I was fortunate to spend the first 2 weeks in September with Bill McConachie in Switzerland. Although it rained 9 of the 15 days we were there, we managed to get some climbing in the Val Bregaglia/Lake Albigna area in southeastern Switzerland, near the Italian border. We took trains from Zurich to St Moritz, then a bus to Vicosprano and set up camp at Camp Mulina. The camp is close to a Pranzaira (Cable Car) that takes you up to Lake Albigna for 17 Swiss Francs. This is like getting a ride to the base of Temple Crag or the Mt Whitney area in the High Sierras. The Lake Albigna area features over 100 mutli-pitch routes in an alpine setting on high quality granite. The routes are bolt-protected and anchors often contain rappell rings. There are many opportunities to add cams for pro but the locals generally climb with slings, carabiners, and quick draws only. The granite texture is coarse and gritty with yosemite-like cracks and tuolumne like knobs and horizontal dikes like the Leap. Lake Albigna is a man made reservoir that provides hydroelectric power for Zurich and the Albigna Hut, located about 1 hour hike from the cable car, is an excellent place to spend the night and enjoy a fantastic meal. Here are some photos from the route we did Via Felici/Second Pillar on the Spazzacaldeira, an 8-pitch UIAA VI+ (YDS 5.10a) route. The route offers every type of climbing imaginable and the crux is a lieback on a steep, thin finger crack. The start of the route is a 10 minute walk from the cable car.

Guidebook: Swiss Rock: Granite Bregaglia, A Selected Rock Climbing Guide to the Albigna, Sciora, Gemelli, Cengalo and Badile. Chris Mellor-Void Publishing-2000

Lake Albigna with Punta da l'Albigna in the distance...If you look closely you can see the Albigna Hut on the ridge just left of center.
Via Felici goes up the center of the Spazzacaldeira
German climber leading p2
Me leading p3
Photo Courtesy Bill McConachie
Start of the dihedral on p4
Photo Courtesy Bill McConachie
Bill McConachie finishing the crux pitch
Near the top of the Second Tower
Climbers on a nearby summit.
View of Piz Balzet from the top of the second Tower on Spazzacaldeira

We also attempted the North Ridge on Piz Badile but decided to bail when we encountered verglas on p5
The approach to the North Ridge
The route was variably wet and snow covered. Very tricky leading on wet and snow covered granite with rock slippers on.
Bill inspecting the verglas where we decided to bail.
Bill & German climber Flo preparing to rappell
Flo & his lovely girl friend Hannah rappelling.
Punta Pioda & Ago di Scoiora
Back at the Sasc Fura Hut