the lowlands and it’s been cold for the last weeks, cold enough for the snow to stay powdery and for adventure to be around the corner.
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Peaceful winter landscape, adventure looms behind the trees
Peaceful winter landscape, adventure looms behind the trees
Credit: monti
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Credit: monti
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Not having the time to go all the way to the alps, nor having the motivation to spend all day in the office contributing to increasing shareholder value of a global company (maybe my contribution is more to increasing the electricity bill than shareholder value…), I decided that it was time for some adventure on a Wednesday afternoon.
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Real adventurers need groupies
Real adventurers need groupies
Credit: monti
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ADVENTURE - where real men (right) part from boys (left, back to car)
ADVENTURE - where real men (right) part from boys (left, back to car)
Credit: monti
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With Jacopo we decided to traverse one of the limestone ridges that are somewhat frequent in the Jura. They are mostly easy climbing in the woods, with parts of scrambling and at times with steep faces on one or both sides of the ridge. The climbing is rarely harder than about 4, mostly 3 but is good fun when in wintery conditions, retreat is mostly easy by rappelling down the side into the woods and the next restaurant is never far. We left the car at 3pm equipped for the big winter traverse: crampons, ice axe, rope, some slings and most importantly headlamps. Adventure, here we come!
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Miles of savage uncharted terrain lay before us
Miles of savage uncharted terrain lay before us
Credit: monti
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Need to conquer the castle before setting off into the unknown; this i...
Need to conquer the castle before setting off into the unknown; this is seconds before the orcs of Mordor started pouring boiling oil on us.
Credit: monti
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Wednesday was cold and windy. With gusts from the north up to about 40 mph it was quite chilly up on the ridge, whenever we could not hide behind a tree and when the belay was set up on the wrong side of the ridge. But that contributes to the overall feeling of being real heroes.
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Start of technical difficulties
Start of technical difficulties
Credit: monti
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More technical challange
More technical challange
Credit: monti
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Exposure is relentless, the thrill never stops
Exposure is relentless, the thrill never stops
Credit: monti
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The entire thing lasted just over 3 hours, it included mainly scrambling on snowy forest ground, belaying around trees, some actual rock climbing for those who really wanted it and resisted the lure of the easy ground to the left and right of the ridge, quite a bit of snow, chilly hands, a descent in the dark. Et voilŕ! A few hours well spent, just to remind me that you have to go out, expose yourself and look for the nice little things in life, because they won't come to you if you don't go and get them.
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Tricky terrain requires finesse, elegance, creativity
Tricky terrain requires finesse, elegance, creativity
Credit: monti
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Never despair, cling on and don't be afraid of the void, willpower can...
Never despair, cling on and don't be afraid of the void, willpower can overcome any obstacle
Credit: monti
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Extreme terrain requires extreme solutions and use of all means
Extreme terrain requires extreme solutions and use of all means
Credit: monti
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Gaping holes in the ground opened before our eyes, all elements were a...
Gaping holes in the ground opened before our eyes, all elements were against us
Credit: monti
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We don't give up, we push on and overcome more extreme difficulties
We don't give up, we push on and overcome more extreme difficulties
Credit: monti
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Finally a break, but the next buttress is waiting, more snow, more win...
Finally a break, but the next buttress is waiting, more snow, more wind, more cold, DON'T GIVE UP!!!
Credit: monti
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Exposure all around, the savage nature grips us, civilization is a mer...
Exposure all around, the savage nature grips us, civilization is a mere memory, we're alone against the elements
Credit: monti
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Technical finesse keeps us afloat
Technical finesse keeps us afloat
Credit: monti
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Is this it? The final barrier between us and dinner? Or is it our neme...
Is this it? The final barrier between us and dinner? Or is it our nemesis?
Credit: monti
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SUCCESS, we are heroes after all, next stop dinner and a warm shower.
SUCCESS, we are heroes after all, next stop dinner and a warm shower.
Credit: monti
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After this picture we traded the camera for our headlamps, night had come after many more hours of desperate struggle with the elements we made it home just in time for dinner and to stay out of trouble at home.
Well supertopians, this is a TR of limited practical value, since I wouldn’t recommend a trip all the way to good old Europe just to do the Gerstel traverse in Basel Jura (that’s the name of what we did). Just wanted to share some wintery ambiente while waiting to finally go out on real mountains with real skis. I’ll keep you posted.

  Trip Report Views: 1,558
monti
About the Author
monti is a mountain climber from Basel, Switzerland, and likes having a beer after the climb.

Comments
Nick Danger

Ice climber
Arvada, CO
  Jan 18, 2017 - 02:05pm PT
Wrongo, Monti, this is a great TR of immense value! I love the prose, and it gave my afternoon a real lift. Also, any adventure out in the snowy woods is a wonderful adventure, and most assuredly superior to being glued to the computer screen. You have inspired me to reach higher. Really, I loved this TR.
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
  Jan 18, 2017 - 04:26pm PT
What a wonderful TR, Monti!! Very funny!
Thanks so much for taking the time to write the story of your heroic quest.
FRUMY

Trad climber
Bishop,CA
  Jan 18, 2017 - 07:40pm PT
Nice TFPU
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
  Jan 18, 2017 - 09:55pm PT
I always loved walking in the Jura when visiting CERN...

beautiful, thanks
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  Jan 19, 2017 - 09:16am PT
Nice! Glad to see snow finally arrived. I like this quote:

you have to go out, expose yourself and look for the nice little things in life, because they won't come to you if you don't go and get them.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Jan 19, 2017 - 10:03am PT
Hard Kore! Way to get out there and find adventure on a cold and sloppy day. Fun report. Keep the trip reports coming!

Scott

Only been to Switzerland once but it was amazing. Must return soon....

Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
  Jan 19, 2017 - 09:59am PT
Yer a stalwart, Monti! Proud effort!

I had to take a nap after I soloed the Eiger in August...
monti

Mountain climber
Basel, Switzerland
Author's Reply  Jan 20, 2017 - 11:37am PT
Reilly!! You have the perfect philosophy for great accomplishments man. Taking BIG naps is just sooooo important. I actually take big naps before and after great adventures. Need to be rested before challenging the unknown. My preparatory naps are so thorough that I never made it up Eiger, it's just always too late to set off.... So I go back to sleep.
stefano607518

Trad climber
italy/austria/switzerland
  Jan 23, 2017 - 01:37am PT
An adventure is an exciting or unusual experience. It may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome...Adventurous experiences create psychological arousal....

This IS indeed an ADVENTURE Monti ;-)

Jurrayyyyy ;-)
nice post keep going
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