Off-width on Backbone Ridge

[goatboy]

So some friends are trying to convince me to climb Backbone Ridge instead of Serpentine and I'm curious -- since I HATE offwidths, can anyone tell me more about the offwidth section on Backbone? (i.e. how long, how steep, what kind of pro recommended, etc).

For those of you who have done both routes, did you clearly prefer one route over the other, or should I just start with Serpentine and do Backbone another time?

I know these questions are vague and subjective, just wanted to test the waters out there and talk about routes with folks who have done them. Thanks!

Steve

[Alex]

Serpentine is a nice intro to longer Dragontail routes, but is junk above mid-height.

Backbone is much nicer. The offwidth isnt *that* long, and its at the beginning of the route. 1 or 2 large (#3, #4 camalot) cams can protect it, and then it over with and you have the rest of teh day to enjoy a great route.

If you are unfamiliar with Dragontail, or are a slow(er) climber, I would not do Backbone as my first route there unless you are solid in the grade with a solid partner.

[Cpt.Caveman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Alex:

Serpentine is a nice intro to longer Dragontail routes, but is junk above mid-height.

Backbone is much nicer. The offwidth isnt *that* long, and its at the beginning of the route. 1 or 2 large (#3, #4 camalot) cams can protect it, and then it over with and you have the rest of teh day to enjoy a great route.

If you are unfamiliar with Dragontail, or are a slow(er) climber, I would not do Backbone as my first route there unless you are solid in the grade with a solid partner.

---

I was told you could bypass the OW around to the left of the ridge crest?

[Kyle_Flick]

Do Serpentine first to get familiar with the terrain. As far as Backbone, it still has loose stuff higher up, even on the Fin so be watchful if there is a party above. Protect the offwidth with a #5 Camalot (move it up or leap frog with another #5).

[Cpt.Caveman]

Good idea is to make sure you have your helmet on this mountain. I remember that was a key piece of equipment.

[mattp]

Kyle's right. A single Camelot would do, or you could leapfrog. The off-width is no problem - I recall it being no more than 40 feet long and it is low angle. I don't think it is 5.9.

[Alasdair]

I just did the Serpentine a couple of weekends ago and I realy dont remember it being that dangerous in the rockfall category. Yes there is loose rock, but there are very few areas where knocking a loose block off the route will hit the person below. First of all most of the loose areas are at such low angle you would have to try to get them to fall further than a few feet, and even when they do they go to either side of the ridge. Did I miss something on this route, or am I so used to climbing crappy loose horror shows that I thought this thing was fairly safe?

[Cpt.Caveman]

I guess it is opinion. Try going up behind a party and you might see. Although the rock on the cruxes was good I think the upper rocks were of dubious quality myself. I would do the route again. With my helmet again.

[Walter_Burt]

The offwidth is a relatively low angle (60 degrees?) right-facing corner that isn't that bad - you don't have to crawl inside it. A leg stem on the face to the right, a foot inside and creative handwork get it done. Something like a #5 camalot is nice up higher. A #3 and #4 work on the lower part. The left side is harder and somewhat mossy and slick - more like a 10a or 10b layback. My partner took a 20+ ft winger/slider on the left side before we realized the offwidth was around the corner. I'll never forget watching him slide down the slab on his feet face-first towards Colchuck lake. Bet he won't either.

Backbone Ridge is a much nicer route than Serpentine, especially the upper pitches. But it is much more of a commitment. You need to boogie to get up and off.

[jason_h]

do em both in a day! backbone is way better than serpentine, but both are pretty cool, and for 5.9 offwidth it is pretty easy. a #5 camalot is quite nice but not mandatory. those routes are all about simul climbing, so do it, don't belay every pitch. have fun.

jason

[freak]

Backbone is really good,, for the offwidth take a #5 clip it to your daisy chain and scootch it up with ya, I dont think that was the crux of the route,

I had to drop in to the very top part of the tripple couloir, it was the last pitch and it was the diceyest thing I've ever done, big loose blocks I think theres other ways to go up on the fin so you dont have to do that though. nic

[Walter_Burt]

Freak,

we did the same thing - scary, especially crossing the ice/snow in the couloir to exit. It's much better to continue another pitch or so up the Fin to finish.

[freak]

Ya, but were at the top o the fin, unless we wanted to slap up over hanging gendarms with no pro. uhh ouch,, we were in the middle and left side of the fin most of the time and the climbing was rad, Ive heard you should stay in the middle and work to the right side, to some undercling crux,,we never encounterd this, it was hand and finger cracks the whole way with a little corner to a roof bypass, the last pitch before the tripple was a rad 5.7 wide crack traverse, okay see ya nic

[daylward]

The first time I did Backbone, we missed the last part of it too and went into the top of Triple Couloirs. Turns out this is a common mistake; as you're traversing across the ledge at the bottom of the fin, it's easy to get suckered into the crack system that goes up about the middle of the face of the fin. Those take you up a couple pitches of great climbing to a notch in the ridge (a bit of a slabby step-across is required to get from the top of the crack to the notch), where you drop over the other side and down into TC. I remember not being able to reconcile this with the description in Selected Climbs.

The second time I got beta from good ol' SMC (who was about to do Colchuck Balanced Rock) right in the parking lot before we headed up. You just have to stay on that lower ramp/ledge a bit longer, even though it seems to peter out a bit as you go past the sucker cracks. Just when you think you've gone too far, there is another set of cracks you can go up. Doing this, it matches Nelson's description exactly, undercling flake and all, and it avoids the top of TC, staying on good clean rock right to the summit.

[Walter_Burt]

That exlains why we ended up where we did - same place as Nic I think. Am planning on doing it again with an uninitiated friend next year. Will do it right this time. Thanks

[rollin'_thunder]

no need for packin a heavy #5 for 1 placement on the route a #3 part way up the o.w. and lay that baby back to the bomber hand cracks above and a great rest on thetop of the pitch

[Hollywood]

Freak,

Please don't clip your self into gear on a dasiy. Falling onto a daisy is about the fast way to break a back I know. If you have to, put a screamer on it first. But that means two pieces of gear you don't need. Use a biner and the rope to forgo the daisy at ankers.

John

[freak]

Ya I gotcha that offwidth is pretty secure, I was connected with the daisy simply to weight it if I had to, nic

[Dru]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hollywood:

Freak,

Please don't clip your self into gear on a dasiy. Falling onto a daisy is about the fast way to break a back I know. If you have to, put a screamer on it first. But that means two pieces of gear you don't need. Use a biner and the rope to forgo the daisy at ankers.

John

---

that only applies if you fall from above your piece if you are pushing it up you never get above it and your fall factor is one or less which is ok for static daisy. and using rope at anchors means you can't stretch the rope out as much. "daisy, daisy, gimme your anchor do!"

 

[Alpinfox]

The first time I did Backbone, we missed the last part of it too and went into the top of Triple Couloirs. Turns out this is a common mistake; as you're traversing across the ledge at the bottom of the fin, it's easy to get suckered into the crack system that goes up about the middle of the face of the fin. Those take you up a couple pitches of great climbing to a notch in the ridge (a bit of a slabby step-across is required to get from the top of the crack to the notch), where you drop over the other side and down into TC. I remember not being able to reconcile this with the description in Selected Climbs. <BR>The second time I got beta from good ol' SMC (who was about to do Colchuck Balanced Rock) right in the parking lot before we headed up. You just have to stay on that lower ramp/ledge a bit longer, even though it seems to peter out a bit as you go past the sucker cracks. Just when you think you've gone too far, there is another set of cracks you can go up. Doing this, it matches Nelson's description exactly, undercling flake and all, and it avoids the top of TC, staying on good clean rock right to the summit.

 

I just saw someone reading this thread and thought I'd bump it. Daylward's beta above is really good and I wish I'd read this before I climbed Backbone. Oh well, I guess I've done the left fin variation, I'll have to go back sometime and do the right variation.

 

For the record, I think the OW is 5.9 and I think you do want a #5 camalot for it.

 

Goatboy, did you end up climbing BR or SR? What did you think? I haven't done SR.

[goatboy]

Hey y'all,

 

When I saw this thread pop up, and saw that I had initiated, I was perplexed, as I had no memory of doing so....identity theft, perhaps? Then I realized it's from 2004.

 

Anyway, thanks for all the great beta on Backbone, which I STILL haven't climbed. I did climb Serpentine Ridge that year, however, and really enjoyed the position, the exposure on the pitches by the pillar, and the hugeness of that particular mountain.

 

I would certainly recommend doing it once. It was not as loose as I had been lead to believe, and there were a few excellent pitches right off the ledge with the big pillar. Most of it is scrambly/easy, with little steps of 5th class tossed in here and there.

 

Still hoping to go get on Backbone one of these days, and the beta from this thread should be very helpful. Thanks again.

[Dru]

lol, it's from 2001

[tanstaafl]

Dude, anyone who can pull a Figure 4 on Grit Roof can climb Backbone no problem. Go get that sucker.

 

 

[goatboy]

lol, it's from 2001

 

Christ! Guess I better quit typing and start climbing for a change!

[Szyjakowski]

so, how many avatars do you have cuz you only have 500+ posts??