The Nadelgrat Northern End

David Hick

To climb from the Mischabel Hut a terrible price in sweat, toil and energy, sorely required on the rnorrow, must be paid. Zig-zag paths, fixed ropes, views of Saas Fee getting lower but remaining in relatively the same position are all endured gladly by Alpinistes set on pitting themselves against this most northerly ridge of the Mischabel chain.

Ten years previously I had crossed the southern end of the Nadelgrat with Peter Chadwick. I had now returned with Tim Bateman to traverse the Durrenhom – Hohberghom – Nadel-hom. On that occasion we crossed from the Dom Hut over the Lenzjoch – Lenzspitze – Nadelhom to the Mischabel Hut. This summer the Mischabel Hut, 4’/2 hour slog from Saas Fee, was to be our starting point. At four the next morning crossing the Hohbahn Glacier Tim and I had mixed feelings. We could look back and see lights liigh up on the north face of the Lenzspitze belonging to climbers who had risen at two tliirty, waking everyone else in the donnitory. No-one sleeps well at high altitude huts.

The Windjoch Pass was reached in book time but descending to the Ried Glacier we started slightly too high and needed to contour back on very steep slopes. This allowed another pan to reach the Hohbergjoch couloir first. Not critical, you may think, but with the snow now softening in the full glare of the early morning sun, cries of “Achtung!” as whirring boulders sped past our ears, made us wish we were in the lead. We both, of course, had helmets with us… packed safely in our sacks. This section, on very steep snow and ice, proved to be the crux of the climb. At the col we left our sacks and nipped up the Durrenhorn for a photo session on a tiny summit with wonderful views across to the Weisshom and the Matterhom. Back at the col the ridge ahead looked daunting and very long but retreat down the couloir was out of the question.

The Hohberghom proved easier than it looked and we descended to the Stecknadeljoch for a rest and something to eat. It was by this time mid afternoon and several ropes of climbers who had missed out the Durrenhom were holding us up. We managed to overtake two parties while crossing the Stecknadelhom, a craggy 4,000m prominence on the ridge. Between this top and the Nadelhom, delicately curving snow aretes were crossed on the veiy apex to join a traverse to the north east ridge of the Nadelhom and so on to the summit.

We descended to the hut, weaiy but happy. A veiy long day in the mountains, 3.00am to 10.00pm, before being picked up in Saas Fee after a welcome grosse bier.