July 2005, there is no longer any rope or chain on any section of the Hintergrat. However our feel is all the route's difficulties are NOT concentrated on the key passage "Signalkopf". There are at least two passages of sport climbing (french grade: 4b) after Signalkopf, one before and one after the large snow steep field. Both are however equipped with some bolts. The point is that the way is very long and complex; if you want to secure yourself on any dangerous or exposed point it can take more than 10 hours to get to the summit (and once on the top you need at least two hours to get to the closest shelter, "Bivacco Milano"). Conclusion: a team have to climb not totally secured on some exposed passages in order to close the way up in less than 6 hours.
Said that, this was - up to today - the most scenic way we experienced.
thank you for your report and for telling your experiences!
as I've read here there is still something that helps over the first difficult rocks. Probably I should not write "little rope" but "sling". Is this correct in your eyes?
There is no rope, there are just a couple of slings in some places but not in Signalkopf. The slings are located in two other points of the ridge (two points of sport climb, that I would classify of level 4a).
Silvio1973 - Jul 23, 2005 8:35 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentJuly 2005, there is no longer any rope or chain on any section of the Hintergrat. However our feel is all the route's difficulties are NOT concentrated on the key passage "Signalkopf". There are at least two passages of sport climbing (french grade: 4b) after Signalkopf, one before and one after the large snow steep field. Both are however equipped with some bolts. The point is that the way is very long and complex; if you want to secure yourself on any dangerous or exposed point it can take more than 10 hours to get to the summit (and once on the top you need at least two hours to get to the closest shelter, "Bivacco Milano"). Conclusion: a team have to climb not totally secured on some exposed passages in order to close the way up in less than 6 hours.
Said that, this was - up to today - the most scenic way we experienced.
Mathias Zehring - Jul 23, 2005 1:25 pm - Hasn't voted
Route Commentthank you for your report and for telling your experiences!
as I've read here there is still something that helps over the first difficult rocks. Probably I should not write "little rope" but "sling". Is this correct in your eyes?
Silvio1973 - Jul 24, 2005 11:24 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentThere is no rope, there are just a couple of slings in some places but not in Signalkopf. The slings are located in two other points of the ridge (two points of sport climb, that I would classify of level 4a).
Buthrakaur - Oct 2, 2009 10:18 am - Hasn't voted
GPS track for HintergratGPS track for Hintergrat on Google Maps