Lagginhorn – Südgrat (S Ridge)

Lagginhorn 4010 m, Südgrat (S ridge)

ZS / 4a / ±900 m ↗ / S / Gneiss / from Hohsaas

Camp at Hohsaas the evening before.

We pitched the tent at Hohsaas and climbed the Lagginhorn’s south ridge the next morning. It’s a very nice line — a long, airy rock ridge to the 4010 m summit — with the odd chossy section along the way. I still rate the Weissmies ridge a notch higher, but this was a fine undertaking all the same.

Firn approach to the Lagginjoch, then up the south ridge.

There was no snow or ice anywhere on the route itself.

On the summit, 4010 m.

Conditions

• Glacier approach to the Lagginjoch: very good — hard firn, and not steep at all.
• The rock just below the glacier is fairly loose, but early in the morning it was frozen and mostly firm underfoot.
• Higher on the ridge: sunny and warm.
• No snow or ice on the route.

Descent

We descended the entire WSW ridge — the normal route recommended by the SAC, but it is very long.

• Plenty of people were out — this is the easiest way up the Lagginhorn — and there was rockfall here and there, so care was needed.
• The slabby sections described as the crux can simply be downclimbed off to the side, on easy juggy cracks.
• The upper part has some extremely loose sections that demand more care and focus.
• In hindsight, we’d have done better to shorten the descent and drop directly to Hohsaas rather than following the whole WSW ridge. Scorching heat the whole way down.

Route

• Lagginhorn S ridge (Arête S) on Camptocamp — AD-, 4a, gneiss, ~900 m of climbing from the Lagginjoch.
• Descent: Lagginhorn WSW ridge, normal route — PD-, II.

Thanks to Michał for the adventure.