Overview
Sidelengletscher
Gross Furkahorn East Spur - Evalin Route
EVALIN ROUTE (GROSS FURKAHORN EAST SPUR)
Summit altitude: mt. 3169
Difficulty: TD, F6a+
Equipment: bolts, last four pitches are few equipped
Climbing length: 250 mt.
Exposure: E
First ascent: C. Muller – M. Fuchs – B. Wenger – J. v. Kanel 1994
Starting point: Furkapass mt. 2431 (parking)
Hut: Refuge Furka at Furkapass or Sidelen Hutte m. 2708
Gross Furkahorn shows in its East side an obvious spur of perfect granite leading to final section of ESE Ridge classic route. Evalin Route is a first-class Uran granite route not too steady, inside a spectacular environment.
Getting There
From Gross Furkahorn view over Berner Oberland Alps and Rhone Gletscher - Photo Silvia Mazzani
Approach from Sidelenhutte
From Andermatt, a little town at St.Gotthard northern exit, take the road to Furkapass, reaching the pass (mt. 2431). Parking. Furkapass is the entry towards the magic world of Uri Alps, the most fascinating granite group of Switzerland.
Evalin Route report
Gross Furkahorn first abseil - Photo Silvia Mazzani
Evalin Third pitch - Photo Silvia Mazzani
Evalin Route report (French Scale)
Quick parties can climb the route directly from Furkapass parking; otherwise it’s possible spend the night at the comfortable Sidelenhutte m. 2708, open in summer.
From Furka Zentrum a good path heading North and rising steadily towards right leads to Sidelenhutte; at the second path’s forking before reaching the hut and after a footbridge over the stream, you must leave the path to Sidelenhutte and rise along some steep morenic slopes until a point at 2659 mt. From here enter Sidelen Glacier, rising towards left along steep slopes and heading to an obvious pillar situated in the right-hand side of the classic ESE ridge. Starting point below a little corner (1 and a half hour by walk from Furkapass).
The route is well equipped with bolts. The grades are in French Scale.
L1 - Climb the little corner. 5c+
L2 – Straightly along a technical and steep slab. 6a
L3 – Slantaways towards left with exciting climbing – one hard move – reaching a belay on the left. 6a+
L4 – L5 – L6 – L7 The classic route along ESE Ridge is reached rising straightly for other four pitches (5c+, 4c, 5c+, 5b) with very pleasant climb over excellent granite.
L8 – L9 An easy climb along ESE ridge (2c, 3c) leads at a good stance below final vertical point.
L10 – Straightly over the stance climb an athletic wall with good holds. 4c.
L11 – Last pitch along an edge is leading over Gross Furkahorn tiny summit. 4b. A superb view over the Uri Alps granite world and over Berner Oberland majestic peaks.
Descent: from the summit the first abseil leads to a wide saddle with some big granite blocks. From the saddle you must walk along a steep track towards South heading towards right to find a fixed point. With two subsequent abseils reach a good ledge. Follow the ledge towards left - facing out – and reach a very steep track leading to the bottom (2 hours and 15 minutes from the summit to Furkapass).
Essential Gear
Rope 2 x 50, helmet, nuts 4-9, friends, ten express, axe and crampons may be helpful for approaching.When to climb
Best months to climb in Uri Alps are July, August and September.Meteo
METEOSWITZERLANDHut
Sidelen Hut SAC m. 2708, open from middle june to middle october.SIDELEN HÜTTE
Guidebooks and maps
“Schweiz Plaisir Ost” by Jurg von Kanel – Edition Filidor
Additions and Corrections
[ Post an Addition or Correction ]
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| [X] Bird | Grades of the route | |
Voted 10/10 | Although I agree with the grading of the first 4 pitches, the grading of pitches 5 through 7 felt overrated to me. In the Topoguide and the Sweiz Plaisir Ost (Jurg von Kanel) guidebook, and also on this page the grades of those pitches are 4c, 5c+ and 5b. To me it felt more like 4a, 5a and 4c. Note that I am not an experienced granite climber, so if I find this easy most people will probably feel the same. The only thing that makes those 3 pitches a little bit of fun are the long distances between bolts. | |
| Posted Sep 14, 2011 12:48 pm | ||
![[X] Bird](/images/avatars/432714.jpg)
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| Silvia Mazzani | Re: Evalin Route grades | |
Hasn't voted | Ciao, i have only just read my original report in my personal climbing book. I agree with you that Evalin Route V, VI and VII pitches on the whole are very easier then the starting four pitches and not continuous, but all they have a short single most difficult move. As almost all climbers do in their report, usually in my reports i write the comprehensive grade (F, PD, AD ecc.ecc.) and especially the maximum grade - the grade of the most difficult move, even if it's a very short move, of every pitch. So the grades of Evalin's V (4c), VI (5c+) and VII (5b) pitches - according with original Jurg von Kanel guidebook (von Kanel was moreover the first climber of the route) - indicate the crux of every single pitch, even if the remaining share is much more easy. The distance between bolts doesn't make the grade, that's another complex question... Cheers. Silvia | |
| Posted Sep 17, 2011 11:31 am | ||
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