Direkte Südkante : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Overview

From the main summit view toward Uri Alps

Direkte Sudkante - Photo Silvia Mazzani

DIREKTE SÜDKANTE

Summit altitude: mt. 2784
Climbing length: 350 mt.
Exposure: SE
First ascent: B. Honegger – A. Muller 1995
Starting point: Gutsch mt. 2300 (parking)

A superb steady route with first-class granite climbing a detached pillar situated on the right end of South-East Face; the route is situated very close to the classic Südkante.

Getting There

From Andermatt, a little town at St.Gotthard northern exit, follow the road to Oberalp Pass as far as the village of Natschen (mt. 1850), where you must leave the main road and turn to left, following a gravel road and reaching a forking. At the forking turn to right and carry on for some Kilometers, reaching Gutsch. Park the car in a little pull out near the bar which closes the road.

Direkte Südkante report

Near Gross Schijen main summit - Photo Silvia Mazzani

Direkte Sudkante second pitch

Red slab - Photo Silvia Mazzani

Starting wall - Photo Silvia Mazzani

Direkte Südkante report (French Scale)

From the parking walk along the unsurfaced road for about 5 minutes, then follow on the left-hand side a short and steep trail reaching the right end of the face (15 minutes from the parking). Starting point below a steep red wall, cut by a clean crack.

L1 - Climb the magnificent crack to the pillar’s top (5c+).
L2 - Straight up, climbing the steep wall over the stance along a little corner and a very hard crack (6b+, 6a with 2 p.a.).
L3 – Climb some little walls to a superficial corner, then a superb slab. (6a).
L4 – Towards left to a pillar starting with a little overhang, then thin cracks to a stance below a roof (5b).
L5 – Towards left under the roof, then climb a wall with fine cracks (5c).
L6 – Another superb pitch along technical corners (6a).
L7 – L8 Two easy pitches leading to the summital ridge (4a).
L9 – An other easy pitch along the summital ridge, with a final 10 mt abseil reaching a grassy saddle between the pillar and the main summit..
From the saddle scramble on 10-15 minutes to get Gross Schijen main summit, where you can have a satisfactory view over the Uri Range.

Descent: from the top go back to the saddle, where a grassy track starts towards SE reaching a steep gully which leads to the bottom (three optional abseils).