Currently I am in my last month of spending 3 months in Geneva, Switzerland visting Erica. Switzerland? Should be a dream come true for bouldering right? Well...
When I first arrived here we rented a car and drove to Ticino to climb in Cresciano and Chironico,which was great, but prohibitively expensive to do with any regularity. Even getting there by train costs a fortune and takes over 5 hours.
So I was left going to the bouldering gym here in Geneva, hoping to find out if there is anywhere to boulder closer to town. And maybe meet people to climb with. However several visits seemed to only reveal more and more gym rats and when I asked about bouldering options nearby the best suggestion I got was to drive to Fontainebleau in France. Not exactly to close to home option I was hoping for.
Doing web based research I eventually found the swiss-german site www.bimano.ch. which when copied and pasted into google translate revealed details for dozens of smaller swiss bouldering locations, along with directions on how to get there by public transit.
The closest was St. George, a limestone crag more popular for route climbing but with about 40 boulder problems ranging from v2 to v14.
Through a huge stroke of luck, I managed to borrow two crashpads from Erica's co-worker's cousin..?! So I've been able to take the hour long train/bus ride to St. George about 3 days a week and it has been great.
The next closest area is Massongex which is about an hour and a half away by train, but then also includes a 30 min+ walk to get to the boulders. But on the bright side they actually are boulders, as opposed to the crag with drop of problems at St. George. I have only made the trek once so far, but plan on returning.
Unfortunately for the past week I have been having forced rest days due to a mysterious neck pain/stiffness which has left me almost immobile. (and probably led to starting this blog instead of climbing.) It is however finally better I think and tomorrow I'm heading back to St. George to test it out, and hopefully finish of a problem that has been eluding me.
More on that problem next post, and if lucky perhaps a video of a send.
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