DanP

Selected Climbs Volume 1 says a #11 hex works in the gendarme offwidth too. I like hexes, so I looked this up: The #11 hex is 2.5 oz lighter than a new BD-C4 #4 cam and 3.75 oz. (almost 1/4 lb) lighter than the old #3.5 (the 3.5 size was basically replaced by the new #4). A carabiner weighs about 1.5 oz. Is that enough of a weight savings to justify the loss in versatility of a hex?

Climb: Kyes Peak-South Ridge Date of Climb: 6/3/2006 Trip Report: What a fun route with snow and rock on the ridge. I'd say it was mostly class 3 rock and snow scramble this time of year, with some nice exposed class 4 snow climbing on the ridge. It took us 12 hours car to car. 8am to 8pm. 7 hours up, 45 min at summit, 4.25 hours down. Our return was via a 2000 feet of primo glissading (for the two who had shell pants) and foot skiing down the southwest slope to Blanca Lake. This return necessitated crossing the 300-foot wide log jam at the lake outlet, which required some fun route finding and jumping to stay dry. All in all a very fun, varied and scenic route. The Columbia Glacier/Blanca Lake basin is pretty sweet. Gear Notes: Ice Axe, Gaiters, Gloves, Glissading Pants Approach Notes: Lot's o Snow at about 3600 feet.

Funny, I did the same hike Sunday, pulled the same sleep-in instead routine, and saw the same deer (skinny doe with two fawn). I did get around the 'shrund though, on the right hand side where it was only about 6 feet deep (with no axe, which I had mindlessly forgotten at home). A few kicked steps allowed me to climb down in. There was class 4 about 20 feet up toward the notch that got me out and over where I needed to be. It's a lengthy scramble/class four after that - real nice holds everywhere. Rapping down took a while with non-consecutive anchors. The last one seemed awefully sketchy off a horn with a crack all the way around the base and a hollow sound when whacked. This was on the more direct final rap route straight down to the notch, not back down the gully 100-feet past and below the notch. It was backed up and equalized on another horn and had fresh webbing, so I figured it would hold. Nice free rappel from here, while trying not to bounce my anchor down on my head. Bring 20 feet of webbing (maybe less) for the adjacent horn, and you will save yourself some grief and still get the more direct route. More on that rap: a 60-meter leaves you with about 15 feet of class 4 down climbing, but don't sweat it, it's all there. A final 30-foot mini-rap back down into the shrund saved some sweat not having to downclimb on pebble-littered class four. Earlier in season would have saved that trouble. 4 hours hiking up, 2 hours climbing up, 2 hours rapping down unknown route with 4 spaced out raps plus down climbing, and 2 hours hiking out. I was reminded of the time it can take to routefind when you face an obstacle or unknown route - even without ever getting off-route. A nice day and nice mountains tempting me all around! I think the fire started that day becuase I saw smoke that afternoon only. Dan P