Routes : North America : United States : Utah : Salt Lake - Utah Counties : Mount Olympus : Mount Olympus : The West Slabs
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The West Slabs - 5.5 popular
Average Rating : 4.56 out of 5
Route sequence (left to right): 1
Route Summary | Ascent Notes (18)
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Rock
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Description:
I wanted to document the rappel station route while it is fresh on my mind. From the bottom: When you first come to the base from the approach gully there is a big rock that is under cut where you can leave extra gear/supplies. If you start climbing at this point and angle to the north (left) to the prominent tree about 35 meters up (if you single rope rap this on the way down, you will need to down climb a bit). From this tree, angle back to the center of the slab and head straight up watching closely for the first set of rappel anchors (two simple eye bolts in the rock at a nice ledge). Now, Im not sure about this, because I traversed left to the tree, then hard right to a dihedral to build an anchor at the very limit of 60 meters. About time I setup my first anchor a professional guide was bringing up 3 gumbies. He soloed straight up the face and made the first belay anchors he must have been on a 70 meter rope? Anyway, the point is , no matter where you anchor (tree or 20 meters short of the first rap station) you may want to start anew at the first rap station. Now straight up the center and you will come to rap station after rap station (2 eye bolts) all on nice ledges. Make sure you have 60 meter lead ropes for this route, as the anchors are a full 55 to 58 meters apart. At the top, there are actually 3 trees mixed into full rappel story. Lets follow this from the top heading down. Start down climbing as if you were going to exit via walking out the steep gully. About 200 down from the top there is a very wide prominent ledge with two prominent trees on both ends of the ledge. The rap station route is right in the middle of these two prominent trees. However, you have to start the rappel from the Northern tree on this ledge. You will know you have the right tree because the rap nylon is 5 up the tree. This is a big tree and so the 5 of leverage is not a scary thing. The purpose of this is obvious as the territory up here is a bit scary for snagged ropes on pull. This height will greatly reduce the snagging. From this tree, rappel back towards the center (South) between the two prominent trees on the big ledge. A full 60 meters will put you at two welcome eye bolts. From this eye bolt station, you are going to rap to another tree full 60 meters from the bolts From this second tree you are going to rap a full 60 meters to another tree (north of center) From this third tree, rap back to center and once again find the welcome eye bolts. Now, straight down every time 60 meters and another set of bolts until the final tree, 35 meters from the base. For what its worth on the top 4 raps, I left the ropes flaked at the rappel station and had my partner feed them out to me as I lowered down. You can not throw the ropes anywhere that does any good up here and this seemed to reduce clustering to some extend.
Submitted by: timpanogos on 2003-09-24
Views: 3037
Route ID: 20729
18 Ascents Recorded
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Read all 18 ascent notes
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.5 |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure |  |
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Onsight ascent by:
so fun
this climb is great. For raping down you must have 2 60 meter ropes. as you climb if you start were i started, which is right by a boulder that you can hide all your stuff under, you look to your left as you are climbing and you will see rap stations. Look carefully as you climb and the descent vie rappel will not be as confusing as people make it out to be
Added: 2009-10-26
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.5 |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure |  |
| Rock Quality |  |
| Scenery | |
| Fun Factor | |
Great Climb...
This is a great route - I think someone (might be me) needs to GPS the Rap Stations, or at least make a REALLY GOOD topo.
What can really speed things up - run out. With the easy climbing, I placed pro about every 30-45'.
I would not start the "traverse of the gods" to the north summit, and bail half way thru. This will make for an epic climb... enough said.
What can really speed things up - run out. With the easy climbing, I placed pro about every 30-45'.
I would not start the "traverse of the gods" to the north summit, and bail half way thru. This will make for an epic climb... enough said.
Added: 2008-11-26
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.5 |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure | |
| Rock Quality | |
| Scenery | |
| Fun Factor | |
Pretty cool route
This route was quite fun. My wife and I simulclimbed it in three blocks. It had snowed 5 days prior to the climb, so the ledges still had snow on them, and there was water running down the face in some places which added to the fun factor. Overall the climbing remained very fun for the first 1000 feet, but the last 400 feet were kind of boring. The top 3 or 4 repels were also quite annoying because of the very low angled slab. I would recommend this climb because of the scenery and views from on it even though it is so easy.
Added: 2008-10-21
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.5 |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure | |
| Rock Quality | |
| Scenery | |
| Fun Factor | |
none
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Added: 2008-06-07
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | |
| Safety Rating | G |
West Slabs
Long and fun, cruiser. 5.5?!? Maybe two moves. Simul'd in three blocks. Scrambled to N. Summit, ran out of water, descent sucked.
Added: 2007-10-21
