Mountains / routes with which I am familiar that match your level of difficulty and should be safe to climb solo - note that some might require ice ax and crampons depending on the time of year and snow conditions.


http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... ihorn.html

Reeti only - getting to Simelihorn requires climbing UIAA II

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... rhorn.html

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... nhorn.html

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... wald-.html

Just bring a satellite phone if you go solo. Never know what happens...

sjarelkwint wrote:hey bruno, it are just the alps ... A cellphone might work ...
And a mirror and a whistle will do the trick ...

'just'

I don't know how cell phone reception is in the Alps but it definitely isn't working here in the Sierra. A mirror and whistle are all fine unless you are in a very remote area. If you fall in a crack and break your ankle, you might be waiting for days. Rain and cold temps at night could quickly cause hypothermia...

Depending on the exact area you go to, I would consider a satellite phone or some sort of beacon (like an avy beacon). When it comes down to it, we are very vulnerable in the mountains...

sjarelkwint wrote:The alps aren't as remote as the Sierra's ...

I know i may not say 'just' the alps but i was only comparing to the remoteness of the sierra for bruno. Don't wanne be on a glacier ... And even if you fall into a crack is your satphone working?

The falling in a crack was just an example because something like this happened here last year. It wasn't a crevasse though, just a big space in between rocks. Unfortunately, I believe he died from the fall.

I don't have experience with the Alps but if they are indeed well traveled, then a whistle might just do fine.

I don't want to wrench off topic, but come on, a solo climbing experience is supposed to be a solo climbing experience. Yes there is risk. If it makes you apprehensive to be away from electronic communication with the world for a few days, or you plan to derive great comfort from the idea that other hikers are nearby, then you are not ready for a solo trip. Embrace that you are truly alone and you'll get more out of the experience.

Let me get off my soapbox...

Hey I would do a big hike, connecting a bunch of peaks, maybe in the Oetztal or Verwall alps of Austria. Set big goals as for distance you hope to cover, and make sure to include one 3000+ meter peak per day. Travel light. A short ice ax and aluminum crampons can get you up many things. Dolomites would be awesome too, plus there you have basically no glaciers so you won't have to either avoid one via a detour or risk a solo crossing.

sjarelkwint wrote:I do wanne have a solo experience but i don't want to risk my life!
...

Wow, I did not realize that my words sounded so extreme!
For me, risk is intrinsically bound up with mountaineering. I find it hard to imagine a trip without it...

Still, best of luck!

mvs wrote:Wow, I did not realize that my words sounded so extreme!
For me, risk is intrinsically bound up with mountaineering. I find it hard to imagine a trip without it...

WTF?! Of course there's risk in mountaineering! But why wouldn't you limit your risk if you could? It sounds like you're carrying an ice axe, same thing.
If you go to a remote area and take a locator beacon or something like that with you, you can have a perfectly fine solo experience since you will only use it in case of emergency anyway.

Besides, no one was talking about a trip 'without' risk. Just 'less' or 'limited' risk.

Anyway, just my 0.02.

Luciano136 wrote:

mvs wrote:Wow, I did not realize that my words sounded so extreme!
For me, risk is intrinsically bound up with mountaineering. I find it hard to imagine a trip without it...

WTF?! Of course there's risk in mountaineering! But why wouldn't you limit your risk if you could? It sounds like you're carrying an ice axe, same thing.
If you go to a remote area and take a locator beacon or something like that with you, you can have a perfectly fine solo experience since you will only use it in case of emergency anyway.

Besides, no one was talking about a trip 'without' risk. Just 'less' or 'limited' risk.

Anyway, just my 0.02.

Understood. My comment about risk is more in response to the original poster's declaration that he wants (very emphatically) not to risk his life. Not in response to your pointing out that you can take a cell phone. But while I'm here I'll talk about that too...

I'm just not a big fan of cell phones in the mountains. They have their use, and yes, if I had a broken leg I would really, really want one. When I do bring one, it's turned off, in the bottom of the pack and would only get turned on if I'm helpless in a life or death situation. I know a few climbers that walked out / abseiled down with broken arms, and I admire their example. Additionally, I have seen cell phones used in ways I think are lazy and that provided only confusion to would-be rescuers in the valley. The mountains become much smaller when the phone is right there, ringing, you are talking, etc. I guess I like thinking of a phone as something like the "rescue beacon" you mention above: activated only in dire need.

I want to enter the mountains like entering a special, magical place where older rules apply. I believe there is a culture of mountaineering, and this attitude should be part of it. So I put it out there, recognizing it's an increasingly "Luddite" point of view.

But this is hijacking the OP's thread. I'll pipe down about such things.

sjarelkwint wrote:MVS i've seen you did the "non-glacier-haute-route" Zermatt-Chamonix
I was thinking about doing something like that ...

Hi sjarelkwint,

Yes indeed, that was a really fun trip! At that time, I wasn't searching to climb peaks along the way, though I think that would be fun and productive. It would be one of the nicer ways to spend a week in the alps, for sure! Since I'm obsessing about risk and cell phones here in your thread I'll mention that going from Zermatt to Chamonix is the better way to find solitude, of which I had lots and lots. PM for any specifics and maybe you saw the trip report on my home page (see year 2006).

mvs wrote:Understood. My comment about risk is more in response to the original poster's declaration that he wants (very emphatically) not to risk his life. Not in response to your pointing out that you can take a cell phone. But while I'm here I'll talk about that too...

I'm just not a big fan of cell phones in the mountains. They have their use, and yes, if I had a broken leg I would really, really want one. When I do bring one, it's turned off, in the bottom of the pack and would only get turned on if I'm helpless in a life or death situation. I know a few climbers that walked out / abseiled down with broken arms, and I admire their example. Additionally, I have seen cell phones used in ways I think are lazy and that provided only confusion to would-be rescuers in the valley. The mountains become much smaller when the phone is right there, ringing, you are talking, etc. I guess I like thinking of a phone as something like the "rescue beacon" you mention above: activated only in dire need.

I want to enter the mountains like entering a special, magical place where older rules apply. I believe there is a culture of mountaineering, and this attitude should be part of it. So I put it out there, recognizing it's an increasingly "Luddite" point of view.

But this is hijacking the OP's thread. I'll pipe down about such things.

Ok, I can see that. Then we're on the same page. My cell phone is always turned off as well when I'm in the mountains. I really only use it as my alarm clock when I'm going on an overnighter . I'm indeed only referring to it as an emergency device; people talking on their phones is highly annoying in the backcountry; luckily you hardly ever have reception here.