rock climbing

I spent nice warm (let's say hot) weeks hiking, cycling and climbing on different locations in Europe. After the very alpine experiences earlier this summer I really wanted to climb some hard good bolted routes, no scarry slippery movements on wet rocks 5 meter above your last piece of protection, you know what I mean.

So our first stop was in the Pfalz area in the south western part of Germany on the border to France. People with great sense for hospitality, culture of good food and wine. First we went to a nice rock and thought let's climb this easy 2 pitch route on the north pillar, it was rated UIAA 2+. I expected kind of a walk in the park, but after climbing the first 10 meters I put the first piece of protection (a small friend in a very sandy crack), pffff. The climbing continued into a chimnee and there were no clear signs of where to go. I already climbed 20 meters, and I thought, ok this a grade 4 or so, climbing was nice but it was not protectable. Then the route got steep and I thought, well I will not return in a 2+, that was definitley not an option. So I continued up and after 30 meters of climbing I put a second piece of protection (a small nut in an undefined crack). 5 meters above me I saw a huge metal ring, ok, thats were I have to go. I made belay on that ring and wished Marieke all the best  with seconding this pitch, because a pendulum would be a very painful experience in this route. The next pitch was easy, I mean easy in the sense of easy....
we had a great view from the top.


cool sandstone in the Pfalz

Next day we came back and climbed a V+, and again, very few bolts, and to be honest, I don't trust these glued rings in sandstone. It's better to protect the route for yourself. The climbing was really nice and at the top of the second pitch I had to climb a real off width crack. I put the biggest friend into it and used a few arm jams to go up, reallllyyyy coool.

Next stop was the Grimsel/Goms area in Zwitserland. we did some really nice hiking and after the sandstone climbing in the Pfalz we now climbed on Gneiss close to the small village of Gletsch. Nice climbing, well bolted, fun!


compact Gneiss in Zwitserland

After a few days we went further to the south. We wanted to go to Orpierre in the south of France. On our way down from the Simplon pass we got some trouble with our car. It was 35 degrees and luckily there was a competent garage and of course there was the lake, the Lago Maggiore. That lake definitley saved my life. After the car was finally repaired we went to Orpierre. I never had been to this place, but we really enjoyed the French way of living and climbing. Either early in the morning from 8 to 10 climbing or in the late afternoon (after 17.00h).
Really cool lime stone, some sectors are steep/overhanging and others are vertical and fingery. All the routes are good protected and the range of difficulties is from 3c to 8c. I really love this place and I definitley will come back in the future. I think best time for climbing is march to may and september to november. But even now in summer we had a really good time on the rock! get up, and try it!

limestone walls in Orpierre