Route Climbed: SE ridge Date Climbed: June 29 2004
The first peak of our traverse of the Zermatt - area skyline peaks, including Pollux, Castor, Lyskamm, Parrotspitze, Signalkuppe, Zumsteinspitze, and Dufourspitze. Fun climbing and a great view from the summit!
Route Climbed: SE Ridge Date Climbed: August 27, 2004
Beautiful day. Took us 3.5 hours form Klein Matterhorn to summit. Back down to the base, traverse to the base of Castor and summited this in another 2.5 hours. Traversed the Castor ridge to the Felikjoch and down to Quintino Sella Hut in another 1.5 hour.
Route Climbed: normal Date Climbed: August 8th 2000
fine day, good conditions. Climbing the steep part with the chain was not that easy. One of us lost a crampon there that we had to find back in a steep couloir.
Got out of d'Ayas hut without really knowing what we wanted to do, we simply followed the Italian groups up the glacier. When the crowds turned for Castor we naturally went for the SE ridge of the Pollux (from the saddle connecting the two).
How to make an easy ascent difficult- Even if looks like a rocky ridge, smells like a rocky ridge and behaves like a rocky ridge all the way up, if the guidebook says that it's "mix" climb - do not leave your crampons down at Col. :)
Route Climbed: South west ridge Date Climbed: 12th august 2003
Took the cable car to the Klein Matterhorn before the noon and walked over the glacier to the start of the route. Glad there were not many other climbers on the route at the time since the falling stone really would have formed a serious problem.
After the scrambling through the couloir the route appeared to be a nice snow walk to the top.
Route Climbed: SW Ridge Date Climbed: 12 July 2002
We ( Tim and I) started after a stay overnight at the bivacco Giorgio Rossi-Cesare Volante at 3750 m with the Castor(4228m)westflank and started at about 0900 hr at the SW-ridge of Pollux.Just below the statue the rope is replaced by an iron chain and could be a little problem in winterconditions .Very nice summit because we were totaly alone on Castor and Pollux .
Route Climbed: Regular Route Date Climbed: Juli 2000
We climbed the Pollux at Juli 2000 on winter (!) conditions. A suisse mountain guide with skis at his backpack climed behind us, he was going down the Pollux West face with skis .... crazy conditions !
Route Climbed: From Kleine Matterhorn Date Climbed: June 26 2001
There was alot of snow on the peak the day I went up and the famous chain at the rock section were almost completly burried. I Found this section not very difficult since the exposure is not great but I could see it giving trouble to inexprianced climbers.
The path on the top was tricky since I was the first climber that day I had to break the trail all the way as I was alone I was acting very carfully because I though there was a cornice danger.
Once on the peak and looking back I could see there was no danger but better safe than sorry I allways say.
Fortunetly the party that followed me up was guided and the guide just ignored my meanderings and took the correct path along the ridge.
Route Climbed: From Kleine Matterhorn Date Climbed: July 13 1996
This was my first 4.000 meter in the Alps. Not that difficult. For me it was because of the exposed rocks. So I stopped the group twice. I said I will retourn alone. After some dicussion - "don't act like a danish gote" - we all climbed fast and easy to the summit.
On the way down I met two americans on the way up with their suisse guide. One of them would like to turn around, but was stopped. "I am a prisoner, he cried to us.
hhsilleck - Sep 13, 2004 4:57 pm
Route Climbed: SE ridge Date Climbed: June 29 2004The first peak of our traverse of the Zermatt - area skyline peaks, including Pollux, Castor, Lyskamm, Parrotspitze, Signalkuppe, Zumsteinspitze, and Dufourspitze. Fun climbing and a great view from the summit!
flearreta - Sep 8, 2004 12:59 pm
Route Climbed: SE Ridge Date Climbed: August 27, 2004Beautiful day. Took us 3.5 hours form Klein Matterhorn to summit. Back down to the base, traverse to the base of Castor and summited this in another 2.5 hours. Traversed the Castor ridge to the Felikjoch and down to Quintino Sella Hut in another 1.5 hour.
Mathias Zehring - Aug 31, 2004 12:59 am
Route Climbed: normal Date Climbed: August 8th 2000fine day, good conditions. Climbing the steep part with the chain was not that easy. One of us lost a crampon there that we had to find back in a steep couloir.
mekwise - Aug 30, 2004 10:02 pm
Route Climbed: SE Ridge, Normal Date Climbed: August 22, 2004We reached the summit in perfect weather and had an all around fabulous day.
Pierre smetsers - Aug 17, 2004 4:57 pm
Route Climbed: Normal route Date Climbed: 10 aug 2004Again and now with two Friends, Karel & Reinier.
No good view and more people on the top
joel2lounge - Jul 25, 2004 12:47 pm
Route Climbed: Normal Date Climbed: October 2001One day link-up of the Breithorn, Castor, and Pollux
shachar00 - Jul 18, 2004 10:49 am
Route Climbed: SE Ridge Date Climbed: July, 2004Got out of d'Ayas hut without really knowing what we wanted to do, we simply followed the Italian groups up the glacier. When the crowds turned for Castor we naturally went for the SE ridge of the Pollux (from the saddle connecting the two).
How to make an easy ascent difficult- Even if looks like a rocky ridge, smells like a rocky ridge and behaves like a rocky ridge all the way up, if the guidebook says that it's "mix" climb - do not leave your crampons down at Col. :)
andrea.it - May 11, 2004 11:12 am
Route Climbed: normal from Mezzalama hut Date Climbed: july 2002heavy fog,i'm not sure had reached the summit!!!
Farmer - Apr 19, 2004 2:57 pm
Route Climbed: Normal route Date Climbed: aug 1996From bivacco Rossi et Volente we climbed Castore and Poluxe in the same day... Nice tour
Pierre smetsers - Oct 5, 2003 4:54 pm
Route Climbed: SW Ridge from mezzalama Date Climbed: 24th july 2003a long day started at 3.00 am until 8.15 pm,
so more than 17 hours started at the Mezzalama hut.
riched the top at 10.00 am and than back to the car in Italy. lets say speed topping but than not so speedy.
Thanks to Désirée as a partner and friend.
Samuli Mansikka - Aug 31, 2003 2:11 pm
Route Climbed: South west ridge Date Climbed: 12th august 2003Took the cable car to the Klein Matterhorn before the noon and walked over the glacier to the start of the route. Glad there were not many other climbers on the route at the time since the falling stone really would have formed a serious problem.
After the scrambling through the couloir the route appeared to be a nice snow walk to the top.
jsurinx - Dec 7, 2002 7:50 am
Route Climbed: SW Ridge Date Climbed: 12 July 2002We ( Tim and I) started after a stay overnight at the bivacco Giorgio Rossi-Cesare Volante at 3750 m with the Castor(4228m)westflank and started at about 0900 hr at the SW-ridge of Pollux.Just below the statue the rope is replaced by an iron chain and could be a little problem in winterconditions .Very nice summit because we were totaly alone on Castor and Pollux .
Tom Fralich - Aug 22, 2002 11:52 am
Route Climbed: SW Ridge Date Climbed: August 22, 2002Climbed the SW Ridge in about 7 hours round-trip from the Klein Matterhorn station. A little congestion at the fixed chains, but what a great route!
kletterwebbi - Aug 21, 2002 4:04 am
Route Climbed: Regular Route Date Climbed: Juli 2000We climbed the Pollux at Juli 2000 on winter (!) conditions. A suisse mountain guide with skis at his backpack climed behind us, he was going down the Pollux West face with skis .... crazy conditions !
JScoles - Jan 31, 2002 12:09 pm
Route Climbed: From Kleine Matterhorn Date Climbed: June 26 2001There was alot of snow on the peak the day I went up and the famous chain at the rock section were almost completly burried. I Found this section not very difficult since the exposure is not great but I could see it giving trouble to inexprianced climbers.
The path on the top was tricky since I was the first climber that day I had to break the trail all the way as I was alone I was acting very carfully because I though there was a cornice danger.
Once on the peak and looking back I could see there was no danger but better safe than sorry I allways say.
Fortunetly the party that followed me up was guided and the guide just ignored my meanderings and took the correct path along the ridge.
schadik - Nov 25, 2001 6:15 am
Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: 1999Again part of the 5 day Monte Rosa tour. 10 summits above 4000m in 5 days.
Oyvind Lind Petersen - Sep 17, 2001 2:39 pm
Route Climbed: From Kleine Matterhorn Date Climbed: July 13 1996This was my first 4.000 meter in the Alps. Not that difficult. For me it was because of the exposed rocks. So I stopped the group twice. I said I will retourn alone. After some dicussion - "don't act like a danish gote" - we all climbed fast and easy to the summit.
On the way down I met two americans on the way up with their suisse guide. One of them would like to turn around, but was stopped. "I am a prisoner, he cried to us.