about 100m below the summit. In contrast to the technical crux after Signalkopf, which is just a 5m bullshit, this here is the beginning of a whole pitch of beautiful but - due to its very exposed character and sustained UIAA grade III turning to grade IV at the end - demanding climbing, which I consider as the real crux, especially when not dry.
Taken 05-08-2003.
Comments
[ Post a Comment ]| mvs | I dunno! | | 
Hasn't voted | I don't know Reinhard, when I went this was really snowy, but definitely the 5m Signalkopf moves were scarier. But I agree, this was a beautiful pitch! :-) | | Posted Jun 5, 2009 4:54 pm |
 | | reinhard2 | Re: I dunno! | | 
Hasn't voted | It's a point of the nerves, Michael. The above passage and what follows are very exposed (to my view). To follow it when well secured from above is certainly no problem.
The after-Signalkopf-5m-passage is technically definitely much harder, and abominable at that, but you know on-sight that you get through, and the risks appear minimal.
But - I've just read your N-face route page - we are surely climbers of very different level. Btw I admire having the physical condition necessary to go through such a 1200 m ice face quickly (as demanded)!
Cheers, Reinhard | | Posted Jun 10, 2009 3:31 am |
| | mvs | Re: I dunno! | |
Hasn't voted | Nice to converse around the water cooler of interesting climbing shots!
On the Hintergrat, I was alone, probably that colored my impressions. I do remember feeling "exhilarated" on the pitch you show above, responding, I guess, to the exposure you are talking about. It was amazing. But the aid moves down at the 5m passage were just creepy :D.
As for the N-face, the lower 2/3rds are very straightforward and I would say a patient, steady rhythm will carry you through there in 3.5 hours. We took much longer on the last part, and I think the bulk of how tired/zombie we felt came from that section.
I definitely never thought of "hurrying" while climbing, my worries on that front were more along the lines of 1) are we going the right way? 2) avoiding too many stops or other delays. Kick. Kick. Swing. Swing. Repeat 3000 times! | | Posted Jun 10, 2009 5:59 am |
| | reinhard2 | Re: I dunno! | |
Hasn't voted | ... are we going the right way
ah that is just part of what would have put considerable strain on my nerves if I had had to lead the above pitch, because it goes round the corner a bit and you can't see from the start where you end ...
I do remember feeling "exhilarated" ... - I understand very well what you mean, I experienced that feeling e.g. when I did Jubiläumsgrat in Febr. 1981 - without that feeling and the safeness it brings about (not only subjectively, I think, but quite real) such endeavours would not be possible.
Btw, what means "dunno"?
| | Posted Jun 11, 2009 4:00 am |
| | mvs | Re: I dunno! | |
Hasn't voted | Hee hee, American slang for ya...it means "I don't know". :D
That's a good point I never thought of. When you are exhilarated by the terrain, I think you *are* more careful, and, as you said, a real (quantifiable?) margin of safety improvement comes with it.
It's like that old saying: "complacency kills." | | Posted Jun 11, 2009 11:17 am |
| | reinhard2 | Re: I dunno! | |
Hasn't voted | I think it has something to do with the infallibility of a somnambulant, this was the way I experienced this feeling - complete Fraglosigkeit im Tun (unfortunately Leo dict doesn't help here).
You need this also when playing music e.g. in a concert. | | Posted Jun 11, 2009 2:37 pm |
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