Südwestgrat - Klein Furkahorn

Klein Furkahorn 3026 m, Südwestgrat (SW ridge)

WS+, 3a / ~600 m ridge / Granite / from the Furka Pass

The Südwestgrat of the Klein Furkahorn is a long, jagged granite ridge above the Furka Pass — a proper little alpine climb on clean rock, with the position and airy feel that make these Furka ridges such a pleasure.

The Rhône Glacier and its meltwater lake below the route.

In mid-June there was still a lot of old snow lying in the hollows and on the approach slopes, but the ridge itself was dry.

On the ridge — clean granite towers, one after another.

The climbing keeps to the crest over a series of towers in good, grippy granite. The difficulty can largely be picked line by line, staying around 3a on the crest, with one short rappel along the way.

Higher on the ridge above a firn field, and the summit cross.

A small summit cross marks the top at 3026 m, with the Rhône Glacier below and snow-streaked peaks all around.

Conditions

• The ridge was dry; large old firn fields still lay in the hollows and across the approach slopes in mid-June.
• Good, solid granite on the crest — a fine ridge for moving together and practising anchors, stances and abseils.

Route

• Start from the Furka Pass road (parking around 2385 m); a gravel track and trail lead up to the foot of the ridge at roughly 2524 m.
• Follow the Südwestgrat over its towers to the 3026 m summit — graded WS+, with rock climbing up to about 3a (harder variants to IV are possible), and one rappel. Around 600 m along the ridge.

Sources

• Klein Furkahorn SW-Grat, 600 m alpine climb – theCrag
• Chli Furkahorn (3026 m) via SW-Grat – hikr.org
• Klettergebiet Klein Furkahorn – edition filidor