Guarded by a long hike and steep scrambling, Reissend Nollen is an awesome, big chunk of immaculate, steep limestone. The routes are long, and in the 7a (11d) and up range. Climbing these routes makes for an incredible journey to a true summit.

From the parking, walk to the left (north) around the cattle ranch buildings through grass until you can gain the obvious rising, contouring trail. In the early season, you may encounter a small snowfield crossing. We were there in early July, and in the course of one week, this snowfield was gone.

Continue on the trail slightly past Reissend Nollen until you encounter a more permanent(?) snowfield. Walk straight uphill along the margin of the snowfield until a trail emerges again on the left. Follow this trail until it meets a powerful creek. Cross the creek (you may have to look around), and gain the ridge where a trail emerges yet again. Take time to locate this trail that starts faintly but becomes more obvious. After a little ways on the ridge, the trail will deposit you in a wet gully. Go up the gully, exit to the right and continue up the trail to a grassy knoll.

Once on the knoll, you will see the Ochsner bivy cave up and left. From here you have two options:

Early season – Stay well right of the bivy cave and follow angling rock to the base of the Vorbau. From the base of Vorbau, continue left until it is possible to begin scrambling to the base of Reissend Nollen.

Mid or Late Season – From the bivy, follow the obvious trail left. Cross a drainage (can be impassable due to snow early season), pick up a trail again and begin scrambling up when obvious.