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Rappel Owens Spalding Route on the Grand Teton

PostPosted: Mon May 12, 2014 1:47 am
by gwave47
So I keep reading that a 60m rope is not long enough for the main rappel, unless you aim for a certain spot high on the landing zone. Does anybody know if a 70m rope would reach, or will I need to decide between an 80m rope or using two 60m ropes. I really don't want to have to "rig" anything together, so please only respond if you can tell me yes or no with confidence.

Re: Rappel Owens Spalding Route on the Grand Teton

PostPosted: Mon May 12, 2014 3:02 am
by WyomingSummits
gwave47 wrote:So I keep reading that a 60m rope is not long enough for the main rappel, unless you aim for a certain spot high on the landing zone. Does anybody know if a 70m rope would reach, or will I need to decide between an 80m rope or using two 60m ropes. I really don't want to have to "rig" anything together, so please only respond if you can tell me yes or no with confidence.


Depends on your acceptable level of risk. I'd rather just take the 2 ropes and do the rap to the Saddle and be done with it. Single roping would require some down climbing. The last 60 ft of the main rap is free but there is a chimney to the south of the main rap point that you can do 2 single rope raps off of some chockstones. There may be a variation on the main that with some ingenuity and downclimbing that single roping would work. Some say that bailing off many areas along the ridge on Wolf's head can't be done. I got sick on it last year and bailed. it required free solo traversing some unprotectable 50ft slabs looking at 120 ft fall.....but it can be done as long as the risk is acceptable. That being said....just take a couple of thin lines and split them with your partner. The main rap is 120ft give or take, so double rapping on an 80m should give you 10 spare feet.

Re: Rappel Owens Spalding Route on the Grand Teton

PostPosted: Mon May 12, 2014 6:47 am
by Matt Lemke
A 70 meter will work...I did it and it was just fine

Re: Rappel Owens Spalding Route on the Grand Teton

PostPosted: Thu May 15, 2014 1:35 am
by gwave47
Thanks Matt... I figured as long as we use a rope with at least 6% elongation, it should have the extra stretch to reach on a 120 foot repel, of course I feel better knowing that someone else has successfully done this.