Östlicher Schoßkopf, "Goedeker" (attempt)

Published on 2007-6-7 by Michael Stanton

Östlicher Schoßkopf, "Goedeker"

June 7, 2007

On the face of it, this route looked within our capabilities: 15 pitches, grade V, mostly easier. The book said that most belays were bolted. After a longish hike up to the base of the wall, I started up a grade II-III ramp, and finally built a belay at 60 meters around a block. Daniel came up, appalled at the looseness of the rock. Then Daniel led a 40 meter pitch right, then up and back left. This was a serious test for him, as it was pretty easy, but also loose and without protection. He went up well though. We had a humorous shouting match while he tried to explain that I should climb even though he couldn't pull the rope up through the terrible drag. Eventually I figured it out and coiled the rope around me and soon stood beside him. Daniel complained mightily about the loose rock! He built a belay around a latschen bush, and really thought the whole enterprise was beyond the pale. Indeed, we had wandered slightly off route on that pitch, but soon I reached the "great terrace" and recognized the route ahead.

Here I wasted some time trying to find a belay. First I climbed up a gully a ways, changed my mind, and went up the gully on the left (grade IV+ climbing to get in). I thought I recognized a pod in this gully from a photo taken on the route. But climbing up into it there was just a really thin sanduhr to belay from, not good. I then looked above the pod and unwittingly knocked off a pile of perched blocks. "Rock!" Daniel later said it came pretty close to him at the belay. I downclimbed, and up into the gully on the right (again), where I built a nut and cam belay in a solid crack. Now the real climbing will begin, I thought.

But Daniel came up, and not encouraged by the lack of bolts, he went around to the left to look just in case somehow I was off route. It was a good idea, but as I stood there and looked at the photo, I was more sure I was in the right place. But when Daniel called that he found lots of bolts and little arrows drawn on the rock, I pretty much had to dismantle my belay and go over. We were taking too long anyway, I suspected it was time to go home.

Indeed, there were lots of bolts but it wasn't our route, and we knew nothing about things over here. We went to the far side of a level terrace, festooned with bolts for some reason. We decided to try rappelling down from here. I had a bad feeling about it, so I took Daniel's prussiks with me as I dropped over the edge. I came into an enormous amphitheater on a free hanging rappel for the entire length of the rope. The ropes were touching rock right at the bottom, but I couldn't judge the angle of the rock. With no bolts or stations around, I realized I would need to reclimb the rope. What a strange place...

So I prussiked back up the 15 meters or so I had gone down. Boy, it took a while. At the top I insisted that we downclimb our route, or follow ledges further north if it was easier. We put one rope away, and simul-climbed placing occasional protection. This worked quickly and easily, and we did find an easier way down on ramps and gullies. Yay! Didn't have to leave any gear!

Alas, a climb that ended before we made any actual "climbing moves", but still a good learning experience for Daniel. I got some prussiking practice too. We went home, enjoying a nice cold drink from a stream.

Looking back I think we could have succeeded on the climb. But without bolted belays to provide a feeling of security, the will just wasn't there. The rock wasn't encouraging either. Oh well.