Type: Trad, 1500 ft (455 m), 16 pitches, Grade III
FA: Claude and Yves Remy, 1981, rebolted by the FA 2011
Page Views: 962 total · 17/month
Shared By: Dylan Colon on Sep 6, 2020
Admins: Mark P., James H, Dan Flynn

You & This Route


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Description Suggest change

This mega-classic is the line just left of Motörhead, and it is much more slab-oriented than that route, which tends to follow crack systems. While probably just as good, Septumania spends much more time questing up big open slabby terrain with spaced bolts, which is probably the reason it appears to be significantly less popular (this is not to say that Motörhead lacks slab runouts!). This is also a good option if Motörhead is crowded.

Most pitches are 30 to 50m in length, and the route is quite sustained with only 2 out of 16 pitches clocking in at less than 5.8 (5b). The crux felt like 5.10b/c (6a+) to me. Generally expect to be quite well-protected, usually by bolts, at the cruxes, but expect plenty of runouts of up to 10 meters or so more on the 5.8ish terrain. You really need to pay attention to where the line goes so as not to end up off route, as the bolts are not always easy to spot. This is not a good route to learn friction climbing on. 

I'll avoid putting in a pitch-by-pitch description here as my memory is hazy, particularly for the easier pitches, and there are good descriptions elsewhere. A couple of good sources are:

https://www.bergsucht.ch/products/eldorado-/ (In German, but highly informative).

https://www.camptocamp.org/routes/57883/fr/grimsel-brunberg-eldorado-septumania (This is basically the French MountainProject, and it has lots of attached trip reports).

Descriptions (and topos) can also be found in the Plaisir West I guidebook (mostly in German and French, with bits of English to get by with) and in Dreams of Switzerland (trilingual guidebook in German, French, and English published by the Swiss Alpine Club, this is a good select guide to the region for a visiting climber).

To descend, head climber's right on a fairly obvious trail, which heads steeply down back to the lake. There is one optional rappel of about 20m on this descent (the alternative being a usually-wet 4th/5th class downclimb).

Location Suggest change

The start is about 30m down and left of Motörhead, and can be easily found by the route name painted at the base in red. The start of the line is easily identified by a series of water runnels on low-angle slabs. Most pitches are 30 to 50m in length, and

Protection Suggest change

Two ropes at least 50m if you want to be able to bail. A single rack to 3" is probably adequate. Extendable draws are what you will place mostly. The route was rebolted in 2011 by the FA party, apparently reducing some of the nastier runouts while maintaining an adventurous character. All anchors are bolted and solid.

Photos

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