Rack for Upper West Rib, Denali

[DPS]

Can anyone recommend a gear rack for the Upper West Rib of Denali? Is rock gear necessary? How many screws? Thanks.

[Kyle_Flick]

We didn't need or use any rock gear. For the orient express you might want to take an ice screw or two and pickets, but we didn't use any.

[wfinley]

If you're headed up the Orient Express to the 17 camp then all you'll need is snow / ice gear. I suggest 2 pickets and 2 screws per person. If you opt to go through the rock bands climbers R of the OE - then I suggest a selection of small to medium pins along with the pickets / screws. (Going up through the rock bands is great fun!)

 

If you opt to not use any pro going up or down the OE then get rid of your rope -- too many people have died or had serious injuries in that very spot. I also highly suggest you use a running belay of pickets or screws going both up and down the OE; in '98 my partner and felt like the slope was easy and we ran it out without pro. We fell and he passed away as a result. 24 hours after our accident we watched two others do exactly what we did. They both lived but suffered serious injuries.

[dylan_taylor]

I second the suggestion to get rid of your rope if traveling together on the upper orient - either that or take a lot of pickets for running belays. Going up is one thing, but coming back down the OE to the rock ridge is exposed, and you will be tired. There is all kinds of fixed garbage in the couloir just above the most popular camps on the upper rib (the couloir terminates at the balcony and becomes very easy 3rd and 4th). The couloir can be climed relatively easily with one axe. In some years, it is full of snow and requires only kicking steps. It was bony and blue when we were there in 2002. A couple screws, a couple long slings for slinging horns, etc. can be helpfull. You could place cames if you bothered to take them, but I would leave them and make some mid to large nuts work. Maybe a pin or two. Depends on your comfort level I suppose.

 

Some groups elect to avoid the upper rib descent by either a)carrying over and descending the buttress (heavy)

b)going lite and descending the west buttress all the way down to 14k, where you would have to sleep in an extra tent, or bum tent space from someone you know. Then you would have to hike up to 16k and get your schwag back.

DT