A cracking little couloir which feels atmospheric and exciting.

Statistics

0

m

211

m

40

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

From the Hoadlhaus restaurant (2340 metres), ski south down the Olympia Abfahrt Damen piste for 1 minute to reach the HoadlSattel col (2264 metres), where the piste bends sharply to the left.

At the Hoadlsattel, take your skis off, put them on your rucksack (there's a short and easy rocky scramble on the bootpack so carrying skis on your shoulder isn't advised - you'll need your hands free) and start hiking southwards along the snowy ridge that is straight ahead.

Hike for 10 minutes on the low angled ridge crest and then, when you reach a steeper, rockier section, drift right and climb up through a 10 metre rock band via a short little gully.

This is easy enough but can feel a bit exposed in icy conditions and you'll be glad of having strapped your skis to your rucksack so that you have your hands free.

If the rock step looks too icy and difficult, it's also possible to traverse around it to the right (west) and then climb back up onto the ridge crest on the far side of it.

Whether you go through or around the rock band, both options lead to a 10 metre wide col.

The line is now on the left, so put your skis on and enjoy the ride! Conditions in the line can be quite fickle because it is narrow (5 - 10 metres for the first 100 vertical metres or so) and there is a vague ridge in the middle of it for the first 20 metres.

The snow is usually best on or left of the ridge.

After the first 20 metres conditions tend to be more predictable but the couloir stays narrow for 100 metres and then gradually widens, fanning out onto the low angled terrain above the Dohlennest bar.