Coming from halfway across the country (& not knowing what my partner might/might not have for gear, i.e. what I need to bring), this does not help much. This is one of the more important pieces of information that one can provide for a route! Suggestions welcome.
I just changed that description. When I did the Petit many years ago my rack consisted of: Chouinard Stoppers 1-12, Hexes 3-11, Forged Friends 1-4. For the Petit I left the larger stuff at home, including the 10-11 hexes, 3.5 and 4.0 Friend. I recall the route being easy to protect with pro up to 3 inches or so.
We just did this and I wondered if you are forgetting another rappel. Unless we missed some snappy way to do it, there are 3 rappels from the summit to the ledge that you walk left, not 2. The rappel over the "void" would be rap #4. Maybe you can combine the normal rap 2 and 3 and do it together?
Mountainproject, climbinglife and the Gillet guidebook all list 6 rappels as well. Did you have a double 70s?
I was wondering when someone would chime in. Mark my words though that it is only 2 raps from the summit to the big ledge where you walk left. We had a double 60 and made it just fine. I am 100% certain that Mountainproject, climbinglife and the Gillet guidebook are all wrong. I would probably have died otherwise lol
Edit: I see you just did this as well...did you do 6 raps? If so could you fill me in as to where the so called "fatty metolius bolts" are? I never found them but they weren't needed.
Who knows. I read your TR and you said you used a 70, could that've made a difference?
The "fatty" rap bolts were after 2 rappels from the summit and put you on the large ledge where you walked over to the rap over the "void". We had 2 60s and I'm fairly sure we would have not made it in 2 rappels but maybe we could have. Could be wrong, but here is something from MP. If they're correct on their numbers, it's not doable in 2 rappels as they had to rig an alternate rappel off of a block to be able to reach the ledge...
"We missed the fixed rap rings for the third rap (be sure to keep looking climber's left around 160 feet) but continued for roughly 180 feet to a solid block that's slung with good webbing and a cold shut and rap ring. From there, it's about a 40 foot rap down to the large grassy ledge where you gain fixed rap anchors at the far end of the ledge (as described on MP site)."
You're probably right in the description but it'd be a shame if you're not and somebody reads your description and runs out of rope on rap #2. There must be a reason that all the other sources out there call for 6. Especially Eli, I'm sure he's climbed this route dozens of times so I'd assume he knows by now.
We had a 70 meter single strand that I rigged up with a 60 meter pull cord by tying 2 30 meter alpine ropes together. I did see that large slung block you are referring to. Since our pull cord was only 60 meters (less with the knots) we were not able to use the final 10 meters on our 70 during the raps. I do recall in the comments below the route description on MP someone also said you only have to do 5 raps. I just read that rap 2 and 3 if you seperate them are both 100 feet long and this is done to make it less likely to get the rope stuck. I do remember when we did it our 2nd rap got me right to the big ledge and I had to reach slightly for the pull cord so it barely made it. I'll make a note of it on the page but again, I wont be able to say where those big metolius bolts are lol
Haha. Sounds good. Interesting for sure! I went first on the first 3 rappels and both #1 and #2 were well past 100 feet and #3 was just at 100. After the first rappel, the metolius bolts were approx. 130 feet below and about 10 feet to climber's left.
Diggler - Aug 27, 2007 2:09 pm - Hasn't voted
What is a "standard" rack?Coming from halfway across the country (& not knowing what my partner might/might not have for gear, i.e. what I need to bring), this does not help much. This is one of the more important pieces of information that one can provide for a route! Suggestions welcome.
stevepack - Sep 4, 2007 10:44 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: What is aI just changed that description. When I did the Petit many years ago my rack consisted of: Chouinard Stoppers 1-12, Hexes 3-11, Forged Friends 1-4. For the Petit I left the larger stuff at home, including the 10-11 hexes, 3.5 and 4.0 Friend. I recall the route being easy to protect with pro up to 3 inches or so.
Diggler - Sep 9, 2007 2:31 am - Hasn't voted
Re: What is aThanks- appreciated. Got stormed off after 3 pitches, so I'll be back (with a sufficient rack, hopefully! Didn't need much for the first 3 pitches).
Brian C - Jul 12, 2013 6:22 pm - Hasn't voted
Rappels - 5 or 6?We just did this and I wondered if you are forgetting another rappel. Unless we missed some snappy way to do it, there are 3 rappels from the summit to the ledge that you walk left, not 2. The rappel over the "void" would be rap #4. Maybe you can combine the normal rap 2 and 3 and do it together?
Mountainproject, climbinglife and the Gillet guidebook all list 6 rappels as well. Did you have a double 70s?
Matt Lemke - Jul 13, 2013 6:44 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Rappels - 5 or 6?I was wondering when someone would chime in. Mark my words though that it is only 2 raps from the summit to the big ledge where you walk left. We had a double 60 and made it just fine. I am 100% certain that Mountainproject, climbinglife and the Gillet guidebook are all wrong. I would probably have died otherwise lol
Edit: I see you just did this as well...did you do 6 raps? If so could you fill me in as to where the so called "fatty metolius bolts" are? I never found them but they weren't needed.
Brian C - Jul 15, 2013 10:31 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Rappels - 5 or 6?Who knows. I read your TR and you said you used a 70, could that've made a difference?
The "fatty" rap bolts were after 2 rappels from the summit and put you on the large ledge where you walked over to the rap over the "void". We had 2 60s and I'm fairly sure we would have not made it in 2 rappels but maybe we could have. Could be wrong, but here is something from MP. If they're correct on their numbers, it's not doable in 2 rappels as they had to rig an alternate rappel off of a block to be able to reach the ledge...
"We missed the fixed rap rings for the third rap (be sure to keep looking climber's left around 160 feet) but continued for roughly 180 feet to a solid block that's slung with good webbing and a cold shut and rap ring. From there, it's about a 40 foot rap down to the large grassy ledge where you gain fixed rap anchors at the far end of the ledge (as described on MP site)."
You're probably right in the description but it'd be a shame if you're not and somebody reads your description and runs out of rope on rap #2. There must be a reason that all the other sources out there call for 6. Especially Eli, I'm sure he's climbed this route dozens of times so I'd assume he knows by now.
Matt Lemke - Jul 16, 2013 12:50 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Rappels - 5 or 6?We had a 70 meter single strand that I rigged up with a 60 meter pull cord by tying 2 30 meter alpine ropes together. I did see that large slung block you are referring to. Since our pull cord was only 60 meters (less with the knots) we were not able to use the final 10 meters on our 70 during the raps. I do recall in the comments below the route description on MP someone also said you only have to do 5 raps. I just read that rap 2 and 3 if you seperate them are both 100 feet long and this is done to make it less likely to get the rope stuck. I do remember when we did it our 2nd rap got me right to the big ledge and I had to reach slightly for the pull cord so it barely made it. I'll make a note of it on the page but again, I wont be able to say where those big metolius bolts are lol
Brian C - Jul 16, 2013 2:37 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Rappels - 5 or 6?Haha. Sounds good. Interesting for sure! I went first on the first 3 rappels and both #1 and #2 were well past 100 feet and #3 was just at 100. After the first rappel, the metolius bolts were approx. 130 feet below and about 10 feet to climber's left.