Switzerland - Basler Jura

A quiet crag set in a beautiful location just under the Risenberg summit. Bärtel has a steady and pleasant uphill walk to reach it, and then some testing routes. Beware of occasional sparse bolting and inconsistent grades. Some of the grading is not just tough, but clearly wrong,even by Basler Jura standards!

Chalengraben is a beautiful gorge tucked away in the hillside above Hofstetten. It has a few short and difficult routes that can be really pleasant in the spring, summer and autumn. Due to the narrowness of the gorge, and hence lack of sun it is slow to dry after rain. The climbs have a convenient picnic table under them, and a walk up the gorge to the Bergmatten restaurant is worthwhile in its own right.

Set in a beautiful area, just above the Chastelbach, the cliff has a number of buttresses with some excellent routes. In the afternoons Chastelfluh is a good hot weather crag, there is lots of shade. Note that the slabby routes in particular often get overgrown in the summer.

A steep featureless crag of compact limestone in a pleasant location above the Laufen-Delemont valley. The forest provides some shade in summer, and lets the sun through in winter. Climbing is slightly overhanging, mostly on pockets. There are many open projects.

Seldom busy, Chuenisberg is a peaceful place, set in a beautiful wood of beech trees. Often the only sound to hear is the cursing of climbers who have not quite managed to redpoint their latest project. North facing, it is an ideal crag for hot summer days,  the downside being that it can be slow to dry after the winter and after prolonged rain. Although the majority of the routes are hard - and it has of some of the hardest routes in the Basler Jura - Chuenisberg nevertheless has a few excellent middle grade routes.

A compact sector with two distinct buttresses. The left hand side has some hard slabs and steep pocketed walls. The right hand side has a mid grade classic - big holds up an overhanging wall, plus some easier slabs and harder routes up the overhanging wall.

Premiere is the far left hand side of Chuenisberg. Often neglected it has a few excellent routes. As with the rest of Chuenisberg it is in the shade, and so good for hot summer days, but equally slow to dry and cold in the winter.

The sector Ravage is steep and has a long history. It was once home to the hardest route in the world. Ravage is a route that has now been on sighted by Adam Ondra. The Bohemian born, Basel resident, Wenzel Vodicka worked with  the leading French climber Antoine Le Menestrel to make the first ascent back in 1985. Originally graded 8b+, it is now thought to be 8c, and still sees very few ascents. Vodicka later turned his attention to the wall to the right, but continually failed on one move, despite many attempts over many years.

Falkenfluh is a large important cliff containing hundreds of excellent routes, nearly all single pitch up to 30m in height. The climbs are predominately steep walls, and the routes are in all grades, with something to suit everyone, except perhaps the complete beginner. Most of the routes are well bolted, although the bolts are sometimes a little spaced, but rarely dangerously. The crag is located in a forest offering welcome shade in the summer, which can mean some sections are slow drying after prolonged rain.

Elsässerwand at the left hand side of Hofstettenchöpfli is a pleasant crag with lots of wall climbing in the 5b to 6c range. It gets the sun in the afternoon, and dries quickly after rain. At 5a, Efeupfeiler is a classic of the crag

A nice selection of climbs in this middle section of Gempen, mostly on steep walls with a few aretes and slabs thrown in. Not as open as Sanduehrliwand, so not as warm on sunny winter days, but some welcome shade in the summer

The easiest sector at Gempen with many short, safe routes in the lower grades. Perfect for beginners, and the routes on Block wall are well worth the visit in their own right.

A very sunny crag that dries quickly and can sometimes be too hot even in the coldest months! Excellent wall climbing often on pockets, well bolted.

Ziegenrücken is the first slab you reach after descending the steep stepped gully. The climbs are popular, perhaps partly due to the easier routes, and obvious warm up potential. However, especially in hot weather they can feel hard for the grade, despite the shade.

On hot summer days after a long dry period, Get Wet Canyon is an ideal place to escape the heat. A deep chasm cut into the side of the hill, the temperature can be 20 degrees lower at the foot of the canyon than at neighbouring Tannenfluh. However it stays wet for a long time, and the routes can be dirty until they have had a bit of traffic. When it is in condition, many of the routes are excellent.

Situated deep in the forest, this small gorge with its quaint little cave has a handful of steep and difficult climbs up to 30m in length. It provides welcome shade on hot summer days, although is slow to dry after prolonged rain. The crag is not perfectly solid, so take care not to kill any tourists wandering through the gorge.

The right hand side of Hofstettenchöpfli is approached from Hofstetten. Similar in nature to Flüh, the Isis buttress has a couple of excellent classic routes, a few shorter hard ones, and even its own pinnacle (Pudelfels), now unfortunately surrounded by the trees. It is in a beautiful location and the fireplace at the top offers perfect views over Mariastein, Landskron and the surrounding area. It is a great place to watch the many buzzards and kites in this area, and enjoy sausages and a beer as the sun goes down.

Ingelstein must rank as one of the most attractive looking, and least visited crags in the Basler Jura. As you drive up the hairpins towards Gempen, it is usually in bright sunshine and looks fantastic. Some of the routes are. Closer inspection however reveals a lot of vegetation, some loose rock, a few not fully bolted routes, noise from the road, and a cauldron when the sun shines outside the winter months. The 2nd pitches of the routes are, however, often on excellent quality rock and are well worth doing. 

A not very popular crag that does have some nice routes. In particular the climbing in the central section is good, on pockets and edges on mostly solid rock. It gets the afternoon sun and dries quickly. Hot in summer, pleasant in winter. The routes on the left wing are shorter and less inviting. The crag lies just a few hundred metres from the village of Erschwil, on the Passwang road, which means it can be noisy on busy weekends. Most of the routes have a nice pebble nameplate at the bottom.