Climbing

The Dwarven Cave is above all a place of legend. 

This climbing site offers routes of a fairly high level. It is advisable to be comfortable with level 6b since the easiest routes start at this level. It has the advantage of being located near Altkirch and Mulhouse. Today, it is the only natural climbing site located in the Alsatian Jura, with the possible exception of the Raemelsberg site located on the French-Swiss border between Kleinlutzel and Wolschwiller. 

Please note, this site is classified as an "adventure playground". Climbers are RESPONSIBLE for their safety and their actions.

Generalities : the rocks of the Grotte des Nains form a cliff about 25 meters high facing NE and set into a small gorge for about ten meters. The location and orientation of the rocks are such that they see very little sun. The "Tip Top" sector also remains dry during light rain. The routes located in this sector take place on an excellent overhanging rock with beautiful concretions. It is a summer cliff par excellence.

Track palette : 15 routes and variants ranging from 6b to 8a. 

The essential routes:
- Simplet: 6b+
- Tip-Top: 7b
- Sylphide:7a
- Decreasing allowances: 6c+

Equipment : all the routes are equipped: Return with chain and carabiner at the top of each route. 

Recommended season: summer, autumn. Sometimes impractical in spring due to resurgences. 

The Rämelsberg climbing site is located on the heights of the town of Wolschwiller on the Franco-Swiss border at an altitude of 830m. The site is located in Switzerland, the foot of the routes being on the Swiss side. On the other hand, it can be accessed from the French side since the summit ridge of the routes acts as the Franco-Swiss border. 

The site has three distinct sectors for a total of 46 routes ranging from 5b to 8a+. It has been recently (2020) re-equipped and it has nice routes, some of which go up to more than 25 m. Two sectors facing south and a third facing west. The site is attractive for climbers whose level is around 5c - 6a and more. Site fully described in the Basler Jura/Basel Jura topoguide.

To access it, two possibilities:

- or from the Swiss village of Petit Lucelle (Kelinlutzel) where you will take a winding road to the foot of the cliffs. You can park a little before the restaurant Rämelweide. It takes 5 minutes to walk to the cliffs.

- or from the pass on the tourist route between Wolschwiller and Kiffis where there is a small parking area. Access to the cliffs (marked with a yellow cross) is longer from the French side. Count 3 km on foot or 45 min walk.