Again up early we set off behind the hut along the route we would have used, but turned off to the head of the glacier, and a smaller rock peak. This would give us a chance to look at the problem and to watch those trying to summit to-day.
We gained the pass on the ridge; this is an old traditional route between Zermatt and Zinal; and turned up towards the top. The scrambling and occasional rock pitches bore very little resemblance to anything in the guidebook (not that it was detailed), and it was obvious that it did not see much traffic.
As anticipated the views over towards the Obergabelhorn were fantastic and we could see the limits of where everyone was achieving. This was not good news as it seemed that the snow on the ridge was deep, unconsolidated and causing difficulties.
The descent (mainly via abseil) was tedious and uneventful except for one particularly memorable point where Dave called down whist I was un-kinking the rope – "to not worry but speed up a little and keep going", it was only after he joined me that he mentioned the piton we were abseiling from had bent over 90° - he had re-enforced it, sacrificing a spare sling, but it remained a joke between us for many years.
Back at the hut our fears were realised when none of the parties had succeeded on the Obergabelhorn that day. We could either stay up and try the next day, or else go down and try somewhere else. After a little discussion we chose to go down – I have yet to go back, but it is still on the list.