Congrats

[DSunwall]

Steve and John on 9300 & 9242, how were they?

[John Kirk]

Thanks Dwight. Park County and LCW completions are now there for the taking at a time of my choosing. 9242 was really straight-forward, but the first pitch was challenging for me (thanks for the lead Steve) when the crack became more off-width and the face flattened on the right. On 9300, things were pretty smooth up until we tried to rappel 9300 with one 60m. We ended up doing three rappels on the east edge of the slab, over and down massive meat-grinding boulders in a small gully to a hole on the east side of the ridge near the base of the slab. It was a 5.7-ish exit to get out of this hole and extremely crumbly, with a bush blocking the top of the exit (did serve kind of like pro to yard on though). Probably wasted two hours trying to make do without a second rope. Bottom line is bring two 60m ropes for this one (twin ropes to cut down on weight).

[DSunwall]

whoops, sorry about the bad advice on one rope, I thought you guys would just walk down. A slip there would be rather unpleasant however, hamburger for sure.

[John Kirk]

whoops, sorry about the bad advice on one rope, I thought you guys would just walk down. A slip there would be rather unpleasant however, hamburger for sure.

Yeah- depends on comfort level I suppose. Probably a really small chance of a slip, but it would be bad if it happened. In retrospect, belaying the downclimbs might have worked.

[Jeremy Hakes]

Bummed I missed these two! Any TR or approach beta forthcoming? I'll be sure to bring 2 ropes (my twin 60m).

Congrats! Park CO is a big lsit.

[John Kirk]

Here are some TR's

9242:
http://www.listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Tr ... php?Id=960
9300:
http://www.listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Tr ... php?Id=961

If there is anything I don't mention you'd like to know about, let me know

[Jeremy Hakes]

Sweet. Much appreciated, John! I hope to get this this summer, assuming it quits raining.

[DSunwall]

A rare report from the web master.

Looks like you had a lot more vegetation to deal with on the first pitch of 9242, must be all the rain.

I do need to be more careful on my recomendations. Using 2 ropes on the 9300 rappel is a little scary as well though because you are sidehilling the entire way, a slip will give you a huge pendulum across that prickly face and then a smack into the wall. Dealing with all that rope trying to pull me downslope made me think no rope would be better. I went first on the rappel, once I was down I anchored the bottom of the rope so the others wouldn't pendulum. It probably is better than the option you had to take however.

[Jeremy Hakes]

Dwight - what about rappelling down the fall line, then moving the rope over for the 2nd? Or trailing the 2nd rope so it is through the gear, making it a directional rappell (tricky)?

[John Kirk]

Dwight - what about rappelling down the fall line, then moving the rope over for the 2nd? Or trailing the 2nd rope so it is through the gear, making it a directional rappell (tricky)?

You'd have the same pendulum issue if going down where gravity wants you to go, where moving south after the east-facing rappel has you side-hilling a 45 degree angle slope. I guess the force of the pendulum wouldn't be as bad, but the climbing while rappelling to get across the face would be awkward. If the rope would reach on the west side, the image below might be the best option (rappelling the red line). Probably horrific trying to pull the rope free though:

[Jeremy Hakes]

Ah, challenges!

[DSunwall]

Perhaps a fixed line would be best. the leader anchors the ropes at the top, the second anchors at the bottom, the second goes up with a prussic, every one down climbs with a prussic, then pull the ropes. You might get away with one rope this way, belay the last climber down, could have one or two pieces of pro along the way.

the final pitch to the top is ok unroped if I remember correctly, although it is exposed as well.........

[John Kirk]

We left a sling on a big horn of rock about 20 yards from the summit. It is the only obvious place to sling. From there, there was no need for a rope - just don't do any celebratory cartwheels

We wondered if Prater had downclimbed and brought the rope down because there was nothing left behind in the form of slings.

[Steve Knapp]

I just read your TRs on these John, nice write-up. It was a fun and challenging day out there with you. Adventure climbing in a spectacular area of the LCW. You are getting pretty good on the technical stuff and made a great partner. Good luck finishing the rest of Park County.