Sir Donald rap descent?

[DonkeyBoy]

Does anyone have beta on the supposed new (?) rap stations on the lower half of Mt Sir Donald? The rap apparently will drop you below the col. Good for getting down quickly in one piece, but a loooong day due to not bivying at the col. Thanks.

[Coastal_Climber]

Below is the information describing the rap route on Sir Donald, it was sent out in the MCR (Mountain Conditions Report) to all climbers that subscribe to it. I haven't done this route myself but a good friend of mine was witness to an accident on the route last summer that took the life of a Washington State climber. The Rap route may be faster but use caution, I also heard there is only room for two climbers at most rap stations.

 

Here is the accident report, also from the MCR

 

"Synopsis: A party of two climbers from Washington had reached the summit of Sir Donald, via the NW Ridge and West Face Bi-Pass to the summit. One of the climbers was beginning the fourth rappel. This is a steep rappel. By staying to the north side of the ridge, one can rappel to easier ground, and a short down climb to the next anchor. If one rappels off the south side, it becomes overhanging, and difficult to get back onto the ridge proper. The rope being used was an 8mm x 50m twin rope. Knots were not tied in the ends. Prussiks were not being used. The rappel device was a standard ATC.

 

The climber on rappel was on the south side of the ridge, which is overhanging. She was not able to swing over to the ridge proper, and was unable to stop her descent, due to the lack of friction provided by the ATC on the 8mm rope. With no knots at the end of the ropes and no back-up prussik, there was nothing to prevent her from sliding off the end of the rappel rope. She fell approximately 300 meters."

 

 

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Mount Sir Donald - Descent Route

On Friday September 6, 2002 Jordy Shepherd and Eric Dafoe bolted the west

face dihedral descent route on Sir Donald, as well as a portion of the steeper

ridge above the dihedral. Thanks to the Lake Louise Warden Service for the use

of their gas powered gun (R.I.P.). There are ten 2-bolt stations, at 25m intervals

(one 50m rope required). Each station has 2 Fixe hangers with the integral steel

rap rings. On September 3, 2003 Jordy Shepherd and Ken Bibby climbed the

NW ridge and descended the summit bypass and the bolted rappel route. We

cut off a schwack of old rappel slings, on the way up and down, leaving the best

slings in place. We had reports of climbers having difficulty finding the bolt

stations, so we recycled some of the old slings as streamers off the bolts at each

station. They are now highly visible. The streamers are straight tied so as to

avoid the mistake of clipping into the old tat instead of the obvious burly steel

rings! All of the stations have red or other colors of webbing streamers, except at

station #5, which is yellow to denote the change in rappel direction, where the

rappel line turns off the ridge and down the slabby west face.

On August 14, 2004 Jordy Shepherd bolted two additional rappel stations

at the very bottom of the rappel route, on the white slab at the base of the

dihedral, above the final scree slope that is above the approach trail. They

are marked with webbing streamers.

Here are the rappels (stations are numbered 1-12 from top to bottom):

1. The fastest way off now (dependent upon conditions) is from the summit

down the south ridge, dropping off the ridge down the west face and back

to the NW ridge to bypass the summit block. This route can be

snowcovered in early season and may require and ice axe and crampons.

Easy down climbing leads to some rappels on sling stations. Some more

downclimbing leads to where the ridge steepens again. The first bolt

station is here, right on the ridge. Rappel 25m along ridge to station #2.

2. Rappel ridge 25m to easy down climbing. Down climb a short ways along

the ridge to where it steepens (station #3).

3. Rappel 25m along ridge to station #4.

4. Rappel staying a few metres on the north side of the ridge, to the top of

the dihedral corner/slab. The rappel continues down the slab and skier's

right slightly to station #5 (25m). Ignore the sling station at the base of the

steep wall on the north side of the ridge as the bolt station is further down

onto the slab at the 25m mark.

5. Rap at 25m intervals, station to station for six 25m rappels. The stations

are slightly offset to reduce rockfall exposure when pulling the rope.

Rappel towards scree and the base of a narrow gully in the slab that is on

the skier's right. Ignore numerous webbing stations that are to both sides

of the rappel line. The rappels end at the base of the gully, on scree.

6. From station #9 rappel on a trend to skier's right to hit station #10. From

station #10 rappel again to skier's right to hit dirt at the base of the gulley.

You have now done 10 rappels.

 

7. Scramble down easy scree and ledges to rock slab/snow at the base of

the dihedral. Rappel two more stations (rappel # 11 is a full 25 metres,

and rappel # 12 is 15 metres) or downclimb (4th class) a combination of

rock slab and snow (amount of each is dependent upon time of season) to

easy scree slopes and the trail that cuts across the scree and

snowpatches on the approach to the Uto-Sir Donald Col.

This route basically follows the lower of the two proposed rappel routes drawn on

the bottom photo of page 104 in David Jones' Selkirks South.

See attached photos. The red line denotes the bolted rappel line. Photos and

the route description for both the Sir Donald rap line and the Deville headwall

rappel line are available for viewing at the visitors centre at Rogers Pass.

On Sept 5, 2003 Parks put a single barrel green throne style outhouse and a

metal double garbage can for food/gear storage in the Sir Donald / Uto Col.

There is a green outhouse and food/gear storage at the bivy site in basin below

the Sir Donald / Uto Col as well.

As of August 14, 2004, Parks has added a piece of trail that cuts from the upper

Vaux Creek crossing, around the base of the steep morraine into the Uto/Sir

Donald Basin, and up to the lower bivy site. There is a toilet and food/gear

storage there now. Some flagging tape and cairns mark the new trail. There is

also a rough trail cairned and grubbed, that climbs from the lower bivy site to the

original approach trail that takes you to the col. This new trail conveniently hits

the original trail where you come down off the rappel route. So it is now

reasonable to hike up to the lower bivy site, camp, then climb the NW ridge the

next day without leaving anything at the col, then take the rappel route to

descend, and return to your gear at the lower bivy, then take the new trail down

to Vaux creek. A nice round trip.

On September 1, 2003 Jordy Shepherd placed new summit registers on Fox,

Selwyn, Hasler, Feuz, Sir Donald, Uto, Eagle, Avalanche, and Hermit.

Macdonald and Tupper also received new summit registers in summer 2003.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[stinkyclimber]

That is great beta. Take note especially about staying to the north side of the ridge on that one rap to avoid going over the overhanging bit and running out of rope. I did that once - fortunately I could see my ropes touched down on the west face slab and it was no probs. The summit bypass is also a much faster and easier descent alternative at the top(but don't cheat yourself by taking it on the way up - the last section of the ridge is the best).

 

If you are competent enough to climb this route unroped, which isn't a stretch for most fairly experienced moderate climbers, then I would recommend against the rap route. Down climbing directly down to the col from the top fo the west face rap doesn't take long (although it is probably the toughest section of the route), where as the raps are full-sun, low angle, choss covered shit shows that dump you at the top of an annoyingly dusty, rubble covered scree slope. Much better to just downclimb to the col (where you cached your beer) and hike out the cushy trail.

 

Having said all that, if you find yourself belaying a lot either on the way up or the way down, or you are getting tired, or it is raining (that quartzite gets SLICK when wet), then yes, the west face rap route is great.

 

In either case, those photos give you alll the info you need. Almost cheating, really. It is a great route tho.

[DonkeyBoy]

Wow, thank you very much. Very useful information, much appreciated. Cheers.