philadendron - Dec 23, 2015 8:13 pm - Hasn't voted
Workaround and descent
I just did this route this past weekend, and I noticed two things:
-the "traverse just after the notch" that most descriptions mention as being hairy is a little hairy, but there is a workaround. I didn't feel comfortable with the move, so I backtracked slightly and moved down into the gully below the awkward move. I then climbed directly up the area the awkward move traverses. On the way back, the move is a lot less awkward and I didn't have to use the workaround.
-on the descent, there are so many cairns to follow that you really do have to use your intuition. I was able to descend slowly but surely from the notch, rather than ascending all the way up the other side of the notch (reversing the ascent route). The tradeoff was that I really had to monitor my situation and assess whether I was "too low". At one point, close to the bottom, I could see myself becoming cliffed out, so I ascended directly up about 100 feet and then the rest was easy going. I actually found it to be a fun little game, trying to descend quickly, but smartly.
-supposedly there is a speedier descent that starts at the first major gully you encounter on your descent. I was tempted, but didn't bite. My descent the safe way only took about 1:20 to the wash, and I've read the "speedy descent" takes 0:45 to the wash, so I don't really have any regrets.
philadendron - Dec 23, 2015 8:13 pm - Hasn't voted
Workaround and descentI just did this route this past weekend, and I noticed two things:
-the "traverse just after the notch" that most descriptions mention as being hairy is a little hairy, but there is a workaround. I didn't feel comfortable with the move, so I backtracked slightly and moved down into the gully below the awkward move. I then climbed directly up the area the awkward move traverses. On the way back, the move is a lot less awkward and I didn't have to use the workaround.
-on the descent, there are so many cairns to follow that you really do have to use your intuition. I was able to descend slowly but surely from the notch, rather than ascending all the way up the other side of the notch (reversing the ascent route). The tradeoff was that I really had to monitor my situation and assess whether I was "too low". At one point, close to the bottom, I could see myself becoming cliffed out, so I ascended directly up about 100 feet and then the rest was easy going. I actually found it to be a fun little game, trying to descend quickly, but smartly.
-supposedly there is a speedier descent that starts at the first major gully you encounter on your descent. I was tempted, but didn't bite. My descent the safe way only took about 1:20 to the wash, and I've read the "speedy descent" takes 0:45 to the wash, so I don't really have any regrets.