Advice for planning a European climbing trip

[ewhittaker]

My wife and I are starting to plan a 3 week trip to Europe for May 2014. As of now, stops would include southern and/or northern Norway, Switzerland, and northen Italy (primarily the Dolomites). Plans are still very flexible. In these early planning stages, I'm looking for some logistical advice from fellow climbers who have been on similar trips. Specifically things like: what personal climbing gear did you bring? any climbs/climbing areas that can't be missed? etc.

 

If you have any sites or books that were valuable resources when planning your trip, I'd love to know what they are. Or if you are willing to offer some personal advice, I could meet you at any of the local Seattle climbing gyms or a coffee shop/pub/etc. Drinks or your favorite six pack on me. Just looking to do this trip right before we launch into the children chapter of our lives. Thanks everyone.

[ScaredSilly]

What do you want to climb? Norway in May is not the warmest, the Alps will be in snow as well the Dolomites. May I would be heading to southern France Bouix, Verdon, La Turbie, or southern Italy Finali, or into Spain.

[Alex]

Yes. May is like a shoulder month in the mountains, between ski season and true alpine season. What did you want to climb?

[fgw]

3 week trip to Europe for May 2014. As of now, stops would include southern and/or northern Norway, Switzerland, and northen Italy (primarily the Dolomites)

 

3 wks & 3 destinations (out of which at least 2 have shakey weather) seems a bit much, no? I can comment about the Dolomites - 2 trips, one 4-week (mid-Aug to mid-Sept) and one 1-week long (early July). Based on those experiences, the arithmetic works out to be about 1 route per 2 to 3 days because of the weather pattern (rain). And yeah, southern Europe would seem like a better plan that early in the season.

[Fromage]

I lived in France for a year, including a couple months in Chamonix. First time I went to Chamonix was in May. It was crappy. Better to climb in the south: Mont Sainte Victoire, Les Calanques, etc. If you are going into the mountains in Switzerland, Italy, or France, join one of the national mountaineering clubs, like Club Alpin Francais. Why?

 

• members get big discounts at club-run huts
  
• rescue insurance!
  
• all 3 countries have reciprocal agreements so if you join the CAF then the Swiss and Italian clubs will extend the same benefits to you.
  
• good resource to meet other climbers.

 

I don't know what membership fees are these days, but when I was there it was about US$80 per year. You can make that back in 2 nights of hut visits. It's worth it for the rescue insurance alone. I have a guidebook to all the crags in southern France but it's in French.

[Pete_H]

If you're set on going in May, I can't say enough about Spain: beautiful country, excellent rock (both long and short routes), great food and wine, and much more affordable than lots of other parts of Europe.

[Eric K]

I will toss another vote in for Spain. The time I spent in Siurana was the most fun I had while living in the EU. Cheap food, drink, accommodation, rental cars. You can't go wrong. South of france is also great that time of year. My advice would be to not move around too much. After traveling all over europe I wish I would have stayed put more, I could have gotten way more climbing in that way.

 

Eric

[ewhittaker]

Thanks for the great information everyone. We may be able to bump the trip to June, but I'm guessing that's still not buying us much in the way of good weather. As for what we want to climb, I was hoping to get on some rock (trad or sport), as well as some straight-forward mountaineering routes (snow/ice). It sounds like the consensus for dry rock is not Norway or the Alps in May. I will definitely look into Spain. And also look into the mountaineering clubs.

 

Let's say we end up in Norway for some mountaineering and Spain for some rock climbing... would you recommend I pack all my personal gear (all rock gear, rope, all snow gear) and check it with the airline(s)? Is there even any other option, such as renting basic gear like crampons in local climbing areas? Never done a trip like this where I'd need to haul all my gear that far.

 

Thanks again everyone!

[mattp]

Verdon is worth a visit for sure!!!!!!!!

 

I read about it less and less on modern websites, but the rock is impeccable, the scenery incredible, and the ambiance international.

 

I guess there are no 5.15 routes there (or maybe few) but there are several hundred great routes and although it is known as one of the early "sport climbing" destinations, I think you will find it plenty adventurous. There is great camping nearby, and the relic of an old castle in a small village across the valley was a high picnic high spot on a European vacation with my wife.

 

The climbs start from the top down. You can lower off the guard rail for a totally casual top-rope type adventure with 1000 feet below your feet, or you can drop in a few pitches and climb back out. Dial a drop. It is fantastic.

[ScaredSilly]

Remember ya gotta schlep all that crap around. IMHO if you want to climb forget about Norway and pick place in western Europe.

[Pete_H]

If you ski, Norway in May would be awesome. But then you would definitely have some logistic issues hauling skis around the rest of the trip.

 

I don't necessarily think May is out of the question for rock routes in the Alps, and definitely not for snow and ice mountaineering. I just think its less likely you would encounter good conditions than other times.

 

For finding places to stay I've had good luck using booking.com and homeaway.com. Its frequently cheaper to rent studio or 1 bedroom apartments rather than hotels; and you've got a kitchen so you don't have to eat out every night.