At the base of the NW ridge of the Johannisberg

The 2011 edition of the Alpenvereinsführer Glocknergruppe und Granatspitzengruppe describes the NW ridge as up to 50 degrees, and

"... oben kurz steilen Grat (meist Blankeis) ..."

meaning that high up the ridge is steep for a short while, often bare ice.
Well, there was hardly any snow on the ridge, let alone ice. Climate change, I presume. It was a rocky ridge, not particularly exposed, with bits of easy scrambling. If you want ice on the Johannisberg, you'll have to ascend on the NE face - and don't wait too long, in a few years it might be gone as well.

30 August 2011.