Strauchon Face

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.

From the lower Strauchon Glacier gain the hanging glacier on the face via a narrow gully to the right of the glacier to reach a shingle rib, or use the Direttissima start up the buttress. Cross to the glacier and start 50m to the left of the Dilemma-Unicorn corner. Climb easily up to a huge arch and tend left into a left-facing corner. The corner runs all the way up the face, passing beside an overhang near the top, to finish on the ridge right of the summit. A sustained ~30 pitch climb with crux pitches of 15. Anchors are sometimes hard to find. Some Update of details. DCF Feb 2021. We approached the hanging glacier from the waterfall that drains the western side of the hanging glacier. This route is prone to rockfall. We took the safer western side of the water fall. 5 pitches, with the second pitch having some good unprotected slab moves. Protection is thin. My advice is to use the Directissma approach which is less prone to rockfall. The only comfortable bivy sites are the hanging glacier (varies in size season by season) and at the col between Dilemma and Unicorn. The main face from the hanging glacier to the col is 24 pitches. About another 5 pitches to the summit. Climbing is about grade 13. Gear is thin, but it is there with some hard work. Rock is great. Water can be a problem but there is snow at the col.

Gain the hanging glacier but start 100m left of the Direct. Sustained slab climbing up irregular crack systems leads eventually to a prominent point four pitches left and below the summit. A fine climb with crux pitches of grade 15.

Commencing on the left side of the hanging glacier ascend directly up the slabs left of the Carter-Gough route to reach the ridge running north-west from the summit. Once on the ridge, climb seven pitches to the summit.