178-179
AD- First ascent party
95 The ordinary route and a pleasant enough climb once the ridge is reached.
Fixed ropes have reduced the difficulties once encountered. See also
Photo 96
From the Gspaltenhorn hut follow a track NE (rocks and snow
patches) until under the S wall of Biitlasse. Follow scree slopes
under the wall to the col at Pt 3020m. Now head SE (track) to a
cockscomb part of the ridge. Traverse this (II) before descending by
a crack to a broad, scree-covered col.
Continue up the ridge on scree then rock and snow to the 'bad
step'. Climb this using the fixed ropes, then the narrow snow ridge
to the summit. 4-4 .5 hr
ED1 R Schatz,
95 Winter: H von Klinel, H Muller and R Allenbach, 21-24 Dec 1972
The face is comparable with the Eiger in height (cl 600m) and has no
distinct line of ascent. On the R side of the face there is a long ridge (the
Chilchbalmgrat, see photograph) which was climbed to the col at 3020m
by WAmstutz and G Michel,
III+. W Welzenbach, A Drexel and E Schulze, 7 Sept 1932 climbed
part of this ridge then veered off onto the face. Details of their route are
not exactly clear but the route is subjected to stone fall (TD). L of the
Chilchbalmgrat is a big avalanche-chute, then the face becomes quite
complex with slabs, ribs and rock walls, all with snow and ice
intermingled and the whole topped by a hanging glacier. The lower rocks
are of quite good quality but they become quite friable higher up. The
lower part of the route is mostly III-IV with bits of V. The crux is at
about mid-height and is V+. There is ice up to 600. A serious route.
There is a somewhat safer line further L (H
Bichsel and
Sept 1964) which joins the Schatz party route above its crux. It has
difficulties of mostly III and IV and is TD (see photograph).
For all the climbs it is probably best to start from a bivouac cave at
Chilchibalme. There is also a bivouac cave about 30m diagonally R
above the crux in some yellow rocks. The easiest approach to the face is
from Grimmelwald, otherwise walk from Stechelberg up the Sefinental.
From the bivouac climb slabs on the L of the big avalanche-chute
working R wards to where the wall steepens. Climb a diddre then
move R to the middle of a big slab and climb up this, then up a rib
(fourth from L, IV) to easier ground. Move up L wards to a 20m
high step and climb it to reach the middle of a higher (60m) and
more difficult step (crux).
Climb a crack slanting up from L to R and with an overhang to
a small terrace (V+). Next climb a vertical crack to a smooth slab
and move L to belay (V+). The bivouac cave is up R from here.
Now follow a fairly direct line trending slighly R towards the
couloir descending from the summit. All this is quite difficult mixed
ground. Climb the L side of the rib which bounds the R side of the
couloir and then the snow lice slopes above to the summit. 12-18hr
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