|
soccer_fan
Jun 18, 2004, 4:11 PM
Post #1 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 17, 2003
Posts: 156
|
Do any of the trade routes* (both rock and snow/ice climbs) need double ropes? or will a single 60m be enough?
*The Notch Coulior, Keiner's, Dreamweaver, Petit Grepon, Flying Dutchman, etc
|
|
|
|
|
cabdog
Jun 18, 2004, 4:46 PM
Post #2 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 31, 2002
Posts: 124
|
i always bring two ropes for emergencies when in RMNP. Petit certainly requires 2 60M ropes for rappells. Buy an 8 mil or even a 7 mil strictly for rappell purposes.
|
|
|
|
|
shorty
Jun 18, 2004, 5:23 PM
Post #3 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 28, 2003
Posts: 1266
|
I agree with cabdog that the second small rope (tag line or similar) is a good idea for any alpine route at RMNP. I prefer climbing on a single line, but raps and retreats often need the second rope.
From my experience, true double ropes have been needed only on Hallet's Peak -- the routes there can wander quite a bit.
|
|
|
|
|
soccer_fan
Jun 18, 2004, 6:29 PM
Post #4 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 17, 2003
Posts: 156
|
Thanks for the input - for the 7 or 8mm tag line, should it be static or dynamic? Given a pretty tight budget, would one rope work? (say descending the Loft from Mt Meeker and doing short raps off the Cables on Longs) Or am I asking for trouble not having the rope avaliable to do 60m raps? I don't really want to carry two 10.2mm X 60m ropes and cant afford a set of doubles.
|
|
|
|
|
fredrogers
Jun 18, 2004, 7:10 PM
Post #5 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 20, 2003
Posts: 288
|
You could easily get by with one rope for the descent off the Cable's. I descended the Loft once and didn't rap at all. I remember just walking down a snow slope and walking around some icy sections in the center. Even if a rap was necessary, I'd guess one rope would be enough.
Two ropes were nice for getting off Petit. I never did Hallets or Flying Dutchman.
The 7 or 8mm rap line can be static. It would hold up to abuse better than a dynamic line and I think static can be cheaper than dynamic.
|
|
|
|
|
soccer_fan
Jun 18, 2004, 7:50 PM
Post #6 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 17, 2003
Posts: 156
|
Are ice screws worth bringing this time of year?
|
|
|
|
|
zen_alpinist
Jun 18, 2004, 9:01 PM
Post #7 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 19, 2004
Posts: 20
|
In reply to: Are ice screws worth bringing this time of year?
Depends on the route. From what I've seen most of the routes are fairly snowy as of last weekend (6/12). I think one or two routes (around Hallet's perhaps) have ice in them. Otherwise pickets probably best bet.
[EDIT] Ah, I missed your routes you were looking at. Dreamweaver was mostly snow several weeks ago and I think is a week or two away from ice (going there next weekend), might use screws at top of Dutchman. Not sure of the others. Check link below [/EDIT]
Hard to say this week though, been getting three days of rain and wet snow up high....might be trending towards icing up. So the screws might be helpful in a week or so on some highly shelterd north facing routes.
Check out www.climbingboulder.com and search for your route to see if anyone has some current conditions up yet.
|
|
|
|
|
andy_lemon
Jun 19, 2004, 9:09 PM
Post #8 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 7, 2001
Posts: 3335
|
andy_lemon moved this thread from US - MidWest to US - Mountain States.
|
|
|
|
|
verticalturtle
Jun 21, 2004, 5:16 PM
Post #9 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 3, 2002
Posts: 53
|
IMHO
I always use 2 ropes in the mtns (8.1 or 8.5). For some reason a single line is very popular in the states, but less so in other areas. Here are my reasons.
1. Faster descent: sometimes you need 2 sometimes not, but it's always faster.
2. Insurance: using half ropes (instead of a lead and a skinny second, dynamic or othwerwise) provides insurance against rockfall and such on your lead line (i.e. rockfall cuts or severly damages your lead line; are you gonna lead on that 7mm static?)
3. Insurance #2: If the unexpected happens and you need to bail you leave less gear and get down faster.
4. Always less drag: if you use half ropes, vs. twin, you'll have less drag on wandering routes.
Those are the big four and are the general reasons I bring two lines. There are times when an expirienced party will want a single for a particular reason. Unless you're doing a speed ascent weight shouldn't be a factor. If you each have a rope and half the gear it isn't really much heavier than a single line and should be the same (or less) than a single lead and another skinny.
Cost should certainly not be a factor. Check out www.acmeclimbing.com for the best prices on ropes. Last I checked you could get a pair of half ropes for the cost of most single lead lines. Those I use for rock have lasted a long time too for routes in WY, CO, WA, OR, MT, BC, & AB. Also if you know what you're doing (this requires 2 extra brain cells) you won't have any added difficulty leading with two vs. one.
$.02
VT
|
|
|
|
|
tarsier
Jun 22, 2004, 7:56 PM
Post #10 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 7, 2003
Posts: 127
|
Meeker and Longs you can get off with one rope. You might want to hike off Longs via the Keyhole route (it's worthy).
The Petit you can do with one rope if you are going to scramble off North between the Gash and the East Col of Sharkstooth. There is a series of two-rope rappels down the South face of the Petit if you want to descend back to Sky Pond. It looks tempting to rappel all the way down the east gully - don't.
There's a short technical section on Dreamweaver that you might use an ice screw on, but it mostly takes rock gear.
|
|
|
|
|
soccer_fan
Jun 22, 2004, 8:36 PM
Post #11 of 11
(2433 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 17, 2003
Posts: 156
|
Thanks for the advice and info - I think I'm going to have to go w/ one rope and just deal with longer walking descents... I'll post a trip report when I get back, hopefully with most of the aforementioned routes added to my climbing record.
- Eric
|
|
|
|
|
|
