"The Oberwallis" is one of the most important climbing and mountaineering areas in Switzerland - also known as Valais East or Upper Valais. This guidebook covers the eastern area of the canton of Valais centred on Brig and covers the following regions - Goms; Aletsch-Brig; Simplon; Visp; Saastal; Mattertal; Raron-Siders. So it includes the popular areas around Zermatt and Saas Fee. This 2012 edition is the first time the Swiss Alpine Club have published the guidebook in the dual languages of German and English. This region has undergone a tremendous amount of climbing development in recent years with many new areas bolted. This is a rock climbing guidebook (not snow and ice), with mostly bolted routes but also some trad routes - and climbs requiring placement of gear between bolted belay stances. The guidebook contains close to 2,000 routes in 99 climbing areas. There are more than 250 multi-pitch climbs of which 55 routes are longer than 250m and the longest is 800m. The guidebook is very comprehensive with sectors for families and beginners ranging up to committed alpine routes for experienced climbers.