UKH

Does anybody know which 2/3 English climbing guidebooks are best for the Zermatt/Saas Fee area & also the Grindelwald/Interlaken area ? 

I’m off to Switzerland/France for 2 weeks in June/July. I’ve got plenty of guidebooks for the Chamonix area & one for the Ecrin but only have the 4000m peaks guidebook for the rest of Switzerland & Europe. 

Mainly looking for alpine mountaineering routes around AD and possibly up to D, but also keen for bolted & trad rock routes (6a+ sport &  VS trad ) 

There must be tons of things to go at below 4000m but I’m not sure which guidebooks to get as there’s so many to choose from. I’ve been toying with the idea of getting the Schweiz Plaisir books but not sure if they’re any good ? At £40 a pop I don’t want to find out they’re crap. 
 

In an ideal word something like the Chamonix Roxfax book but for the areas I’ve specified. 

I’ve only climbed in Chamonix area in the alps & keen to explore a bit more of Switzerland.  
 

Any help much appreciated. 

A vertical life subscription will get you the plasir guides. Likely much cheaper than buying the books and cancelable.

Any idea how much it costs ? I do like a guidebook so don’t mind splashing out if they’re any good. 

I find it much nicer to flick through a book than be glued to my phone any more than I already am. 

The Plaisir books will get you to the crag and I've always found the topos to be good enough too.

camptocamp.org is well worth a look to see what is in good conditions and whether or not the route you want to do still gets done or not.

€4.99 a month. Like Rockfax very easy to set up and cancel. We used it last summer to get access to the areas we didn't have the paper guides for, see https://www.vertical-life.info/en/premium. 

For more specific areas, the SAC regional guides in Switzerland are generally very good (our mate lives out there and has a lot) but likely overkill unless you're in an area for a decent while.

SAC do have some route material available online. You can browse the routes at https://www.sac-cas.ch/de/huetten-und-touren/sac-tourenportal/

SAC also give access to ~900 routes for free (you do need an account but that's free to create) and for the rest you need a subscription for. 

Swiss here - the "Topo Verlag" Publisher does fantastic quality guidebooks of alpine tours, which also include alternative routes. Good topo sketches and the best quality maps you'll find anywhere. 

I was in Lauterbrunnen a few years back and picked up an SAC (Schweizer Alpen Club) guidebook in Interlaken for a nearby area. I can't remember the name of the area and I'm not at home to check at the moment, but the book was excellent. We did a couple of low grade bolted routes in a huge granite area nearby. There was loads to go at and the book did a great job of getting us to the right spots and describing the routes. This 'Oberwallis' one seems to target the Zermatt / Saas Fee areas: https://shop.thebmc.co.uk/product/oberwallis-climbing-guide-valais-east-sac...  

The Schweiz Plaisir guides are good and I would recommend the guide over the app on the basis that I find the guide easier for comparing crags, access etc. They also publish an Interlaken Sport guide which covers the Grindelwald area. Downside is they are ludicrously expensive, but this is Switzerland... 

Having done a similar trip to the Lauterbrunnen Valley a few years ago, Hintisberg is the crag I'd go back to first mainly because of its location - great views. Near Grindelwald but 20-30 mins up a farmers track.  There is also a good crag in Grindelwald (Gletschershulcht) but this is really a sport crag with a few multipitch routes. Lobhorn looks a fun day out (on the Murren side) but it is a long approach, might require a hut stay.

If you have a car the routes in the passes are very special, I'd prioritise them over the rock routes around Grindelwald - Grimsel, Susten and Furka passes. We also had a good day out on Mittagsfluh near Boltigen, 5C called Sandmeierrippe. Multipitch sport but runout and pisstake bolting - bolts typically after the unprotected crux. If you climb harder there is a supposedly better route next to it, can't recall the name, ~6a. We thought the Swiss grades were stiffer than French equivalents in Chamonix. 

If you want a rest day Bern is worth a visit. We enjoyed swimming in the River Aare at the Marzilibad where they have redirected the river to flow through the park. I think it is free (or close to). Walk up the river as far as you want, put your stuff in a dry bag, jump in and the fast current will take you back to the Marzilibad. You're basically swimming in mineral water.