Direct Petzoldt Ridge 

I used pro to 3" along with a bomber hex. Additional good things about this route (aside from incredible rock-climbing quality): it gets shielded from high winds by the Exum & doesn't have the amount of traffic that the Exum does.

Ice can build up in the transition to the Exum. There is also a rappel escape down through the Stettner Couloir established by ski mountaineers (falling rock is a big concern in this descent). 5.6 for the most part, 5.7 pitch is really good; also a 5.9 slot variant.

Recommend starting around and up the Stettner Couloir a bit to save time and avoiding some chossy moves. The first chimney is great fun. The short overhanging traverse out and up is all there and has great exposure. Shaded until noon. Excellent alternative to the lower Exum. Easy solo north to the upper Exum after the rap(7/3/06).

Fun route, and less crowded than the full Exum. I personally liked the climbing on the Lower Exum better, but the climbing is still great on the Petzoltd.

We soloed 4th class to the base of the first pitch - but the path of least resistance wasn't trivial to find in the dark. It started a bit up and right from the base of the ridge. A tricky step up and left led to a easy ramp and then lower angled climbing. The first pitch slot is quite obvious once below it.

If I did the route again, I'd try do it in four long pitches as follows.

P1 - Up the slot, chimney (crux), and then lower angled terrain to a small ledge right below on obvious roof.

P2 - Out the roof, around another one to the left (BIG exposure) and then up and right on lower angled terrain. I'd belay below the "Window" somewhere, but close to it if possible.

P3 - Out the window, and then to a big ledge. Continue up the easy face and then the famous knife edge (and tricky step down to belay ledge)

P4 - Up the left facing corner for about 75 feet, and just as the corner turns chossy - a convenient juggy notch allows a transition to the lower angled ridge proper. Continue up this all the way to the top of the ridge.

The rappel anchors are located down from the top of the ridge a bit. Make sure to rappel somewhat EAST to the obvious ledge only 50 feet below. If you rappel to the North you'd find yourself uncomfortably in space in no time!

Very easy climbing (3rd and 4th class) leads up the broken corner (slightly left trending) to the Upper Exum, right below the wind tunnel.

The entire route took us 7 hours, but we soloed the Upper Exum. We climbed the Petzoltd efficiently, but not terribly fast.

Rack - One set of nuts, one set of cams from TCUs to #3 camalot. A big hex was handy. Lots of long slings of course.

I thought the Petzoldt Ridge was a great route and a worthy objective on the Grand. We simul-climbed the Petzoldt in one block and it seemed like a great thing to do for a competent party of two. Most of it is pretty casual with short cruxes, allowing a simul-climbing team to make quick work of the route. For us, it made perfect sense to simul the route because we were doing it in a day from the trailhead and we didn't get much of an early start.

This is classic. Less traffic, less wind with good exposure. Definitely summit via Upper E for the glory.

Fun route. With all due respect to Andy's goals of doing this climb in 4 pitches, I personally do not think it would be the ideal way to link this climb, as the rope drag and communication issues would be awful. 7 seemed ideal for us. The traverse around the roof on pitch 2 was the best move of the climb. The knife-edge is a little overrated in my opinion. Not as good as Exum, but still a worthwhile climb.

I did this with my Dad who is 64 years old. We went with our long time friend and guide of 11 years. We did Irene's Arete the first day, went to bed at 5 pm, got up at 3 am and did the direct pezholdt and then upper exum and got down to the car around 8 pm. Was a long couple days and I was exhausted but it was so worth it! All the climbing for the most part was oustanding.