UKC

Salbitschijen

Hi all.

Going to Salbit in a couple of weeks to do the West Ridge (Westgrat).

Does anyone have any experience/photos of the bivy spot between towers 4 and 5? It is a small ledge apparently, also know as 'Hotel Salbit'.

Thanks,

Nick

In reply to nickdunn:

Unfortunately I do have experience of it

It's fairly flat, underneath a slightly overhanging boulder. There was enough snow there to melt for a few drinks when we were there (September after a wet summer) so you should be OK if you have a stove. We had no bivi kit and weren't planning to bivi but still passed a (relatively) comfy night with down jackets, a jet boil and an emergency foil blanket.

Write up and video here -

http://chamconditions.blogspot.com/2011/09/salbitschijen-w-ridge-video-new-...

http://chamconditions.blogspot.com/2011/08/salbitschijen-w-ridge.html

In reply to nickdunn:

Hi, I can't give you any info on the bivy spot, but I've done the ridge and I would suggest you to get an early start and try to avoid the bivy as the climbing will be much faster and way more fun without carrying bivy gear. the climbing is fairly technical, so it's worth going light and fast.
The ridge has been equipped with fixed belay bolts and the occasional bolt in between, so that speeds things up.
Take advantage of the long daylight at the beginning of summer and get a really early start: check out the start of the route or the first couple of pitches ( hard to find in the dark) the day before, leave your gear at the base and so the approach from the hut is fast and easy. An alternativ is to sleep in the bivyhut 5 min from the start of the route, but the hut is more convenient, only get up and going earlier than the others
this way the route is absolutely doable in one day and super fun

In reply to alpinist63:

I agree that it's better done in a day and worth it to go light and fast. I see the issue more in the traffic that the route sees, i.e. everybody will try to leave earlier as the other parties. So on days with high frequentation, expect either being stuck in a queue or having to beat all the other parties all day long. So depending on abilities and other circumstances, going anticyclic and planning with a bivouac can still provide a good option. The bivy spot (as I remember it, we easily climbed it in a day with no other parties on the route) is very reasonable. At the peak of summer, you cannot count on finding water though.

In reply to Charlie Boscoe:

Hi Charlie,

Thanks for your response. Great write up and vid.... Very useful. Well done for continuing despite the injury!

We're actually going with the intention of using the bivi, just for the experience and to remove the time pressure so we can really enjoy the climbing. Hopefully we won't regret it!

All the best,

Nick

In reply to nickdunn:

Thanks all for your comments. We're climbing it a week on Tuesday, so hopefully there won't be a lot of people and there will still be plenty of snow pockets available.

Thanks again.

Nick

In reply to nickdunn:
You'll love it - best rock climb in Europe

In reply to Charlie Boscoe:



Very good climbing but too escapable and close to the couloir on the left to be the best.

Alpine rock at mid grade, I would suggest the Noire South ridge or the Cassin Badile. Possibly the Cordier Pillar.

So maybe at least in fourth place

In reply to Rick Graham:




I think it beats them all. OK, I haven't done the Cordier but I still think it beats it!

In reply to Rick Graham:
The 4 routes you mentioned are among the very best alpine rock climbs I' ve done in the western Alps.
I'd say that the Cordier is just as escapable ( Abseil descent along the route, terrace mid-way with easy escape), the Noire South ridge is way more 'alpine', lots of moving together required, not much fixed equipment ( vs belay bolts and bolts on the diff pitches on Salbit), much tougher descent and no easy escapes along the way. Cassin on Badile comes close to the Salbit, although I found the climbing on the west ridge much better, but that's of course always a very subjectiv view
The west ridge is, imo, a very fun route: excellent rock, superb position all day long, not too serious, and the climbing is very good too, with a spectacular summit to finish and a fairly easy descent.
Td for the Noire and ED1 for the Salbit is not taking into account the seriousness of both routes, but merits the same overall grade as the Cordier: Td

In reply to Charlie Boscoe:
I agree. It was one of the best I have done in Europe. Love it. To the OP : I would also suggest to start early and get it done in a oner then you can save yourselves lugging all the bivy kit around. Much nicer for the climbing IMHO, but anyhow enjoy!!! Hope you get the weather.

In reply to nickdunn:

It might sound foolish but we're looking forward to the bivvi!

We're actually going to miss out the first tower and instead climb the Hammerbruch line on the face of tower two, then continue on the normal route from there.

Any thoughts on that...?

In reply to nickdunn:

Surely that means you don't get the tick?☺️

In reply to nickdunn:

Good route to go for, it's a doodle to bail! A bit too easy some times, stick with it and don't be tempted. Start at 5am and you will be on the top before dark. You can rap off in four abs but we were knackered so took the long walk off the back, less mental concentration required. Climbed liathon and incredible the following two days. Have fun Rich

In reply to nickdunn:

And, rmember u are on a ridge so 2 ltres of water!