by edl » Mon Oct 05, 2009 4:53 am
Just for the record, the OS route is routinely done without ropes. But this should be attempted only be people who are very experienced soloing class 5 rock. One slip and you'll spend the rest of your life falling down the Black Ice Couloir.
As an alternative, if you're comfortable on Class 3/4 rock, the Enclosure is a really fun scramble and gives you a good taste of what a climb of the Grand is like. It also gives you the best view of the OS route you'll get from anywhere.