Yes, someone knows . . . but not me. I never tried to measure the distance from Thank God Ledge to the top of the Visor, but it never seemed all that far away. Still, unless you're planning on jugging back up, I'd take more than one rope.
We're bringing 2 ropes (1 70 and 1 60). The 60 is thicker so we wanted to use that for the rap and 70 to work the zig zags. We're just not 100% it will reach the ledge.
Don't rap in from the visor, that's st00pid! Tourons will have at your anchor.
Downclimb the 4th class blocks to the top of the last technical pitch and rap from there. Then "yes" a 60m will work. Leave a fixed rope or that French team that passes you will surely take off with your gear. Even with the fixed rope you have a 50/50 chance.
is it common to rap in to work the zig zags on HD? Seems like a major pain in the ass... might even be easier to just do the regular NWF french free to get there, lol. At least you get more rock climbing in! :D
Werner, I like that response much better then "It's piss easy, anyone can do it" for sure.
Two different length ropes makes me nervous.
It's 1000 or more for a tech rescue, and 900 if you just get a litter ride from the base of El Cap - watch out, they are serious about those fines. Have to agree that it sounds like a big pain in the wazoo to me.
I'd consider rapping the slabs just east of The Visor where the Regular Route and Direct finish, and then reversing the Thank God Ledge traverse to the top of the Zig Zags.
You are planning ahead, I assume, and not going up there til the cables are up, Right?
Whatever ... but if you fuk up either way or any way and need to be rescued you'll be out of $1000 or more immediately.
Is it me or does this sound like someone else talking? Maybe the LEO? I wonder if I tried to fight my violation if Werner's opinion that my partner screwed up would hold or if the LEO and others would "convince" him to change his tune.
But yeah, read the "Rappelling El Capitan" thread. If your partner decides they would prefer a full blown rescue to simply ascending a rope, you might be hosed too.
I agree with Kevin (warbler) that if I were rapping, I'd start on the slabs north of the Visor. If you're working the Zig-Zags, though, will a 70m rope suffice? The Zig-Zags start at Big Sandy, which is more tham one 70m rope would reach from Thank God Ledge, if I remember rightly (which, at my age, is unlikely).
The Zig-Zags alone are more like 85-90 meters and there is a pitch above them (or two traversing ones to be precise), so altogether 110-120 meters from the top maybe? So to be clear, one rope is definitely not enough. But it has already been said above..
Screw that....Im rappin' that thing from top to bottom. Thinking of chartering a covert heli to take me to the top. How are the snow conditions? Can I ski the death slabs?
EDIT: If anyone hears someone yelling Googly Mooogly, that is my safe word and it means I need rescue. Come get me WBraun
For fuk's sake you weezing wankers - he wants to preview the zig-zags for a free attempt.
I have heard 2x200' ropes end-end will make it, but you have to be swinging a bit or you'll be in space, just out from Big Sandy - but I have not done this myself.
The hard climbing in the Zig Zags is 4-5 moves. If you can't fire these on your second try, after a 3-5 min work session, after climbing up from the bottom - you're too weak to free the route, IMO. Previewing, therefore, is a waste of time and energy.
Hey Werner.
If this TREND of rapping Big Walls continue,
you may have to get mor SAR Volunteers.
Does anyone know which route would be the best
if I wanted to Rap from the top of Glacier Point
Apron? I gotta find out for myself what the excitement is of rapping a Big Wall!
I suppose if you do it now it would not be interfering with ground up parties. If I was coming from the ground and came upon a party working the zig zags from the top I would not be impressed. Why don't you put in some milage on routes of similar difficulty then have a go from the ground.
Were definitely not going to block anyone from climbing it. If we have to we will do it at night, work the pitches and get out of the way of anyone trying to make it to the top. Good idea to work some other climbs 1st of equal difficultly and style. I'll talk it over with my partner.
Thanks
If I was coming from the ground and came upon a party working the zig zags from the top I would not be impressed.
You know I've often thought the same thing. I climbed Salathe in 1981. There was no-one else on the route. I can't really imagine how disappointed I'd be if I'd pulled around the roof onto the headwall to find a fixed rope down from the top and someone working those next pitches.
Edit: I hadn't seen Erik's reply when I posted this.
Gotta go with HarryHotDog, Scott, and Werner. Your plan seems lame. Get good enough to climb it free, then do it from the ground. And if you can't free the zig-zags when you get there, use aid and finish your climb. Then come back when you've improved if you are so obsessed with doing it free. I'd respect your efforts much more as would many here.
BTW: Sandy Ledges is a WAY COOL place to spend a night, especially with a full moon...
Seriously though, is there anyone on the forum who has actually rappelled to Big Sandy and is willing to share the logistics? I know it has been done.
I'm not trying to troll for controversy(anymore). I am actually curious.
I know Erik and he has climbed the Regular NW face twice (not free though)and it seems reasonable for him to want to check out the upper crux without being super tired from climbing the lower 3/4.
I'm pretty sure he has no desire to rap the entirety of Half Dome either.
My partner and I might give it a go in July. If so, I'll make sure to put the TR up.
As for the rhetorical question about doing the climb bottom-up, it's basically a time thing. We're mostly there to do the single-rope drop off the top of Mescalito--which is a repeat of a trip we did in 2010. It calls for a pretty strict schedule as we have to have people in the right places so some Nose-in-a-day doesn't think they can ATC their way down our rope. Wouldn't say that if I wasn't there when the guy asked last time we were there. I'm pretty sure he was serious...
That, and it's fun as all getout. I've been doing it in between other climbs and for fun for about 20 years. Different level of technical skill--very much like a multidrop pull-down through trip in a cave, or a retreat off a mountain. Mostly steeper, though.
Let us know!