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57 SOUTH-WEST
RIDGE (Shreckhorn 4078 m.)
D- J Wicks,
49 E
This climb has become established as the normal way up and down the
mountain. It is probably one of the best
ordinary routes on a4000m
peak. It can equally well be climbed from the
Schreckhorn hut or the
bivouac. See also photo48
From the Schreckhorn hut follow Route 49
towards the Strahlegg
Pass. A little way before the pass a long rib
of rock, originating at
Pt 3428m, terminates at a snow slope at about
3200m. Pass to the L
(N) of this rib
and traverse horizontally NE on a snow or ice slope
(care) to reach
the N foot of Pt 3428m. Move up into the glacier bay
of the Schreckhorn and keeping to the R to
avoid crevasses gain
height before curving round to the foot of
the big couloir in the S
face. 3.5 -4hr
From the
From the pass descend a little way to the W
and as soon as possible
cross the rocky rib on the R. This gets you
onto the snow/ice
traverse leading to the N foot of Pt
3428mmentioned above. Same
time
The route continues up the long ramp leading
to the obvious
shoulder on the SW ridge. Cross the
bergschrund at the foot of the
couloir (the position varies from year to
year) and contour round
rock ribs to the snowy foot of the ramp. In
very snowy conditions it
is possible to climb the snow slope to the
shoulder but usually it is
better to climb the rock to the L of this.
This is all solid gneiss with
short pitches of IL 1 .5 -2hr
From the shoulder keep more or less to the
crest of the ridge
(with
only occasional deviations from it) on good rock (bit of III)
with just one short section of scree, to the
fore-summit. Descend to
a gap, sometimes delicate snow, before
climbing easily to the main
summit. 1 .5 -2hr, about 7hr in all
In descent a lot of the ridge can be abseiled
(slings in place)
but beware of snagging ropes. In good
conditions (rare) below the
shoulder descend the snow slope, otherwise keep to the rock on its
R. Take care crossing the (traverse) slope
below Pt 3428m. 4-6hr
It is inadvisable to descend to the
as the descent from the
dangerous if the snow is soft.
58 SOUTH PILLAR (Shreckhorn 4078 m.)
D+ H Kocher, P Luzuy, R
Perrenoud and P Girardin,
49 This
is a brilliant high mountain rock climb, certainly the best route on
the mountain and one of the best in the
weather and is objectively safe. It is mainly
III and IV with short crux
sections of V. Most of the pitches have in
situ pitons. It follows the pillar
immediately L (W) of the long couloir
descending the entire length of the
face. About 600 m of climbing. See also photo
48
From the Schreckhorn hut or the
the bergschrund. Cross it and head for the
rocks on the L (true R
bank) of the snow couloir. Climb the rocks
and sometimes snow
patches easily (II) to the foot of a striking
pillar with an overhang at
the start.
Avoid the overhang by a couloir on the R and
climb this to a
slabby buttress. Climb the buttress for about
100m to where it
becomes vertical. Traverse R on a narrow
ledge to reach a parallel
buttress which is climbed by a diedre as far
as an overhang. Go
under the overhang into a couloir and climb
this to a terrace below a
steep wall (all this is III and IV)
Move L for 20m and climb directly up to the
start of a steep
diedre/crack. Climb this for 30m to a niche
below a roof (V). Move
up R on a steep, smooth wall (V) and reach
the crest of the pillar on
the R. Climb a smooth 5m slab with 2 thin
cracks (V), and then
straight up for 2 pitches to a horizontal
ledge at the foot of a smooth
rib (III). Avoid this by a steep chimney on
the R which leads back to
the ridge. Climb the last step direct (IV)
and descend into a gap
from which easy rock leads to the
fore-summit. 5-6hr from the
bergschrund
59
NORTH-WEST (ANDERSON) RIDGE (Shreckhorn
4078 m.)
AD+ J
50 Yet
another good climb, quite different in character to the SW ridge. It is
narrow and rises in short steps for more than
half its length and then,
after a short steep section, leans back at a
gentle angle. The situations are
superb and the rock is good, the only drawback is the long approach. It
can be climbed from the Gleckstein hut, the
Lauteraarhorn hut or the
S chreckhorn hut. The latter provides the
shortest approach, but the
couloir that has to be climbed has become
progressively less pleasant in
recent years as the snow cover has decreased.
It is as well to check locally
on conditions before attempting this approach.
From the Lauteraarsattel (possible bivouac),
reached by Route 46
or 47, follow the ridge SW over rotten rock
steps to Pt 3311m.
Continue on the ridge and then by steep snow
slopes to the
Niissijoch (3733m). 2 .5 hr
From the Schreckhorn hut
go E along the base of the rocks of
Schwarzegg, on a vague track in the moraine,
to a scree/avalanche
cone at the foot of the couloir leading up
towards the Schreckhorn.
Climb the couloir (stone and icefall danger)
and where it curves L,
follow it round onto the small glacier on the
W side of the Nassijoch
(3hr). Now
climb the glacier N wards to its upper edge and then
either by snow or a steep rock buttress climb
direct to the Nassijoch
(some
danger of falling stone and ice). 2hr, about 5hr in all
From the col follow the fine snow crest to
the N foot of the
ridge proper. Climb the first step direct, or
turn it on the L, to reach
a gap. Keep to the crest now (less steep)
over short steps and
gendarmes to an almost horizontal section of
the ridge which
becomes a snow crest towards the foot of the
last rise. Climb this
steeply but easily over large blocks and
short steps until an easing of
the angle. Keep to the crest now to the
summit. 2-3hr from the
Nassijoch
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