View to the northeast from Amelier saddle: Dent de Ruth in front, Wandflue in morning clouds.

Downhill from Amelier saddle along a remarkably muddy path. Two similarly dirty short fix ropes aid downhill.

Mid-way on pitch 2, featuring some water runnels in the water eroded limestone.

Klaus, on a pitch which, unbeknownst to us, is actually pitch 4 of 'Salut les Copains'. That is, not our route at all. This pitch is graded 6a+ 1 p.a. but is maybe even a tick more difficult. In the end Klaus resolves the issue by crossing back left to Diehlerkante from the second-last bolt. It's not much easier a task.

Team Jochen, wise from our struggle on Salut les Copains, has taken the correct route. His follower Conny, in pink, is just heading up the final crack of the pitch. The crack is not too difficult, just a tad awkward, but quite poorly protected. Further down, Markus has started for team Klaus. He has been waiting to be able to do the proper route without too much pendulum - clipped in to Jochen's protection by Conny. This arrangement of two teams overclimbing each other does take its fair share of time.

Sandra belaying Klaus on pitch 4. Her apparent contention may or may not be representative for the route. After all, the feet haven't really started hurting yet.

Pitch 4 starts with a short nice runnel climb, but then it never really ends. As it evolves to scrambling we simply turn to running belay.

Still on running belay towards the anchor below topo pitch 5. Markus has, most fittingly, aquired Achilles tendon problems right before this long classic climb. That's why he's so happy now with the easier terrain.

Still on running belay towards the anchor below topo pitch 5. Sandra enjoys the rock, shaped and sharpened by water, even though it rudely scrapes her skin open.

After pitch 5 proper, one needs to take a big stride from a small pre-summit over a chasm to get to this pretty wall. While Klaus didn't clip anything here, there is actually a bolt a meter left of the tree. A good, easy option is thus to go between the tree and the bolt. With 50 m ropes we added this as a part of pitch 5.

Sandra is taking the big step over the chasm, near the end of pitch 5. It's scenic but not too difficult.

Pitch 6 in the topo. As so many of these pitches, it's quite long and quite hard for its grade.

Followers in team Jochen, following on pitch 6 proper.

Flower power.

One could argue that we should know what all of these summits are called. At least we're sure they're all part of the Gastlosen chain.

Here we expected the more restful 7th pitch, allegedly 4b. Only, this does not seem to be it at all. Either we're still on pitch 6, which then is very, very long, or this is a bonus pitch of 5a 2 p.a. Anyway, up at the tower we circle left, taking straight up from its left side to the top of the pinnacle. A piton up right reveals that that way may be a possibility, too.

Alex of team Jochen, near the end of the aid traverse. It is graded 5a 4 p.a., though we'd admit that grading makes little sense because it's really only the technical climbing that could be challenging, with only a few easy meters before and after. Clipping long slings in the bolts for standing really helps.

Alex of team Jochen, near the end of the beautiful aid traverse, pitch 8 of Diehlkante on Dent de Ruth.

Klaus aiding himself to the right on the technical traverse. 4 good bolts enable the passage.

Klaus aiding himself to the right on the technical traverse. 4 good bolts enable the passage.

Markus dancing along the aid traverse of Diehlkante, Dent de Ruth. We have a few old memory scars from blank traverses, and didn't look forward to thin one. Imagine, then, after a long day of little alpine surprises, the joy at finding this last difficulty of the day not only manageable - but even fun!

Sandra finishing up on the scenic aid traverse on Diehlkante. She's starting to feel like a christmas tree, with all the retreived gear dangling across her neck. From this point, much of the Gastlosen chain is visible.