104-105
133 NORTH-EAST
PILLAR -
ED3 IMacEacheran, A McKeith and K Spence, 28-31 July 1970.
64 Winter. J Benes and J Krch, 17-21 Jan 1978
The NE pillar separates the N face (Eigenoand) from the NE face. This
route climbs the pillar more or less direct whilst the Austrian route ought
really to be considered as a NE face route. For a description of the route
see Alpine Climbing, the ACG Bulletin 1971 Page 31.
There is 1800m of climbing, the first 900m is pure rock climbing
and the other 900m almost entirely on ice. It is almost entirely free of
objective dangers. The rock section rises in three pillars, the first is 240 m
(VI and A3), the second is 200m (VI and Al) and the third is 220 m (VI
and A3). There is a fairly good bivouac site at the foot of the second
pillar and another at the top of this pillar suitable for four people. A third
bivouac site can be found above the third pillar.
134 NORTH-EAST PILLAR -
TD T Heibeler, R and G Messner
and F Maschka, 30 July-
A safer way up the NE face (and with more mixed climbing) than the
Lauper route in that it is not so exposed to the avalanches which sweep
down the latter. It has about the same amount of climbing as the 1938
Eigermand route but is not nearly so serious. Dougal Haston considered
that in good conditions it could be climbed in a day, and would be an
excellent training route for N face candidates.
TD+ H Lauper with A Zilrcher, J
Knubel and A Graven,
66 Winter:
H Trachsel and G Siedhoff, 10-12 Feb 1964
One of the classic ice climbs of the
with both stone fall and avalanche dangers, but in good conditions a
competent party should be able to avoid a bivouac. It has been descended
on skis. The route has ice of500-550, mixed ground of 600 and rock
difficulties up tol V.
From Alpiglen get onto the Honysch glacier and climb this, or the
rocks on its E side, to just below its upper edge. Move up diagonally
R over slabby rock and a few short steps into a steep gully leading
through a rock barrier. Climb the gully on the L wall for three
pitches, then in the bed and finally on the wall on the R to the top of
the barrier. Continue up to the foot of a rock rib (bivouac site).
Climb up three steps on the rib (smooth, brittle and sloping
limestone) until forced down R by a rock band into a snow/ice
groove. Climb this to the upper ice field then slant R wards up this to
a projection on the N rib, which separates the NE face from the N
face.
This is the crux section. Keep just on the R of the rib for
several pitches, on very difficult slabby mixed terrain with little in
the way of protection, to an often iced-up wall. Climb this by a
crack (V, crux) and exit onto steep and probably iced-up slabs. Less
steep climbing leads to the Mittellegi ridge. This section is
sometimes avoided by following the upper ice field onto the
Mittellegiridge. 12-18 hr
104-105