West Temple, III, 5.8

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West Temple, III, 5.8

West Temple, III, 5.8

West Temple’s southwest ridge is definitely shorter than Cowboy Ridge, III, 5.7. You enter the ridge above 6000’. Start out left from the notch to gain the ridge and climb it direct, sometimes hiking, sometimes scrambling. I almost stepped on a striped whipsnake on this section of the ridge. Southwest Ridge, West Temple, III, 5.8, Zion National Park, April, 2007
Dow Williams
on Apr 19, 2007 1:02 pm
Image Type(s): Alpine Climbing
Image ID: 286451

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rpc

rpc - Apr 19, 2007 1:13 pm - Voted 10/10

Nice.

Looks like fun Dow!

So what's a striped whipsnake? Viper of some kind? Never heard of those.

Dow Williams

Dow Williams - Apr 19, 2007 1:34 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Nice.

No Radek, not dangerous, but very fast. A quite long and narrow guy with racing stripes sort of. The issue is, some of this ridge can be narrow, so when these dudes surprise you like this guy did, better not jump! Saw a trip report on rockclimbing.com where a lady almost stepped on a rattler up here. Would hate to have to face the long descent if I was bit by a rattlesnake, but assume one would make it (in most circumstances). Cheers.

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