Gai Alpin

On Saturday one week ago fortuitous circumstances meant that Tanya and I got out climbing. We ticked off a climb we've long been looking at in guide-books - the super easy, exposed ridge traverse of Gai Alpin.

Gai Alpin traverses the right-most spires in this picture.

Gai Alpin traverses the right-most spires in this picture.

To get there you catch the train from Montreux towards Rochers de Naye, and jump off (not literally—do you think I'm crazy?) at Jaman. Then you walk for 20 minutes until the path is interrupted by a rock face, and you climb that face.

Tanya after the traverse, at the base of the third pitch.

Tanya after the traverse, at the base of the third pitch.

The climb is super duper easy; it's like a short, bolted, limey Tiptoe Ridge. Pure fun! The second pitch is a long traverse across a beautiful exposed ridge. We had a 60m rope and it was just too short to get us to the belay bolts, so I made an anchor out of a bolt and a solid sling.

Enjoying the third, most vertical pitch.

Enjoying the third, most vertical pitch.

At the start of the third pitch we were caught up to by the first in a party of six people following us. They turned out to be loud locals using dubious safety - linking quickdraws metal on metal, rapping off a cable instead of the provided shackle, no helmets, belaying off a single quickdraw. They were moving faster than us (owing to their scant regard for safety) and soon we were amongst their party, with some ahead and some behind and much shouting between them. After the third pitch we decided that it would be a more peaceful option to just bail and leave the last (smaller) spire to them, so we did.

Tanya analysing how to spend the rest of the afternoon.

Tanya analysing how to spend the rest of the afternoon.

With the afternoon thus freed, we chose to hop up the Dent de Jaman. Actually, we walked, because hopping would be a ridiculously inefficient way to climb a hill. From there we got lovely views of Lac Léman, Lausanne, the Vaudois pre-alps, and Lavaux.

The view from the top of Dent de Jaman.

The view from the top of Dent de Jaman.

The summer season is really winding down now, which means shorter days, autumn colours starting to appear in the forests, and the snow creeping lower down the mountains. It was good to get out and enjoy some time in the pre-alps before the snow covers up this part of Vaud!

Serenity - the Buvette de Jaman offers rail-side dining.

Serenity - the Buvette de Jaman offers rail-side dining.

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Notre propre cep de vigne