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Protection on Kelso Ridge?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:53 pm
by battledome
I'm planning to visit Grays and Torreys with some flatlander friends of mine this August, and I was looking into Kelso Ridge. Does anyone know if the rock will take protection? The rock looks pretty loose to me, but I think my friends may be wanting a belay along the fourth class sections. Advise?

PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:58 pm
by Pivvay
It's a third class ridge. I'm sure you can find some scatter pro of the alpine variety.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:23 am
by battledome
As helpful as that is... I'm looking for something more... uh... specific.

That is to say, on the fourth class buttress prior to the knife's edge ridge, is the rock stable enough to place stoppers? Or is it all super-crumbly?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:34 am
by Bob Sihler
Honestly, I don't think you need protection on this route in August. It's all subjective, of course, but I dispute that any part of the route is even Class 4 at all.

Edit-- I see you've been on the Old Rag Ridge Trail. Having been on both that and Kelso Ridge, I truly feel there is nothing on Kelso Ridge harder than anything on the Ridge Trail.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:42 am
by battledome
Bob... I agree... and I likely wouldn't protect it if it were just me... but my buddies have never done anything other than class 1 and 2. So, my concern is to have the option of rigging pro in order to ease their nerves if it comes to that.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:43 am
by Pivvay
It's not 4th class is what I was saying. I'm sure you can find some pro but if you're just short roping 2nds past a scary part then there are plenty of ways to do it. Sling a rock, use the ridge and a stance, find a placement. If you're wanting to place protection at regular intervals then the route is probably not a good idea for the group. It doesn't take much solid pro for a leader at a stance to catch a slip on 3rd class terrain with a tight belay. You should never be getting to the "falling" part.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:12 am
by Bob Sihler
battledome wrote:Bob... I agree... and I likely wouldn't protect it if it were just me... but my buddies have never done anything other than class 1 and 2. So, my concern is to have the option of rigging pro in order to ease their nerves if it comes to that.


Where in VA are you? And where are your friends? What I'm getting at-- if Old Rag or someplace like Great Falls is close enough for all of you, why not go there a few times and let them get some experience scrambling on Class 3 and 4 terrain? There will be less exposure than on Kelso Ridge, it might give your friends the experience and confidence they need, and it might make Kelso much easier and a lot more fun for all of you.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 3:11 am
by battledome
I'm with you. I'm in Fairfax, and my friends are old college buddies in Texas. Unfortunately, we only get to hike together once a year and this is it.

They're athletic guys, and I think Kelso is well within their range of ability. It's just that they're inexperienced. I think they'd feel better (and I'd feel better for them) if we had a belay on the buttress. I'm not worried about them on the knife's edge.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:20 am
by slowpoke
A good hip belay should be fine. Don't bother lugging pro and taking the time to place it. Move quick and get your friends down before the storms roll in. They'll likely be moving slow enough as it is if they are not acclimatized. I agree that there are plenty of places you could use to set up anchors off natural features or just set up a hip belay along the route.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 7:13 am
by Kiefer
Agreed. If you head up there on a weekend during the summer, as busy as a route as it is, you won't be making any friends keeping people waiting. Instead of scrambling along the crest, you can contour along the base of the 'White Tower' on its NW side. Would make more sense, if you HAD to place anything, to do so along a face then on a ridge crest. Plus the exposure diminishes since THAT will be an issue.

slowpoke wrote:A good hip belay should be fine. Don't bother lugging pro and taking the time to place it. Move quick and get your friends down before the storms roll in. They'll likely be moving slow enough as it is if they are not acclimatized. I agree that there are plenty of places you could use to set up anchors off natural features or just set up a hip belay along the route.