SummitPost.org

What are the best areas and routes to do alpine climbing in August and September? Here's the situation, my girlfriend who lives in Europe has agreed to go climbing with me the next time I come over there. She has never been climbing before so I need to pick a climb that won't scare her to death but that is still fun.

Preferably something that has a touch of backpacking to it but with some pretty good 5.4 equivalent climbing. I need something pretty but easy. She's a "girly" girl so the suffering aspect of climbing needs to be at a minimum. I want climbing to be habit for her like it is for me and not just a one time "sure I'll try it" thing.

I'm leaning towards finding something in Bavaria for no other reason than I have friends there. But... wherever there's something good is where we'll go.

I have one week to play with. Ideas anyone?

In my mind alpine and minimum suffering don't go together. Except if you mean trad.

I think <a href="http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/978">Meteora</a> would work. Even the easiest route there is spectacular.

My advice: Keep her for the bed, and find another for climbing.

But, if you are set on monogamy, I would recommend the Arco region around Lago de Garda in Italy. Great combination of climbing in the day, with excellent food, and great wine. You can also rent a motorcycle for a day and take it up into the mountains, do a picnic and do what the birds and bees do. It'll be a trip you both won't forget.

- Mike in Czech

Marc, where does your girlfriend live?

It's no real climbing but doing Ferrate could be a good idea. One of the best documented places (in terms of Ferrate) is
<a href="http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/747"><b>Dolomiti di Brenta</b></a>.

Also interesting in terms of Ferrate are:
<a href="http://www.summitpost.org/mountains/mountain_link.pl?mountain_id=3036"><b>Pale di San Martino</b></a>

and

<a href="http://www.summitpost.org/mountains/mountain_link.pl?mountain_id=3076"><b>Sexten / Sesto Dolomites</b></a>

And if your girlfriend prefers to do some shopping - you'll have lots of really difficult climbing routes to coose from

If you are in a position to climb in Austria, I would recommend the <a href="http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/148">Habicht</a>. I used no equipment but your girlfriend might take a short rope and a harness so she can clip into the fixed cables on the steep spots. You will need good clothes, serious boots and a lot of common sense. The "glacier" is nothing hard and while it <i>feels</i> like a serious climb, it is totally doable for smart people of good physical fitness. Of course, there is no climb that doesn't depend on the weather, so keep your fingers crossed. - Noah

p.s. Don't let the pictures freak you out, they are mostly taken from the other side of the mountain.

By the way, the <a href="http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/148">Habicht</a> is easy to reach from Innsbruck and not too far from Bavaria. I always start my trips from Augsburg or Munich.

Here is my summit log from that climb <i>"We left the valley floor and climbed easily and slowly up to the "hut" thinking that we would summit the Habicht the next morning (as most people do) but as it was only three o'clock, we pushed up to the summit and though it was late, the fact that it was the longest day of the year made an afternoon/evening summit bid an acceptable option. We climbed very slowly due to the fact that my partner was on his first climb ever! Shortly below the summit, we split up and I scrambled over the final ridge to the summit (cables make it "safe" but the route is tougher than most people describe it and can give one the feeling of vertigo if you are not used to big vertical drop-offs). We scrambled back down the ridge, across the "glacier", down the NE face, across to the steep ridge, down the main rock climbing portion (class I when dry) and over the rocks back to the hut in time for Käsepressknödel (a cheese dumpling). Our schedule looked something like this - From the car to the hut (slowly walking) took 2:40, from the hut to the summit took 3:00 and it took 2:40 to get back down to the hut (by which the Austrians seem to mean wonderful mountain hotel). Our times are slow but safe and anyone can repeat them or even go much faster." </i> - NOAH

I think the best tour you can do is one of the many <a href="http://www.dolomiti.it/eng/itinerari/altevie/dx.htm"><b>Alta Via delle Dolomiti</b></a>

Diego- Unfortunately, she lives in Kishinev (Chisinau), Moldova. No problems with the visa for western Europe though.

Wow... those are some really nice places.

Meteora & Habicht, can they be done without crampons? The description wasn't too definitive.

I need to find a climb that won't be too gear intensive for her. I've got all the gear in the world, but she doesn't have any. I've got an extra shell jacket, backpack, sleeping bag/pad, harness and helmet for her but that's about it.

I also wanted a route that would allow me to carry everything but her personal gear. If I load her up with the same weight I expect my normal climbing buddies to carry she may never speak to me again.

Does Meteora, Habicht and the Italian routes allow you to set up a base came and then go out for a day, climb a route and then come back. The next day you can climb something different from the same base camp?

Dolomiti high ways don't require special gear, and huts are very comfortable .. and food is great )

Do you have to stay in a hut or can you pitch a tent nearly anywhere you want?

What are the huts like? Are we talking an Appalachian Trail shelter or can you get privacy in them?

Marc,
I've tried the same thing in just about every part of the Alps. Via ferratas are a good way to go (if she can handle heights) but I would be very cautious of trying to get her up a big alpine route. Given weather and Murphy's Law, you probably don't want to be too ambitious.

If you are more comfortable close to Bavaria/Tirol, take her on the via ferratas in the Garmisch/Innsbruck area and/or head straight for the Stubai Alps. The Stubai are a great place for a first alpine season with plenty of gentle routes on beautiful peaks, relatively easy escapes, and numeorus huts.

Leave the tent and bivy gear and enjoy the huts. Use them as your "base camp" and you'll have batter chance of getting your girlfriend hooked.

Metora only have rock routes. You can't find snow in Greece in August . Most routes only need quickdraws.

On more plus is you can stay in rooms in Kastraki and if she hates climbing Greece has great beaches...

If you want to do daytrips from a basis with little backpack I would not go to a hut but stay in a valley where you have more possible trips and alternatives for bad weather.
Stubai is okay but I like more the areas south of the main alps ridge in South or East Tyrol - e.g. Ahrntal / Aurina valley or Virgental valley - or in the Dolomites if you like rocky landscape more than glacier formed.
Can you use a private car for reaching the trailheads?
How much ascent a day on marked routes will be comfortable for your girlfriend?