mattp Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Climb: Exfoliation Dome - descent-West Slabs Rappels / Westward Ho Date of Climb: 8/29/2004 Trip Report: Over the weekend, Hanman and I went up and did some anchor replacement on the West Slabs descent route from the summit of Exfo Dome. Most significantly, we replaced several rotting half-dead and half-pulled-out tree rappel stations with bolted anchors. We installed the new stations in locations that we hope will be easier to find, and you can now stand or sit on an open ledge for the switch-overs instead of clinging to some tree that is trying to poke you in the eye. The first four rappels from the summit are set for single rope raps on a 60 meter rope. (My rope is only 57 meters and most of them were a little short of the end, so I believe all but the second one will probably be OK with a single 50 but I'd go with the 60.) This area has lots of craggy, half-dead trees and most of the ledges are littered with loose rocks and you increase the chance of getting beaned if you pull down a knotted rope. It is also low-angle so you are guaranteed to get a serious mess if you toss down two full ropes. The extra raps actually save time. To find the route, step down about 25 feet southward from the summit. The first rap trends down and slightly right to a chain station on a 12" ledge well outside the top of the obvious descent gully leading down and right. Three more half-length raps follow, with each station outside of (right of) the gully. The fourth station has a Fixe chain. Here, a double-rope rap (about 40 m) reaches a chain station just north of a rather prominent promontory overlooking the clean West Slabs below. 50 meter raps follow down Westward Ho. From the lowest belay station (atop pitch 1 of Westward Ho) you can rap diagonally left to reach a station from where you can rap back to the bottom of the gully approaching Westward Ho. We also removed several litter bolts and replaced several 1/4" buttonheads with 3/8" stainless. Approach Notes: The Granite Sidewalk is fun in the rain! If you get stuck up there, bail into the trees. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Great work Matt! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hohm Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Thank, Matt.....fantastic!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 If you haven't already, you've now earned yourself a place in heaven... even for a lawyer! Great job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turn_one Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 big thanks to the hanman too. wet night out for you folks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted August 31, 2004 Author Share Posted August 31, 2004 Hanman has done a lot of anchor replacement in Darrington and Static. He doesn't much like tat. Stripping off the old cabbage from dead trees on the West Slabs, he kept muttering "just how many slings do people think they need here? Who carries all this stuff?" In places it seemed as if the sketchier the tree, the more webbing folks were draping on it. By the time we reached the bottom, we had nearly a garbage bag full -- and we didn't get it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turn_one Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Nice Clint Eastwood look Mark, 'say, was that 5 hotdogs or six, I gots ta know!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanman Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Let me just say that for the record, no eyelids,lips, or brows were harmed during this feasting of tofu snausages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turn_one Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 ...nor your appetite... tofu?? come on man, for god sakes, your in the woods! bring on the heart cloggers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyclimb Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 The worst piles of tat I've seen lately was on NE Ridge of Triumph, and given the increased popularity of the route, that thing could use a little anchor managment---> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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