Switzerland

Long pitches from the exposed ledge. Make sure your rope is long enough!

Single pitch sport routes in a big wall setting. Excellent rock, hot when the sun is shining in winter, and too hot to climb if it is shining in the summer.

Excellent climbing from the exposed ledge

Short warm up routes away from the main crag

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 big wall of near perfect granite, Galengrat offers "plaisir pur" rock climbing to within an hour of the summit of Galenstock. Although the route described here is very well bolted, don't be fooled, it is still a big undertaking, that takes time to complete and has some long run outs on the easier sections. Although it is climbed in rock shoes, you will need to carry full alpine equipment (mountain boots, ice axe, possibly crampons) with you. Take 2x50m ropes. It is possible to abseil down the route, but this will involve about 8 abseils with the risk of rope jam.

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.

Bugeleisen lies opposite the power station on Grimsel pass, an isolated buttress with excellent slab climbing. The routes are fully bolted, although the long run outs might encourage you to take some friends and wires, not that you will find anywhere to place them! 

An excellent 350m slab of granite , offering some fine routes. The routes are bolted, with good anchors on all the belays, however a few friends and wires are necessary on most routes. Although the cliff has a generally "friendly" ambience, the routes are nevertheless long alpine undertakings. On sunny weekends the crag can get busy and although the rock is mostly solid on the routes, there are still some loose stones on the ledges. Descent by abseil is the easiest way down, but can be dangerous for other parties, so the walk round, although steep and alpine is recommended.

Hannibal Turm offers friendly, multi pitch climbing, set amongst the beauiful rock scenery surrounding Furkapass, with the added attraction of reaching the summit of a large detached monolith. It is 150m high, with bolts in all the right places and made of beautiful, solid granite. The grades given are for a totally free ascent, although particularly on Conquest of Paradise, this can be reduced by pulling on the gear. But then if you do that, you may as well put a bus stop on the top. Descent is by abseil down the routes.

An appropriately named crag set in a magic wood in a really beautiful location.  Excellent for short, technical, bouldery climbing in mid summer. Nearly all the routes have their names at the bottom and are well bolted. A 50m rope is sufficient.

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.