Breithorn Half Tarverse

This follows the previous day's trip to Pollux

Approach
This morning weather was again pretty lousy, we set out around 7:00 am thinking we will turn back if it doesn’t improve. We were lucky, it was perfect timing, and the sun shone as we started the climb. It was easy following the tracks now; there were a couple of parties above us (and some guided parties behind us that soon overtook us like breeze, despite the clients moving on belay and we simul-climbing).

The climb
The main challenge involves climbing three towers to reach the Central Summit. Again, today I was to lead all but the crux. The crux is at the start of the Tower 1: three short pitches (maybe 10 m each) of Grade IV rock. Darren led this. I must admit it challenged both of us. Although it is bolted, they are quite far apart and we took our time to climb cautiously. Then I took over the lead again, and the rest nice, not too easy not too hard either. Like the previous day, we didn’t take a belay anywhere else on the climb but the crux.

The high point for me was a grade 3 pitch approx 30 m which I had to lead with no intermediate protection (in other places we were weaving the rope around rocks, and rarely, using slings as intermediate pro)…must say I enjoyed it. The sense of freedom, feeling so close to heavan and all those poetic feelings. The rock is lovely all along, solid, brown and beautiful. It was somewhat disconcerting that the guide who overtook us breezed past this pitch about 5 times faster than me, but let’s not talk about it.

The route is graded AD-, with the caveat that it augmented if there is snow or verglass. Well, there was ample snow on the feet, so the entire climb we did wearing crampons. But we did remove them and wear them many times due to our indecisiveness, we lost a lot of time on this. Fortunately for us, the handholds were mostly snow-free, so it didn’t make the climb much more difficult. Once the three towers are crossed, the climb to the Central Summit and West Summit are on snow, and straightforward.

Descent
From the West Summit we descended by the busy normal route (actually it has two lanes now: one for climbers going up and one for those coming down). By now, in high spirits, we were almost jogging down (ascent would still be slow unless you have spent enough time at altitude). Back in Klein Matterhorn at 1:00 pm, 6 hours roundtrip just as the guidebook states. Actually if you are well-acclimated and if at least one of you has done the route before, it is easily doable much quicker (this coming from someone who usually takes longer than guidebook times on technical terrain).

Equipment: We used a single axe each, a 60 m half rope coiled with 5-10 m between climbers, except at the crux pitches, a few slings. I think a 40m rope is more handy. You might use a size 2-3 friend at 1-2 places, but even that is not strictly necessary. The Grade IV pitch is optional; you can avoid it by traversing from the left (south side) of the ridge at Grade II, this is what many guides do with their clients.

Guidebook: The 4000m Peaks of the Alps, Route # 29d, page 195