The Playgrounds

With no long trips this year, we have been trying to make the most of the weekends and short escapes. We haven't done any big faces but been having good fun playing around on our mini-adventures. A few snaps below from the last month.

Gozo. The most famous arch of the island.

Kamasutra, Klausenpass

When our plans to check out the Wendenstöcke dwindled away, Cyrill immediately came up with an alternative. Something closer and shorter, but with good quality limestone and fun climbing. Sounded great, but when he mentioned Klausenpass, I was a bit skeptical, since last time I was there, the rock was loose and slabby. Being a local though, he knew the goods and we went to climb the Kamasutra, which takes the steepest wall of Chli Glatten.

Cyrill working on his tan.

Churfirsten. Zuestoll South Face

Having driven past Churfirsten so many times, we finally managed to try and climb something on them. We went for Zuestoll, which is said to have the best rock and weren't disappointed. We climbed a rather recent route Solitaire. Scenic approach, airy traverse into the wall and good climbing made for an excellent day.

Family time on Piz Palü

When I started heading off to the hills, my first climbing partners were my parents. They took me on skiing trips, we went hiking together and even ventured as far afield as Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to climb some of the 7k peaks in there. Ever since, every time we get to spend time in the mountains together it proves to be a great trip.

July Heatwave

Rodellar steepness

The two crazy weeks of travelling started with Saule and I visiting our friends in Swansea. Always great hosts, Tadas and Anna took us to the shipwreck cove for some sport climbing. With the morning drizzle, we were a bit skeptical at first but in the end we all got happily pumped in this cool crag.

Chamonix weekend: Climbing Pic Adolphe Rey, Bailing from Chandelle du Tacul and giving shit to shitters

With a promise of clear skies and rumours that the old LUMC gang was in Chamonix, I was very keen to go and check out some of the granite towers there. Chamonix is the mothership of alpine climbing with all the good and bad things that come with it. The sad part is that the crazy good access to the amazing terrain attracts all kind of folks, including the ones that may shit in the crack that you are about to jam. But about that a bit later.

A weekend in Verdon

Every time I start abseiling down the walls of Verdon Gorge, I am wondering whether one can really crap their pants because of fear.

Others have referred to it as "crazy verticality and lonely freehanging abseils in cathedral silence".

Swiss route on Les Courtes

The sound of the squeaky névé is so pleasant to the ear and yet, every time I try to explain to someone what it sounds like, we end up discussing animal rights. Go figure.

North face of Les Courtes. Swiss route goes pretty much straight to the sun.

Ice climbing in Valais, Cogne and Kandersteg

With the winter finally taking the hold, there is plenty of ice all over the place to practice the swings. So a couple of last weekends I tried to hang on some frozen drips.

On Ruebezahl in Kandersteg.

Averstal - Thron

Finally got to climb some ice this year. In the hindsight though, probably should have chosen a different day.

Thron, first money pitch.

Clipping bolts in Geyikbayiri

A bunch of us spent a week around the new year hanging out in Geyikbayiri in Turkey. We've already been here last year, but even the second-time-round I was stunned by just how cool this place is.