(NOTE: I've started posting a new blog just for rope solo http://ropesolo.blogspot.com/ - visit if you like)
Ran up at 4:30 in the waning daylight and boogied up the trail to try and squeeze out a quick climb.
I decided I wanted to try "Liken Ze' Planus" and went up the stairs on the West of The Red Rock. I scrambled down to the anchors, which serve a handful of routes on that section of the North Face, and set up two quickdraws and a backup sling from an anchor I think is meant to protect you while setting up the belay.
Me ready to Rappel:
Me at the bottom, set up for Solo Toproping:
I got up about 12' or so and had some trouble finding a place for my hands and feet that felt safe enough for the slack I had, so I bailed, and rappelled to the bottom from my Eddy - Belay Device by Edelrid
(interesting action - I normally use a Petzl Reverso
).
I decided to shift to the left and try "Always Leave a Generous Root Tip" - another 5.6.
It was a little more fun, and I had a cool moment when I did a mantle/heel-hook move to clear a ledge about 3/4 up - since my body moved about 5' on that one move I had a good 5' of slack, plus the drag required to autolock the Eddy, plus the rope stretch (Sterling 9.8MM). Adds up to a remotely possible DECK!
But...
I made it all the way past the anchors to the little stance there and clipped in a daisy and rested. Check out the forehead action:
And looking back down at the anchors and beyond - past my knee into oblivion and darkness:
In the darkness I bagged the rope and the draws and sling, scrambled back up to my pack, changed my shoes and packed, then while phoning the "I'm still alive" call into DW hiked down the Bonneville Shoreline Trail to the car lot.
Forgot that this trail is so popular and allows horses. Horse poop everywhere.
Till next adventure...
P.S.
Didn't realize that so many would want to know tech details about this rigging. I don't want to be responsible for anyone dieing while trying this who really shouldn't be, but I will offer a few tech tips...
1) you need a really good auto-locking belay device (in lieu of using a complicated knot system, which is totally doable on the cheap)
Ideas:
Edilrid Eddy Autolocking Belay Device
Petzl Grigri Autolocking Belay Device
I prefer the Eddy, but many use the Grigri as well. The Eddy feeds "backwards" from the grigri, so keep that in mind, since unless you use some counterweighted bottom anchor system, you will have to manually feed the rope as you climb.
Some people report using the Trango Cinch Autolocking Belay Device
, but Trango really says "Don't" and I will honor that and pass it along to you.
More updates later...
Ran up at 4:30 in the waning daylight and boogied up the trail to try and squeeze out a quick climb.
I decided I wanted to try "Liken Ze' Planus" and went up the stairs on the West of The Red Rock. I scrambled down to the anchors, which serve a handful of routes on that section of the North Face, and set up two quickdraws and a backup sling from an anchor I think is meant to protect you while setting up the belay.
Me ready to Rappel:
Me at the bottom, set up for Solo Toproping:
I got up about 12' or so and had some trouble finding a place for my hands and feet that felt safe enough for the slack I had, so I bailed, and rappelled to the bottom from my Eddy - Belay Device by Edelrid
(interesting action - I normally use a Petzl Reverso).I decided to shift to the left and try "Always Leave a Generous Root Tip" - another 5.6.
It was a little more fun, and I had a cool moment when I did a mantle/heel-hook move to clear a ledge about 3/4 up - since my body moved about 5' on that one move I had a good 5' of slack, plus the drag required to autolock the Eddy, plus the rope stretch (Sterling 9.8MM). Adds up to a remotely possible DECK!
But...
I made it all the way past the anchors to the little stance there and clipped in a daisy and rested. Check out the forehead action:
And looking back down at the anchors and beyond - past my knee into oblivion and darkness:
In the darkness I bagged the rope and the draws and sling, scrambled back up to my pack, changed my shoes and packed, then while phoning the "I'm still alive" call into DW hiked down the Bonneville Shoreline Trail to the car lot.
Forgot that this trail is so popular and allows horses. Horse poop everywhere.
Till next adventure...
P.S.
Didn't realize that so many would want to know tech details about this rigging. I don't want to be responsible for anyone dieing while trying this who really shouldn't be, but I will offer a few tech tips...
1) you need a really good auto-locking belay device (in lieu of using a complicated knot system, which is totally doable on the cheap)
Ideas:
Edilrid Eddy Autolocking Belay Device
Petzl Grigri Autolocking Belay Device
I prefer the Eddy, but many use the Grigri as well. The Eddy feeds "backwards" from the grigri, so keep that in mind, since unless you use some counterweighted bottom anchor system, you will have to manually feed the rope as you climb.
Some people report using the Trango Cinch Autolocking Belay Device
, but Trango really says "Don't" and I will honor that and pass it along to you.More updates later...
well, you never told me about the possible DECK!
ReplyDeleteBUT...good job! WAY TO GO!