BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ON THE NORTH RIDGE ARE SO SMALL THERE ISN’T THE DEMAND TO FIX THE ENTIRE ROUTE FOR DOZENS OF CLIMBERS ASCENDING & DESCENDING LIKE THERE IS ON MOST 8000m ROUTES.
THE COMMON SCENE OF ‘FIXING PARTIES’ EMPLOYED SOLELY TO FIX MILES OF ROPES FROM GLACIER TO SUMMIT ISN’T AN OPTION ON THE NORTH SIDE, SO WE ‘SHORT FIX’ SECTIONS MEANING ONLY PLACES WHERE THE SMALL TEAMS REQUIRE IT FOR SAFETY & SPEED. THIS CHANGES EVERY YEAR, AND AS THE ROUTE ITSELF ISN’T LITERALLY SET IN STONE, WE PREPARE FOR WHATEVER ARISES.
BETWEEN FIXED SECTIONS WE USE VARIOUS OTHER METHODS INCLUDING PITCHING, SIMU-CLIMBING & LOWER DOWN, CLIMBING SOLO.
WHERE POSSIBLE WE LEAVE AS LITTLE FIXED LINE OF THE MOUNTAIN AS POSSIBLE.
