Basler Jura

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.

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.

Gempen, or Schartenfluh as it is more formally known, is a popular crag in a beautiful location, with great views over the surrounding countryside. It is possible to see the Alps on a clear day, and the sunset is well worth waiting for. There are 4 main sectors, all with their own character. The rock is mostly solid, and getting polished on the popular routes. It dries very quickly, and Sandührliwand in particular catches all the sun that is going, so can be busy on a nice Sunday afternoon in autumn, winter and spring.

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.

Hofstettenchöpfli is the escarpment of limestone crags that lies between Flüh and Hofstetten. The escarpment is interesting for it's abundance of rare Downy oak trees that usually only grow in a Mediterranean climate. On the Chöpfli they survive only at a very limited altitude, and the tree line can clearly be seen in autumn from nearby Landskron castle. The left end of the ridge is approached from Flüh and Elsässerwand is a pleasant crag with lots of wall climbing in the 6a to 6c range.

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.

Along with Gempen, Falkenfluh, Schauenburgfluh and Tüfleten; Pelzli is one of the major crags in the Basler Jura. With many distinct buttresses set in the middle of  a beautiful wood, it is a delight to climb here. The rock is generally solid, and the bolting usually good. The downside is that many of the routes are becoming polished. Pelzli consists of two distinct parts. The lower section, which has the impressive Daumenfels, a 30m free standing pinnacle, where the easiest route to the top is a 4th category scramble, but also with many longer, harder climbs.

An excellent crag with about 50 routes, mostly in the 7a to 7c range. Stays dry in the rain, but seeps after prolonged wet spells. Well equipped, occasionally fragile rock, helmets recommended at the foot of the crag.

A series of detached pinnacles with good quality rock and some fine routes above Roschenz.

A quiet crag near to the pretty little village of Himmelried. The routes are relatively short, but what they lack in height they more than make up for in difficulty! Perhaps the grades are boulder grades rather than French sport grades. The crag is north west facing and so mostly shady, this is good in the summer, but slow drying the rest of the year.

A pleasant crag with a few excellent routes, on cracks and pocketed walls, but also some loose rock.  

Tannenfluh consists of two distinct parts. A crag on the hillside and a crag dug into the hillside. The first has a few separate buttresses with some nice mid grade routes. The second, called Get Wet Canyon, is an interesting place to visit, can take a long time to dry, but can be cool even in the hottest of summers. Some of the routes in the canyon are very good, a few though are quite dirty.

The main Tannenfluh crag is a pleasant series of buttresses with some nice mid grade routes. 

A big varied crag with routes to suit all tastes.

The climbing is on typical Basler Jura limestone, steep walls that are smooth and peppered with pockets and edges.

Tüfleten is popular in the winter when it is sheltered and gets a lot sun.