UKH

With the summer heat seemingly rising year on year, and the condition of routes in summer deteriorating, does anyone have destination recommendations for July/August? Are the ranges in Eastern Europe colder and more in nick? At similar elevations? Or perhaps Scandinavian destinations? 

In reply to Abu777:

There are more options (ridges) in e.g. Zermatt, Saas-Fee in hot weather than in Chamonix.  But Swiss prices.

In reply to Abu777:

The real answer is not really. It's all bad, although the mountain structure in the Valais is, with the exception of the Matterhorn, apparently less at risk of large scale collapses in the heat than round chamonix

In reply to Abu777: Not much technical snow ice routes in the summer in Scandinavia, or at least the bits I've been

In reply to wbo2:

True. 
 

but If the OP is After high alpine rock routes, Scandinavia has more than a fair share of those. Often with easier approaches, nicer and often more solid rock… and at sub 2000m from sealevel, so getting used to the altitude us not a problem. 
 

Places like Hurrungane or Kebneksise can also offer ridges and If you come early, even snow gullies. Albeit, Most of those gullies are better for skiing down (May-June).

In reply to Abu777:

Thanks all, I'll investigate these options. I'm hoping the Scandinavian latitude will compensate for the lack of altitude and provide some good mixed routes outside of the winter

In reply to wbo2:

Good lighting on an alpine start however 

In reply to Abu777:

Caucasus?

In reply to Abu777:

I went to the Hurrungane in Norway a few years ago which I think would fit your requirements.

It's mostly Alpine rock routes with glacier approaches or snow plods rather than technical snow and ice climbs but then again, there are fewer of those in Alps with every passing year.

Whilst the mountains aren't as big as the Alps it does have some advantages. There are no altitude issues (the highest mountain is only 2400m), it's not really busy, the chance of an electrical storm is way smaller and you won't get benighted because in summer it doesn't really go dark. Also, you don't get the same massive temperature variation between day and night which combined with the absence of darkness means you don't need to have stupidly early Alpine starts.

The only English language guidebook I know of is this one, though there may be others

https://www.scandinavianmountains.com/books/hurrungane.htm

It's a bit of a wierd half guide/half coffee-table book and the author uses his own made up grading system but it's a good place to start.

If you google Hurrungane I'm sure you'll find more info and there was an article about it here on UKC which you could search for.

There's also some Alpine climbing in Iceland around the edge of the Vatnajokull icecap though I don't think there's a guidebook so you'll have to do some research. Googling for climbing in Iceland mostly brings up rock and water ice routes so specify Alpinism and you should find something. That said, we just followed our noses up Hvannadalshnúkur (the highest summit) when we were there.

Iceland has the same benefits as the Hurrungane.

In reply to Abu777:

Alaska range. It's the first truly alpine range most people in the US visit, similar to how in the UK people go to the Alps. The result is lots of beta and a fair bit of infrastructure. It's not going to have lifts (or housing or cafes, etc), but it will be relatively easy to get a flight into the Ruth or denali. It's a different vibe from Chamonix, but it seems to be earlier on the climate impact progression than the Alps, while being less involved than say the greater ranges. 

Conversely, others of the more accessible alpine areas like the higher elevation peaks in the Andes, stuff in the Canadian Rockies, and so on, all seem to fairing much worse relatively speaking.

The season in AK isn't the same. Ruth is mid to late spring. Denali/Hunter/Foraker is late spring early summer. "Reliable" summer alpine climbing may be a thing of the past.

In reply to Abu777:

https://www.explore-share.com/mountain-climbing-trips/georgia/georgian-cauc...

In reply to Abu777: If your prepared to stretch’Europe’ to include part of the FSU then Kyrgyzstan might suit you. Pat Littlejohn contributed  to a guide there. Altitudes to get you into adventurous places can be surprisingly low. Here’s the link- https://kac.centralasia.kg/atbashi-range/.

Flights there from the U.K. are pretty regular, I think, tho’ I don’t live there anymore- from where I live they are. 
Looks like there’s plenty to repeat and also go for.

In reply to Abu777:

Sorry the link should’ve been. https://kac.centralasia.kg/category/guidebook/

In reply to Abu777:

Afraid to say it doesn't really. Some excellent rock routes however!

In reply to pec:

Thanks for this, sorry took so long to reply - I appreciate this info and will be investigating further!

In reply to apache:

This looks to be a real hidden treasure-trove, thanks very much

In reply to Abu777:

Not in Europe, but Mount Kenya is a wonderful mountain. You can climb rock routes on one side and maybe winter routes on the other side. 
 

There’s lots of great rock climbing in Kenya too.

In reply to Abu777:

Glad to help. With the Alps becoming increasingly unreliable (and dangerous) I share your desire to find alternatives.

I've been exploring the Pyrenees the last few years, it's a great area, like a cross between North Wales and the Alps, and huge, you could spend a lifetime climbing there with everything from valley cragging to big alpine rock routes but sadly there's not much left in the way of glaciers and permanent snowfields so not much 'true' alpinism I'm afraid. There's also not much information in the English language and in typically French style, you can get the guidebook for the valley you're in (probably) but if you want the one for the next valley you probably have to go there first and find it. Still, it's worth visiting some time, not least because having largely 'deglaciated' hundreds/thousands of years ago it isn't falling down around your ears like the Alps is.