Ridgelines

The traverse

Ridgelines are the alpine climber's favorite day — hours of exposure, no crowds, and a summit every hour or so. They're rated lower than they feel.

What to know

rope        short-rope the easy ground
beta        carry a 30 m half rope
turns       downclimb the crux sections
timing      start before the sun hits the rock

The reward

You'll spend more time above 4,000 metres in a day than most climbers do in a season. Bring water, and a headlamp for the descent.