Nordwand

Nordwand starts at the fat ice centre left

Great views as we walked off

The beauty exposed and the ugliness hidden by the clouds

Wow, what an amazing route!  Yesterday John and I climbed Vanishing gully so today I promised a longer but easier route.  I hadn't climbed this 420m route before so I went on what the guide book said.  So we did the direct start, grade 4.  Felt more like 5 but maybe it was because we were not warmed up.  I shouted to John 'thats the steepest pitch on the route'.  Oh dear!  I was so wrong!  We did 9 pitches of climbing, 7 of them had steep climbing on.  It was brilliant.  I honestly thought it was harder than Orion Direct, definitely more sustained.  The ice is fat and very good condition.  If you have a chance to climb it then go and do it!  Brilliant.

Like the Eiger but closer to home

One more pitch to go