Switzerland

Climbing in the Sciora and Piz Badile Group

The Sciora Hut sits directly beneath much of the climbing

When Americans think of climbing in Europe, one thing typically comes to mind; limestone. But for climbers visiting Europe who want a little something closer to what they know, and an experience of a lifetime, the Alps also have a massive amount of granite. Chamonix tends to steal the show for showcasing granite, but this summer we went snooping around to some other areas known for long, easy to moderate, granite climbs. Our favorites; Switzerland’s Göschenental and its Bergseeschijen and Salbit groups, which will come in a later DolomiteSport post. First up, the Graubunden Region, specifically the Sciora Group and Piz Badile area above the Val Bregaglia, Switzerland.

The North Ridge of the Piz Badile

This was the second time we had climbed in this region as in 2005 we climbed the famous Piz Badile. Since that visit, we had long wanted to return to see what else lay nearby, but also to return to the magic feeling that this historically rich region offers. Here, only 35km from glitzy St. Moritz is another world; one of silence, traditional ways, a unique dialect of Italian and architecture much the same as centuries past. Driving through Switzerland’s Val Bregaglia, far below the north facing walls of the Sciora group which serves as the Swiss Italian Border, one must decide which to marvel at more, the ancient, intact villages and lifestyle, or the towering granite spires.

The Sasc Fura Hut

Luckily, both get to be experienced. For to visit the Sciora Group means to start from the village of Bondo. Here, one enters the stone walls feeling very much an outsider. Once inside, a walking tour is recommended as a kind of time travel to another era. When you are ready to start the approach to the huts, drive through the village to a payment machine, here you pay to pass on dirt roads to the trailheads far above town.

From the parking area, there is one trail along the river, after a few minutes walking the trail splits, left to the Sciora Hut, right to the Sasc Fura. The Sasc Fura is the standard hut for the Piz Badile’s North Ridge, arguably the finest easy ridge route in all the Alps. For North Face routes, both the Sasc Fura and Sciora Hut are used, although huge amounts of rockfall traversing to the North Face from the Sciora has closed this approach.

Thomy Engl cragging beneath the Sciora Group

Piz Badile North Ridge

If you are doing the Piz Badile North Ridge, 5.6 , be sure to walk the approach from the hut to the route the day before to familiarize yourself with the path as it will be done in the pre-dawn darkness and is a bit of a footrace between climbing parties. You do not want to be stuck behind slow parties on this route. Here, Euro climbing etiquette must be understood. If you are not used to climbing in the Alps on busy routes, get ready for some interesting times. It can either be very aggravating or very entertaining, just don’t let it be too time consuming, you need to be safe and you need to get down. But this is a whole different topic…

The Piz Badile North Ridge, 5.6

The route lives up to its reputation, it is absolutely superb climbing on perfect stone in a stunning setting. We were first to the route the day we did it so had no delays. Our climbing time with some photostops was 4.5 hours. The rack included, draws, cams .5, #1 and #2, a few stoppers, several long slings and double 50M ropes. The route is bolted and if you are comfortable running it out at these grades, draws are enough. The anchors are all BIG rings. Most parties opt to descend south into Italy and figure out how to get back around to the Swiss side using buses or taxis. We chose to rappel the route, which turned out to be slightly slower than the climb, but thanks to great anchors was epic free. We were back at the hut in time for pre-dinner beers.

The Sciora Group

Bouldering out the door of the Sciora Hut

If you are in the area for an extended stay and more moderate routes, you may opt to head over to the Sciora Hut next. The day after climbing the Piz Badile, get up early and walk the two hours to the Sciora Hut. Once at the Sciora mid-morning, you can choose to either go cragging or do a shorter route on the Torre Innominata east of the hut. We walked the hour up to the Innominata, an imposing wall that becomes much friendlier at the base. Here are several classic lines from which to choose; both the Hofmeister Jubilaum (6b/5.10c) and Via di Mezzo (6a+/5.10a/b) are superb routes. The Hofmeister being steeper and more like a Yosemite line and the Via di Mezzo reminiscent of Tuolumne Meadows climbing. 10 quickdraws and a small rack is sufficient. The Hofmeister requires a bit more gear.

Thomy Engl on the Via di Mezzo (6a+), Innominata

Punta Pioda

Next up are some much bigger undertakings. At this point, we lost two days to heavy rain and snow and so did just one more big route, the Punta Pioda’s NW Ridge. This is a very long and uncomplicated 5.6 slab route up a seemingly endless rounded ridge. The climbing was good, the rock solid and the day worthy. We had intended to do the descent off the summit via the Pioda-Dafora Traverse back north to get in some more climbing, but with all the fresh snowfall the north facing gulleys were completely buried and iced up. Once again, we found ourselves with a lot of rappeling, 22 to be exact, the same as the number of pitches, a long day!

Thomy Engl on the Punta Pioda

For the Punta Pioda we took 10 draws, a few slings, a few nuts and double 50M ropes. The route is bolted although with some sizeable gaps. The climbing is mostly much easier than 5.6 with a few standout sections of harder climbing.

The other classic objectives from the Sciora Hut are, to name just a few:

Scioretta : Fuori Ridge (VII+/6c/5.11a) and Direct Variation (VI-/5c/5.8). Quite possibly the line you will look at and want to climb in the group. These are also long and involved routes, not to be taken lightly for length and time.

Ago di Sciora : The West Ridge (V+/5.7). Just a lower section of the main rib before the rock quality drops.

Pizzi Gemelli : Bügeleisen (V/5.7). A super popular classic slab climb up a flawless ridge.

The Punta Pioda (l) and Ago di Sciora (r)

These are but a few popular routes, there are may, many more from which to choose, including the Piz Badile North Face routes, some of the most classic in the Alps.

Val Bregaglia Graubunden Climbing Guidebooks

The Alpine Club Guidebook Series: Bernina and Bregaglia by Lindsey Griffin (English). The definitive guide to the entire region for English speakers and very helpful for deciding which routes to do.

Bergell by Jiri Novak (Czech and German). Helpful as well for deciding where and what to do.

We found the guidebooks in conjunction with online info were great for deciding where to go and getting a rough idea of what we wanted to do. The huts themselves have very detailed and current topos and route info for the entire area. This was the best source for actual detailed info. Show up to the huts ready for anything, decide what to do, then simply draw up your own topo based on what the hut provides for beta – it works perfect.

Hut Phone Numbers

Sasc Fura +41 (0)81 822 1252

Sciora Hut +41 (0)81 822 11 38

Hut reservations are mandatory for overnights, but call in advance, this is a popular area and the huts are small. Like most wardened European mountain huts, the price of entry provides a bed, dinner and breakfast. Snacks, day food, and drinks can also be purchased. Overnight with the two meals is about CHF60.

Summary

Our plan was to climb easy to moderate routes here and we did just that. The climbing itself is straightforward, and thanks to being well bolted, relatively easy route finding is possible. But, this is an alpine arena and the walls are big, therefore so is the potential for problems. While the hut sits below the alpine walls, there is a very real sense of being “out there”, yet once down from climbing, an hour walk returns you to friendly hut keepers, beer, great food, a fun social scene and comfortable beds.

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Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Alpine Climbing Mönch, Jungfrau & Eiger

Dec 31st, 2009

by dolomitesport.

1 comment

left to right: The Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau

Alpine Climbing in the Bernese Oberland

The Jungfraujoch train from Grindelwald

This trip is all about alpine climbing three moderate routes on famous mountains while being in one of the world’s most dramatic landscapes. All easily approached via an unforgettable train ride.

Undoubtedly, one of man’s most impressive mountain infrastructure achievements is the Jungfraujoch Train. Starting in the idyllic Swiss village of Grindelwald, directly beneath the Eiger Nordwand, the Jungfraujochbahn is a cog train that first climbs to Kleine Scheidegg before entering a tunnel in the Eiger and literally climbing through the mountain to a station at 3454 meters. There, passengers disembark into a tourism venue like no other. The Station is built into a rock buttress at the head of the Aletschgletscher, Europe’s longest glacier which stretches below the station for 23 km.

The view down to Grindelwald from the Kleine Scheidegg

The station is a combination viewing platform, souvenir shop, ice palace and of course food court, complete with noodle stall and Indian cuisine to satisfy the vast numbers of Asian tourists. But for the alpine climber, the attraction is the Sphinx Tunnel which is an exit to the glaciers. To access many of the 4000 meter alpine peaks of the Berner Oberland, one must first descend to their bases from the Jungfrau Station.

The Mönchs Hut

Their are countless peaks to climb or ski in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland, but a popular trip is to take the train up, stay in the nearby Mönchsjoch Hut, and climb the famous Trilogy of the Mönch, Jungfrau and Eiger. This is a 4-5 day trip that will have you in the alpine world the entire time. If the weather is solid for the three routes, they may all be done back to back before returning to the Valley on the Jungfrau Train. To score with the weather means a bit of luck. As luck would have it, we had that period in 2003 and did the Trilogy in one push. We have also been there a number of other times for quick in and outs, the potential is like the terrain, massive. For American alpine climbers seeking moderate routes in extreme terrain, this is the trip of a lifetime if you want a European goal to strive for.

Climbing the Mönch's final corniced ridge to the summit

The Experience – the oddities of which will surely have you curious.

Howie & Karen Schwartz on the Jungfrau

Summary

Day 1 : Train to Jungfraujoch, exit station, climb the Mönch (4107 meters) on the way to the Mönchs Hut.

Day 2 : Climb the Jungfrau (4158 meters) from the Mönchs Hut.

Day 3 : Back to the Station, descend train, exit train at the Eismeer Station within the Eiger (you’ll have to inform the conductor), climb south face of the Eiger to the Mittellegi Ridge and the Mittellegi Hut.

Day 4 : Climb the Eiger’s Mittellegi Ridge to the summit (3970 meters), descend south to the Mönchs Hut and then to the Jungraujoch Station make last train to Grindelwald.

Day 5 : Relax in Grindelwald, eat a rösti and drink a beer while staring up at the peaks you just climbed.

Now let me preface the actual story by saying that this project, while not difficult, is extraordinarily serious. The weather in the Bernese Oberland can go from pleasant to severe in minutes and there are extremely dangerous objective hazards in the climbing (glacier issues, route finding, and loose rock). I highly recommend a UIAGM Mountain Guide if you are not entirely accustomed to climbing in the Alps and in this terrain. More Guide info at the end of the post.

Climbers on the Jungfrau

Dan & Janine relaxing on the Mönchs Hut deck

Climbing the Eiger’s Mittellegi Ridge

What makes this experience so special is that you are on a kind of mini, and somewhat luxurious, expedition. While it is only 4 days, it is busy with go-go-go and heavy on logistics. Of course it is possible to extend the trip with extra hut nights, especially for the return to the Mönchs Hut. Instead of hurrying to make last train, one can stay the night. However, multiple nights up so high with possible sleep issues may have you longing for lower elevations.

Janine taking note of the Hotel Rathole availability

The Mönch and the Jungfrau are fairly straightforward – I won’t go into details as there is better info available. But, the Eiger’s Mittellegi Ridge is a story all on its own for the process to get up on it and down is like no other I have seen. You may not be doing the Nordwand, but the experience of the Eiger is still quite unique when doing the Mittellegi.

The first step to get to the Mittellegi Hut is to get off the Jungfraujoch Train at the Eismeer Station. This is a stop inside the Eiger. Here you will step off the train into the darkness and the train will roll away leaving only the climbers behind. A large steel door leads to a steeply descending passageway. With headlamps on we entered. Ahead was a blinding light which became a sunlit glacier as we got closer. The tunnel ends at a balcony complete with cute Swiss railing. Here you will be in the world of ice, seracs and steep, loose rock.

The Mittellegi Hut. The summit is behind.

The beta given to us was to rope & helmet up – then run like hell across a big open section of glacier beneath the south face of the Eiger. The reason is immediately obvious as gravity is working its magic on the rotting rock and melting ice. Once to the other side, the climb begins to the actual ridge and the precariously perched hut.

Paraglider getting up to the level of the Mittellegi Hut

The Mittellegi Ridge is rated alpine D, with sections of rock to about 5.4. Nothing is mentioned about the approach to the hut. My memory is climbing hard rock with mountain boots and a pack on. I could be wrong, but I seem to remember a significant length of 5.7 laybacking, made desperate in my La Sportiva Nupstes. I also remember no belay anchor for the second (rumor has it that this has been remedied) and most clear of all, thinking that reversing this whole thing in poor weather would be hellish. But we did it. After passing the technical section we diagonaled into the hut on rising sloping ledge systems made dicey with loose rock and bullet like flying stones. The hut was a welcome end to a stressful and odd day.

The Mittellegi Hut itself is a wonder as it is perched literally right on the ridge of the Eiger. Look north and you look straight down the Nordwand. It is a location you will never forget. Rising immediately from its balcony is the Mittellegi Ridge that ascends into a pyramid of black stone, the Eiger’s summit.

At dinner we sat with an old Swiss couple. When I say old I mean in their early 70′s. They amazed Janine and I with the fact that they have been climbing the Eiger every year for a very long time. They amazed us even more as they quickly dropped us in the following morning’s darkness. Such is the European mountain culture.

Climbers on the Mittellegi Ridge

The route itself is relatively simple. Route finding means following the crest, or the climbers in front of you, or in some areas, the fat, fixed ropes. If the weather is good it is low stress climbing, the views are unmatched, and the only real concern is to make that last train. But the climb, as we found out, is only part of the day. The descent is complicated, long and slow if you do not know it. It was somewhere during the descent that stress to make the train kicked in.

While staying at the Mönchs Hut we had seen two Italian climbers stumble in just before dinner. They collapsed at our table and stared like zombies at their plates. I asked what they had done. “Mittellegi”, was all they got out. I just remember thinking that they either epic’ed in a big way or were way out of shape.

But I was starting to get it as we descended the Eiger, it is huge. Thankfully we did not epic and we not only made last train, we made it in time to get a bite to eat in the station before boarding.

Once back in Grindelwald, there are few more amazing views to be had from a town, especially views up to mountains that contain some of our greatest memories.

The view up to the Eiger from Grindelwald

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Where to eat in Grindelwald

Don’t miss great food and ambience at Cafe und Mehr (C&M) : sit out on the deck and take in the views of where you have been.

Need an English speaking Mountain Guide?

Cosley Houston Alpine Guides are Americans based in Chamonix and know the Alps like locals.

Howie Schwartz of Sierra Mountain Guides works in the Swiss Alps and Berner Oberland each summer.

Swiss Alpine Huts

The Mittellegi Hut and Mönchs Hut : Like all huts, a reservation is mandatory before arrival. Huts are about CHF60/night and includes a bed, dinner and breakfast. A great rate. But, be prepared for some expensive water and miscellaneous food & drink as it must all be flown in by helicopter.

Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

Zermatt Alpine Climbing | Zinalrothorn

Sep 30th, 2009

by dolomitesport.

4 comments

Climbing trip to the Swiss Alps

It had been too long since we had gone into the big mountains for a climbing trip. Thankfully, with the encouragement of our good friend and mountain guide, Alberto De Giuli, we rallied, put the bikes away, and headed for Zermatt in the heart of the Swiss Alps.

The goal was to climb one of the big classic peaks of the Wallis Region. We arrived to great weather but were warned that up to 40cm of fresh snow had recently fallen. It seemed best to do a recon mission so we opted for the easy Breithorn half traverse. The Breithorn may be the easiest 4000 meter peak in Europe thanks to tram access to about 3800 meters. All aboard at 7 a.m. and up we went in a tram filled with the Swiss and Slovenian ski teams headed for the glaciers and training camp. Once on top we parted ways, them swishing down and us plodding up.

Headed for the Breithorn

From the summit ridgeline we immediately recognized that conditions were great on the big, rock alpine peaks to the north; the Zinalrothorn and the Obergabelhorn’s south faces and ridges were free of snow. Janine and I had been on the Zinalrothorn 6 years before, but as we climbed Janine became more and more agitated until we decided it best to go down. She simply said she had bad feelings that day. And so as we were descending the first helicopter flew over to the north ridge where a cornice had collapsed taking two climbers with it. Even with the tragedy, we had been on the mountain and seen its beauty, we knew someday we would have to go back and finish the Southwest Ridge.

Arriving at the Breithorn's West Summit

The day after the Breithorn we packed our bags and began the 4 hour/1500 meter approach to the Rothorn Hut from Zermatt. Sadly, we were carrying our own dinner as all the huts had closed early due to the snowfall and freezing temps. Climbing conditions were perfect but apparently that is not enough in late September to support the huts – so, it was the winter rooms for us. Winter rooms are small areas within the hut, or an older separate building that always remain open for skiers and climbers. Inside are beds, blankets, and a kitchen complete with (hopefully) gas stoves.

Approaching the Rothorn Hut

Hiking up into the alpine world from Zermatt, we were rewarded with brilliant red and orange fall colors, a herd of Ibex, and nobody to be seen. The Alps were ours. Even the Trift Hotel, an hour up the trail was closed and deserted. Where just two months ago we stopped with friends for a big lunch, this day we sat outside and watched Ibex nap in the sun across the canyon.

Continuing on from Trift is where the glaciers come into view and the mountains go from rolling green and gold to stone and ice. Once alongside the glaciers the trail gains a moraine top and rises in endless switchbacks up to the hut which is perched at the confluence of two glaciers.

With the forecast for two days of sun, we were sure we would run into others at the hut, but two Germans descending our trail with climbing gear reported they were it, no one else above. In fact they had tried a north ridge of another 4000 meter peak only to be denied access due to heavy snow and dangerous conditions.

The Winter Room

As we neared the hut the skies closed, the clouds turned to black and the snow started to fall. We had all been looking forward to sitting in the sun but had to be happy with sitting on a bunk wrapped in old wool blankets. Dinner was bread, cheese and tuna – all cold. Luckily we found some tea bags and the propane tank was full.

There is not much to do in the mountains when the weather is bad, so we all crawled into our bunks and were sound asleep by 8:30. Wake up was set for 3:45 a.m.

I have been a climber for 23 years and have gone to bed countless times with an alpine climb to look forward to, yet still there is that sense of mild anxiety which comes from both excitement and nervousness about what is to come. Climbing is something we do to experience the mountains, but also something we do to get to know ourselves a little better.

Climbing the Zinalrothorn

Waking up in the darkness to go climbing is an odd sensation. Inside your bed it is warm and safe yet you know that in minutes you will enter a cold and unforgiving world. A peek out the window reveals clear skies brilliant with stars. Eat, drink, throw on your pack and turn on the headlamp… It is time to go outside.

To walk on a glacier for hours with only the immediate world in front of you provides for lots of time to think. Above is the black sky and all around you ice and stone. The ice snaps and groans, rocks move beneath your feet and your eyes forever scan the surface for holes or crevasses. To experience this is to experience what it is to be fragile, to be a tiny living thing in a very big world.

By the time the sun rises we are humbled, and at this point the mountains put on their show to remind us of why we come back time and time again. To stand on a steep alpine ridge and watch the first rays of the sun hit the mountaintops is simply sublime. Better yet is to have the Matterhorn as your neighbor and be able to witness its icy grey turn pink.

We timed our arrival to the first steep rock section to perfection. Leaving the glacier behind, where we could climb through the darkness, it was time to start up the rock, and for this section daylight would be helpful. The massive towering bulk of granite rises straight above the final snow ridge which terminates at the rock.

After climbing lots of loose rock in a shallow gully, we eventually gained a notch where the real climbing would start. So far we had not been able to remove our crampons as there was just enough snow and ice to keep things interesting. We opted to leave them on for the actual ridge as we would be on and off the ice and snow covered northwest side. The SW Ridge of the Zinalrothorn is a true classic, continually keeping the climber engaged and focused. To the right is a vertigo inducing 3000 meter drop sweeping out to the valley floor, to the left an expanse of glaciers and endless mountains.

Once on the summit all sides drop away to other ridges and open faces. In late September we were able to sit on top for 20 minutes in just long sleeve shirts with no wind and warm temps. The nature of the SW Ridge is that it is equally difficult in descent as it is in ascent. Reversing the ridge eventually brought us to the first of many rappels which would take us well onto the broken open terrain of the first rock face, and from there we could walk back to the snow ridge and begin the descent of the glaciers.

After having spent a perfect day climbing in the alps with my wife and a great friend, I am reminded even more of my love for being both an athlete and a photographer of mountain sports. To move amongst these massive peaks for 12 hours, feeling everything, talking, sharing and laughing with others who feel the same sense of awe for what we are fortunate enough to be able to do – this is what keeps us so happy.

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Interested in doing this route and seeking an English speaking Mountain Guide? Contact Alberto De Giuli