Looking straight up the Alpein Ferner, which the route followed. The icefall is at about 2900m, and the route stays well to the viewers right of it. By keeping to the flattest areas and skirting obvious icefalls and crevasse fields the danger of falling through a thin snowbridge into a hidden crevasse can be greatly minimized. This hazard becomes greater late in the year, but in June of 2004 the higher elevations still had good snow cover and the early morning temperatures were generally cold enough to keep the snow frozen very firmly.

The peaks on the right should be the Nordl and Sudl Wildgratspitz. (Sudl in the background, Nordl in the foreground.)