counterfeitfake

learn skills get better

If you only needed to rappel- what is the skinniest cord you could use? Could you get enough friction using a munter or monster-munter, on 6mm perlon? It's rated at about 7kN which seems strong enough. Would anyone have the guts to rap on 5mm rated at 5.5 kN?

shut up. OP, if you want to climb alpine ice, that is probably not the tool for you. It won't plunge very well and consensus seems to be that it swings weird. Like Farrgo says it's meant as a mixed climbing tool. Search for the recent "first tool suggestions" thread that had a lot of good advice.

We did this route Saturday/Sunday. It was awesome! I think it's in perfect condition right now, with a couple snow patches for topping off water while on route. There's an amazing range in the time parties spend on this route. I was expecting two long days, we ended up making it from car to summit in 12 hours, and walked down to a rad bivy site at the top of the Cascadian. Sunday morning was walking back to the car in 5 hours. I think it's all about: how comfortable you are at moving over 3rd and 4th class terrain with no rope, how light you go, and how well you manage the routefinding. We were helped out very greatly by this amazing trip report. I don't know what you climbed obviously, but the normal route goes up the second gulley, whereas you drew on the third gulley.

You are a wanker.

For anyone who is wondering, here is the beta. You don't always have to do something before deciding whether it's a good idea. The walk-off is so simple and fast I don't understand why you'd want to bring an extra rope just to rap. I don't think you can do four raps faster than the walk-down, even if you know exactly where all the anchors are. Plus, apparently you have to downclimb 4th class terrain? Plus all the inherent risks of rappelling. I don't get it. Why do that?

Listen man, I linked up Orbit and Outer Space a couple weeks ago, and just did the walk-down twice. It's easy peasy and it's the way to go. Rapping is not as good a plan.

I think people here have reported doing the Pearly Gates walk-off without rapping either. I remember someone mentioning rapping SCW recently, within the last couple months anyway. I thought they talked about going down Iconoclast or something... if you search you may be able to find it. But just to annoyingly reiterate what's been said already: I would seriously do the walk-off anyway, it's fast and easy.

When I did it in July a few years back, I had trekking poles, no ice axe, no crampons. There was one short section where the snow was really hard and I kinda wished I had crampons. If you have some instep crampons (micro spikes?) that would probably be perfect.

When I climbed the NE Ridge, I was a little surprised by the Kain Route descent, but found it to not be that bad. It took a long time but was easy. I was more surprised by how difficult and inobvious the summit traverse was (maybe noobish of me). The info I'd read made a huge deal out of the Kain descent, even suggesting climbing UP it first- and NO WAY do I think that is necessary or worth it. But everything had glossed over how to get from the N summit to the S. It probably shouldn't really be that hard but I think we just didn't know what to do. Rapping the east face seems way gnarly.

Apparently you follow the spray-painted arrow.

Were you ever not a noob?

I think I disliked it because it feels pretty hard and is covered in pine needles and brush. Didja do it?

I can't think of a scenario where it's not silly to bring an ascender for normal glacier travel.

This is a good point, I have seen lots of them modded with a little swaged cable loop, which seems like a good easy solution.

Been a while, but I thought I used a #4. I also think getting out from under the roof involves a fair amount of #3 crack, so it doesn't seem "optional". I could be remembering badly. edit: The report says #4 AND #5...

Find some old cobras or vipers, they're still good tools but lots of people let them go once the new generation came out. The vipers are probably better as they can be made leashless.

Walking across the snow in the morning to get on route with crampons will take 5 minutes. Chopping steps will take... how long? Walking down the warm soft snow on the descent will require neither crampons nor axe. Yes, that descent is super easy. When I did it in August I certainly didn't crampon up. Maybe in September? If the snow is so soft you're worried about it balling up on your feet, just arrest a fall with your knees and your chin. On the other hand, if the snow is so hard you need crampons to get down, what good will an axe do? Like I said, that's just me. But it's not like both points of view haven't been voiced before.

Do you have any big pictures of Eldorado?

I would advocate crampons and no axe, but that's just me.

I'm not saying Freeway's grade is sandbagged (I'd have to get on it before making that call). I'm saying them talking him into getting on route at that point was sandbagging him. Classic. I know Marc is way strong but does he really simulclimb 5.11-? Maybe I should be even more impressed.

THAT is Beacon?? THAT is a ROUTE?? THAT IS WHAT ALL THIS SPRAY IS ABOUT??

Why, that's only $75 a pop! Don't sell yourself short, they're for sale on eBay for $110!

So cool! CLASSIC SANDBAG! lol

So you have heard of an ATC failing?