Despite being decribed as a 'Direttissima' The bottom of this climb uses a zigzag way to reach the hanging glacier from where the main face really starts.
Start at the top of the left hand snow cone, near the cascade draining from the hanging glacier (the bigger snow cone and gully the right has always been the traditional start for both Dilemma and Unicorn but funnels all the rock down it from the latter mountain which has collapsed).
From the first bolts climb up the corner of a left-leading slab (14) for 2 pitches, then up broken ground next to the cascade to a steep wall. Traverse right on a big ledge and then up another left leaning slab to the rib below the hanging glacier. This is a good bivvy spot (5 pitches up).
From the hanging glacier, start climbing up obvious large crack systems (not the Carter-Gough route) for a couple of pitches. Then head straight up though an obvious roof (3-4 pitches above the hanging glacier). Continue to sloping ledges. The Direct Route should be visible on the right: a left-facing corner that runs all the way up, just left of an overhang at the top. The Compressor or so called Direttissima bolt line climbs a jagged corner 30m left of this. Avoid a roof on the left (15 pitches above the ice) but climb through the next overhang (bolt runners, crux ~15/16). Continue up good slabs to flakey rock moving slightly to the right to reach the summit, 15m left of the Direct Route. Bolt belays can be very difficult to find. 33 pitches. There is a bivvy ledge 50m below the summit – Hotel Hilti.
- P1
- 16
- Alpine (Mt Cook) 5
- 1400m
- 33
Start at the top of the left hand snow cone, near the cascade draining from the hanging glacier. From the first bolts climb up the corner of a left-leading slab (14) for 2 pitches then up broken ground, next to the cascade, to a steep wall. Traverse right on a big ledge and up another slab to the rib below the hanging glacier. This is a good bivvy spot (5 pitches up). From the hanging glacier, start climbing up obvious large crack systems (not the Carter-Gough route) for a couple of pitches. Then head straight up though an obvious roof (3-4 pitches above the hanging glacier). Continue to sloping ledges. The Direct Route should be visible on the right: a left-facing corner that runs all the way up, just left of an overhang at the top. The bolt line climbs a jagged corner 30m left of this. Avoid a roof on the left (15 pitches above the ice) but climb through the next overhang (bolt runners, crux ~15/16). Continue up good slabs to flakey rock moving slightly to the right to reach the summit, 15m left of the Direct Route. Bolt belays (can be difficult to find). 40 pitches. There is a bivvy ledge 50m below the summit – Hotel Hilti.