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Beginner Alps Routes..??

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Skot Richards · · Lakewood, CA · Joined May 2020 · Points: 0

Does anyone have any recommendations for entry level alpine or mountaineering routes in the alps?
The wife and I have been thinking of a trip to Switzerland for our 10th wedding anniversary and I’d love to spend some days in the alps.

Thanks all. 

Chris Johnson · · Boulder, CO · Joined Nov 2015 · Points: 15

Following. Got a Cham honeymoon scheduled and looking for options.

Allen Sanderson · · On the road to perdition · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 1,100

If you have never been to Zermatt worth some time. The Breithorn is an easy walk up and being a 4000m peak. Could look at Castor and Pollux. if needed one can easily hire a guide. 

That said, also think about the Dolomites, lots of great via feratta routes. Many are just days trips but others can be over night trips with stop over at a hut.

Ethan Zorick · · Reston, VA · Joined Sep 2016 · Points: 157

Gran Paradiso is pretty straight-forward.

Skot Richards · · Lakewood, CA · Joined May 2020 · Points: 0
Allen Sanderson wrote:

If you have never been to Zermatt worth some time. The Breithorn is an easy walk up and being a 4000m peak. Could look at Castor and Pollux. if needed one can easily hire a guide. 

That said, also think about the Dolomites, lots of great via feratta routes. Many are just days trips but others can be over night trips with stop over at a hut.

Awesome info!  Thank you for it!  Definitely have thought about via ferratta routes as well. Just want to get out and see some of the amazing terrain of the region.  Day trips are totally fine, awesome trekking finished with great meal and some cold ones is a fantastic day to me!! 

Alex Buisse · · Halifax, NS, CA · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 88

Lots of options in Chamonix : Aiguille du Tour is a classic beginner climb and very moderate (I took my future wife and most of our wedding party up there a few days before our wedding!), Aiguille de l'Index is a really fun and exposed little ridge climb to a fun summit, Arête des Cosmiques requires a good head for heights and has a couple of tricky moves but approach/descent that can't be beaten and insanely fun, Lachenal traverse is easier but nice and has great views, Aiguilles Marbrées and Aiguilles d'Entrèves traverse on the Italian side, the latter one probably my favorite at that grade in the whole range. Expect crowds, though, on all of those! Happy to suggest more if you have more specific requirements.

Victor Machtel · · Netherlands · Joined Feb 2020 · Points: 0

One thing to consider is that a lot of routes in the Alps require glacier travel for the approach - which can be considerably more dangerous than the route itself. If you're unfamiliar with crevasse rescue it might be a very good idea to hire a guide. 

Skot Richards · · Lakewood, CA · Joined May 2020 · Points: 0
Alex Buisse wrote:

Lots of options in Chamonix : Aiguille du Tour is a classic beginner climb and very moderate (I took my future wife and most of our wedding party up there a few days before our wedding!), Aiguille de l'Index is a really fun and exposed little ridge climb to a fun summit, Arête des Cosmiques requires a good head for heights and has a couple of tricky moves but approach/descent that can't be beaten and insanely fun, Lachenal traverse is easier but nice and has great views, Aiguilles Marbrées and Aiguilles d'Entrèves traverse on the Italian side, the latter one probably my favorite at that grade in the whole range. Expect crowds, though, on all of those! Happy to suggest more if you have more specific requirements.

I will check out some of these recommendations and get back to you if I have any more questions.  
thanks for the help!!!

sean o · · Northern, NM · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 48
Victor Machtel wrote:

One thing to consider is that a lot of routes in the Alps require glacier travel for the approach - which can be considerably more dangerous than the route itself. If you're unfamiliar with crevasse rescue it might be a very good idea to hire a guide. 

"Glacier travel" in the Alps can mean a lot of things.  On most standard routes you'll be following a fresh boot-pack, which eliminates route-finding and greatly reduces the risk of falling in a hole.  I felt fine doing plenty of those unroped, and never put a leg through, but plenty of people on this forum will probably chime in to chide me.

I'm not sure what you mean by "entry level," but the west face of the Eiger involves no glaciers and a certain amount of low-fifth-class choss, and has stellar views of the Alps' largest glaciers.  The Lauteraarhorn requires a long walk across a valley glacier (i.e. bare ice by mid-late summer), and has some fun scrambling.  The summit view is still my phone background:

MattH · · CO mostly · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 1,339

Probably depends on what skills you're wanting to emphasize as you dip your toes in:

- Dealing with alpine rock quality, heady descents, fickle weather, and sketchy fixed gear on what's otherwise basically an ordinary long rock climb? 

- Covering lots of distance short-roped simul-climbing 4th/ low 5th class rock terrain?

- Glacier/snow approaches for rock routes?

- Basic mixed rock+ice, potentially with short-roped travel?

- Uphill slogging for hours on end on non/minimally technical terrain?

Eg: in the summer in the dolomites, you'll mostly get #1 and/or #2, and it's technically alpine climbing but feels a world away from the big summits that require the whole gamut.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Mountaineering
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