Forbidden W Ridge - lost rope

[alpine et]

cut to chase: there is a 50m half rope stuck on the top rap down into the gully on the W. ridge approach.

 

 

Short writeup since I'm heading right back into the woods. The snow gully is tricky now... about halfway up there was a 4' wide gap which is now surely wider (it grew a bit even during the few hours we were up there). Above the crack is a thinning snow bridge which was passable for us.

 

Another party behind us jumped the crack... props. I climbed down into it, mixed climbed up along some rocks and then stemmed my way back out onto the snow above it. Took way longer. Was more annoying, but was so totally fun. Stoked.

 

Climb was amazing, such great rock up there.

 

Things went south on the descent as it just took forever. It was dark by the time we were back at our boots atop the gully, and raining. We used our twin 50s to rap down the gully. Despite pulling each rap cleanly on rock, one of our ropes got snagged real well on this first rap down the gully. I started to climb back up to it, and experienced a fun soft snow slide out and self-arrested before I got below my partner for the belay to even kick in. Feeling spooked, and knowing we needed to move down fast in the poor weather, we left the rope. I was hoping to just climb up to the first snow lip it went over and free it there, but I could see after climbing it was likely caught even further up above the snow bridge which I didn't want to reverse again. Feel badly about wasting cash on the fairly new rope. Feel worse about leaving my junk in the alpine. I picked up as many clif bar wrappers and other junk I could find on the way out as possible.

 

We ended up walking down to our camp, then packing up and down straight to car for 30+ hours of motion. Ate everything at the Marblemount gas station.

 

So if you're up there, get yourself a rope. And if you feel like it, drop me a line if you snag it.

 

 

on route:

 

such views in this area:

 

fun climbing

 

west ridge summit... ie.. the west summit. at least we had the wherewithall to flip it here at least. should have earlier...

 

headlamp on already... ready for what we've gotten ourselves into:

 

arriving back at car... soaked. tired.

 

 

[jenlouie]

Erik,

 

Thanks for the beta!

 

Heading out there this weekend. If I see your rope, I'll try to get it back to you.

 

-Jen

[pnwdevin]

I might be heading out there this sunday myself. Ill keep an eye out for it.

[pnwdevin]

My climbing partner and I saw a rope way down inside the moat on the west ridge colouir that balled up and had been there for years, but not yours.

 

BTW, The crack in the west ridge colouir is very big now, crossing it would either involve climbing a small bridge that would most likely collapse under your weight, and jumping across a 4 foot gap, or 50 feet of grimy climbing inside the moat on the climbers left side of the colouir. Its probably best to ascend up the gully now, as either of those options are not very enjoyable.

[alpine et]

Thanks anyway... guess we're not the only ones loosing stuff up there

[DPS]

My climbing partner and I saw a rope way down inside the moat on the west ridge colouir that balled up and had been there for years, but not yours.

 

 

Did it look about 12 years old? http://www.mountainwerks.org/cma/2002/forbidden.html