UKH

I'm trying to plan my first trip to the Alps which will involve Alpine Climbing and trying to get my head everything. We've got a month to play with with, but rather limited funds for things like lifts and huts...

I'm after suggestions please for guidebooks for easy Alpine Routes? I'm currently thinking of going to Chamonix and maybe one other area, but need more information to make these choices.

I'm also after suggestions for guidebook for sport routes...does a selected guidebook exist? My limited experience of France in the past is that the guides cover much smaller areas, making it hard to get an idea of other stuff that may be almost on your doorstep.

In reply to 54ms:

62 people have read it and no replies. Has this question been asked to many times or am I in fact asking the wrong questions?

In reply to 54ms:

It has so you might want to search a bit. A few points that might be helpful:

-If you are short of cash it is probably best to go somewhere without too many tempting lifts - ie. not Chamonix
-Switzerland is expensive (except, oddly, for beer).
- Italy has many more bivi huts than other alpine countries that are either cheap or free so another a good money saving option.
-Valais alps East and West by the AC are very good guides if you can get them. The AC Mont Blanc guides are getting very dated and not as good anyway. Martin Moran's guide to the 4000m peaks is very good and up to date.
-To start, pick something around 3500m and not much more than PD. See how you get on and take it from there.
-Guidebook times really are realistic.
-Have fun.

In reply to 54ms:

It has been asked many times before, so searching the old threads might help. Personally I would avoid Chamonix for a first visit for a variety of reasons - often crowed, worse weather than elsewhere, temptation to use lifts is very high (expensive) - & would consider somewhere like the Ecrins or the Vanoise in France or Arolla in Switzerland (more expensive than France). I've only been to the eastern Alps to ski so can't really comment on how suitable they would be.

There are some 'selected' guidebooks, try searching here http://www.auvieuxcampeur.fr/cartotheque-librairie/les-topos-d-escalade-d-a...

In reply to 54ms:

Thank you for the replies...I am reading through lots of old threads as well.

I went to Ailefroide a few years ago just to do sport routes, but the campsite was lovely and it would be nice to go back again. Is this the best base for the Ecrins.

I saw the thread with this guidebook suggested. Other worthy ones?

http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Books-Maps-DVDs/Foreign-Climbing-Guid...

Given a month is it best to focus efforts in one area and get to know it properly or worth trying to fit in two areas?

In reply to 54ms:

the other side of the ecrin is la berarde a very good place and a whole bunch of other mountains to go at.

Its been mentioned before but Saas could be a good place to start. We did our first Alpine trip there for a week there last summer. The big advantage is that most of the ski lifts are free if you spend a few nights staying in Saas (this includes the campsites as well as hotels). Loads of straightforward 4000's to go at . We managed the Allalinhorn, Weissmies traverse and Lagginhorn in a week. Switzerland's not cheap, but could be made more affordable with a trip to a French supermarket en route if you plan on driving down. We used the alpine 4000's guide which has a fair amount of F/PD routes to get going on.

In reply to 54ms:
Just my 2 pence worth.

1. Buy the AC guides. Read the bit about the refuges. Refer to points 2 and 3.

2. When you get to your intended destination buy a guidebook in French, German or Italian. Once you've learnt the word in the appropriate language for "bolt", "slab", "crack", "piton", "overhang", "loose" etcetera then you're away.

3. The AC guides make a whole lot more sense after you've actually been there and done the routes described. Which kind of defeats the point of having a guidebook. Refer to point 2.

HTH,

Peter
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In reply to 54ms:
What time of year are you going? If mid July / August I would concentrate on rock if I was you as the snow conditions can be very variable at the time of year in the Alps now.

Bregaglia isn't too expensive for Switzerland as you can pop back in to Italy for supplies, plenty to go out around there and the Albigna lift isn't too expensive, we found quite a cheap campsite there (Vicosoprano I think ), think it was working out under 10 quid a night and it was a gorgeous location.

Italy is a good shout, I really enjoyed the Sella (Dolomites) area but its far from cheap around there.

Chamonix is very expensive and there isn't as many accessible low to mid grade alpine rock routes around there. That said the Envers des Aiguilles area looks good although you'd probably want to be in the Envers hut for that (around 20 pounds per night)

Thank you for all the suggestions folks. Lots of pointers to start the research. Seems such a massive task. Not helped that I want to do everything!

I'm heading out last week of August and then have most of September to play with,hopefully the weather will be kind.

In reply to 54ms:

If the weather is like last year, I would camp in the Old Dungeon Ghyll campsite and concentrate on doing routes on Gimmer!

If you want to go to Chamonix consider the book by Jean-Louis Laroche and Florence LeLong(The Mont Blanc Range classic snow,Ice and mixed climbs) or Mont Blanc classic & Plaisir by Marco Romelli. They cost me £13 and £23 respectively.

The first time I went to the alps was w plas y brenin and we went to Arolla which was good ground for gaining experience whilst being very interesting.

In reply to 54ms:

As others have said, you can save a lot by not using lifts.

If you have a car then shopping down the valley from wherever you're staying will save lots - go to Aldi in Sion if you're staying in Arolla!

There are a lot of topos online for sport climbing. Here are a few for the valais
https://www.grimper.ch/sites-de-grimpe/carte-des-sites/
http://www.planvertical.ch/site/category/topos/
http://escaladesvalaisannes.blogspot.ch/p/eole.html