Page 30 - 1998-99 AMA Winter

The High Level route in Switzerland with Mont Blanc de Cheilon 3869m in the background.
Alpine Winter Mountaineering
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Winter alpenists are generally few in number, for many reasons, not least
that it is a serious undertaking to climb in the Alps during the winter months (Dec -
M ar). A valanche dangers are m any and physical demands on the mountaineer are
great. Cold temperatures, limited daylight hours and heavy rucksacks all add to the
extra hazards so there is little leeway for
poor planning. Acclimatisation in winter
is perhaps more important than in summer
as the w eather could leave you high up in a
bivi or mountain hut for days, due to the amount of snowfall and the risk of avalanche making movement hazardous.
On the other hand if you get good stable weather that allows the snow conditions to
settle you will be able to get the routes in.
Ski mountaineering has become a very popular activity in the Alps. Done at vari­ ous levels from low altitude Ski Touring, the most popular form of winter alpine mountaineering, to skiing/climbing taking in some serious high altitude peaks. In this category we find extreme skiing where the likes of Ansele Baud and Sylvain Saudan (French) first climbed and then ski descend routes like the Gervasutti Couloir on Mt Blanc du Tacul. Other mere mortals are content to attempt Mt Blanc from the Grand Maulet hut by the normal French route and enjoy the long ski back to the valley. Another activity that falls into the category of alpine winter mountaineering is frozen waterfall climbing. I have includ­ ed this activity in this section because most climbers use skis to get in and out to the route. These routes can vary in remoteness and seriousness. They may only be a cou­ ple of hundred meters away from the road or a high alpine waterfall with a long ski in and difficult ski out, like the new route Die Kronung 400 meter 90+ done in the Zillertal area of Austria in winter ’87. Today many routes of “ Kronung” diffi­ culty and quality have been completed worldwide. The best guidebook for the southern area of Germany is Klettergarten and Eiswasserfalle by Rudi Mayr.
W inter routes in the conventional style do not always make it practical to use skis whilst on route. Or maybe the climbers do not ski, although this is rare as nowadays most of the winter climbers I know are able to use skis to quite a good standard. It is considered that routes done in the West Alps are the more serious: all the 4000m peaks lie in this area. Included in the East Alps are the Allgau Alps which, for obvious reasons, are accessible to the AMA Mem­ bers in Germany, affectionately known as the grassy alps, this type of terrain is a par­
ticularly good starting place for the bud­ ding winter alpinist. After all, Heckmair (Eiger Fame) started off in a similar way. Deciding which routes are most suitable for winter ascents can be very difficult. The easy summer routes could be more hazardous than the steeper, higher grade one. Also the way off m ight not be possible due to the risk of avalanche. Generally the guidebook will tell you the suitability of a winter ascent, but from year to year the conditions vary a great deal. In 1989, due to the scarcity of snow we completed sever­ al winter routes not normally possible in most years because of the build-up of snow. Great climbing is possible on Klettersteigs / Via Farretas when snow is scarce. They are generally safe and belays are easy to arrange due to the in situ protection. A good example of such a route is the North face of the Alpspitze (W etterstein Range) but a word of warning, the routes have not been serviced since the heavy traffic of the previous summer climbers, so check the in situ protection before you use it. Also for the descent they are extremely handy. Should you need to abseil, good anchor points are easy to find. True winter ascents can only be claimed between 21 Dec and 20 Mar, although it can be better winter con­ ditions before and after these dates, so if you want to put up a new winter route do it between these dates.
Recommended Routes in one W inter Area
These routes are in the lower degree of dif­ ficulty and include style of ascent and descent. They are also within easy reach of AMA members in Germany. The harder, more serious routes I shall not mention as the climbers undertaking these expeditions need no prompting from me.
W etterstein Range - Alpspitze 2629m
Army Mountaineer
Valley Base: Mountain Hut: Guide:
Garmisch Stuben Hutte
W etterstein und Mieminger Kette
North Face (via Ferrata) Gd I/II 3-5 hrs from Osterfelder Berg Station
Via Schone Gange East Ridge Gd I/III 5-7 hrs
Skis can be used for approach and descent; all the way back to Garmisch.
Zugspitze - Alpspitze Traverse (Jubilaum s G rat)
A two-day route that can be completed in one day by a fast, experienced party. There is a small hut on route and quite a lot of in situ protection. The lack of escape routes makes the route very com m itting and seri­ ous but not technically difficult. This is the classic Wetterstein winter route. The descent is via the north face of the Alp­ spitze to the Osterfelder Berg station. It is possible to complete the Jubilaums Grat in 10 hours by a fast, experienced party. Avalanche hazard can be great due to the route going onto the steep north plank at one stage Gd III+.
Allagau Range - H eilbronner Weg
In winter with or without skis is an excellent training route before heading for the western alpine routes, as it states in the guidebook. Although not technically difficult, but long, it does have a lot of avalanche hazards that require careful planning and weather watching prior to starting. Huts must be booked to ensure that the winter rooms are available.