Type: Sport, Alpine, 13 pitches
FA: Ruth and Kaspar Ochsner 1993
Page Views: 1,983 total · 18/month
Shared By: Monty on Aug 4, 2015
Admins: Mark P., James H, Dan Flynn

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Description Suggest change

You might find yourself exclaiming, “That was the best limestone pitch ever!” multiple times in the first 8 pitches of this fantastic line. The route was put up by Ruth and Kaspar Ochsner in 1993 and is considered to be one of the best protected routes at Wenden. With that said, expect plenty of runouts and engaging climbing.

Pitch 1 (6b/10c ~35m): A wandery pitch that starts by climbing past two threads (one is 5 feet off the ground) aiming for a bolt next to some water grooves. Climb the grooves, mantle, then clip a bolt that is hiding under the fold of the trash can lid. From here, aim right for 2 more bolts, smearing and pinching your way to a small ledge with a hanger with 2 bolts in it. Clip this with a veeery long sling (I used a total of 72-inches), go straight left and clip a piton. Go left a couple more feet and then up to clip a thread and 1 more bolt on the face, then the anchor.

Pitch 2 (6c+/11c; ~25m): Follow bolts straight up from the belay, at the top, angle right to an anchor at a stance. This pitch can easily be linked with P3 but the photo opportunities from the P2 anchor are awesome.

Pitch 3 (5b/5.8; ~15m): A short pitch that steps left off the anchor passing a lone thread and a bolt. Belay at a crumbling ledge with a bolt and a thread.

Pitch 4 (7a/11d; ~20m): A powerful roof pitch that may be more 12a than 11d. Carefully step right from the anchor (yellow alien helpful), and power through the roof above. Belay at a very cozy stance with two bolts.

Pitch 5 (6c/11b; ~40m): A long thought-provoking pitch that starts by stepping right off the belay. Tech your way up to the roof (optional red alien), hero your way through, then enjoy the amazing engaging climbing above. Step right to an anchor in a grassy hole.

Pitch 6 (7a/11d; ~35m): An incredible tech-fest up immaculate stone. Step left from the anchor, and tech your way past several bolts. At the end of the pitch, traverse hard left past a lone bolt to an anchor at a stance. AWESOME!

Pitch 7 (6c+/11c; ~30m): A steep pitch! Start by trending left past some techy terrain, and then embark on the steep, wildly exposed prow. Traverse right after the last bolt to an anchor.

Pitch 8 (6a+/10b; ~30m): More mega steepness! The rock quality isn’t as good, but the climbing sure is fun! Climb straight up past several well-spaced bolts to an anchor with a very odd summit registry box…. (A more comfortable anchor can be made by placing a #1 in the crack to the right of the bolt).

Pitch 9 (3a/ 5th class; ~10m): Traverse straight left to an anchor under the steep grey prow. No protection.

Pitch 10 (6a+/10b; ~20m): Start by climbing mainly left of the bolts then traverse back right. Belay at a ledge in the “ringband”. It is possible to link with p11 with good rope management.

Pitch 11 (6b/10c; ~15m): Step right from the anchor and climb past two deteriorating roofs. Belay at an anchor to the right.

Pitch 12 (6a/10a; ~15m): Clip a thread, pull a roof, then look left for 2 more bolts that lead to an anchor on a ledge. Probably not a good idea to attempt to link with P13.

Pitch 13 (6a+/10b R; ~20m): A sting in the tail for the penultimate pitch. Slab your way past a bolt, a scary piton and another bolt. Gather your nerves and slab your way up 15 more feet to another bolt below a roof (10b R). Plug a #.75 under the roof and pull one last hero move. Belay at a good pin/bolt anchor.

Descent:
All of the rap stations on the descent are bomber stainless steel chain/ring anchors. If you’re not at a stainless anchor, you’re in the wrong place.

From the top of the last pitch, carefully walk right (east) to a large cairn with a summit registry. From the cairn, walk down hill to the east looking for a small cairn that will lead you to an anchor hiding under a roof.

R1: ~50m Straight down to a very chossy ledge system. Pull your/coil your ropes and walk skiers right past a cairn and locate a fixed rope that safely guides you to the next anchor.

R2: ~40m rap slightly climbers right.

R3: ~30m a short rap more or less straight down.

R4: ~45m rap straight down to a good sized ledge with lots of loose rock, continue past the ledge and an anchor is hiding under the roof. (Sure is nice to have protection from them loose rocks)

R5: ~30m straight down to a small stance

R6: ~50m to the ground

Location Suggest change

The route is located to the left of the two obvious holes near the base of the center of the wall. You will see a strange round metallic object bolted to the wall 40 feet up, which is actually a trashcan lid and a joke about his last name (Ochsner is a Swiss trashcan company).

Protection Suggest change

The route is bolted but a small rack of single's to #.75 BD is helpful.
2x50m ropes for the descent.

Photos

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