Bail off the naked edge?

I don't want to jinx myself, but I'm going with a super psyched climber to try this sucker saturday. I _think_ we should be able to get to the top, but just in case, how easy is it to bail off with a single 60m? Where is "the point of no return?"

I think a 70M is required to rap the 3rd pitch, although I have never tried it.

i dread the thought of it.

Don't worry about needing to bail Phil, worst comes to worst and you can aid/french free through any dificulties on p4 and 5. if you absolutely had to retreat, you can make an anchor with nuts to split up the p3 rap. but you won't need to. And, I bet some real eldo pros might chime in who know of a trick rap to a hidden station? but main point, don't sweat it, you'll be fine. Enjoy the exposure and sense of commitment. My working hypothesis, which can help calm the unsettled mind, is one can retreat from anywhere in eldo with a single rope if you're willing to part with a little gear.

The 3rd pitch is definitely the longest. Though when weather forced a retreat we had a 70M cord and it was two raps from the top of the 3rd to the ledge. I'm not sure but you might be able to rig some kind of anchor part way down the 3rd pitch if you don't have a 70.
have a great time, the weather looks stellar.
BA

If you can't do the slot pitch you can lower down to the belay and climb around to the left (5.8/9) and finish on T2. I think this was the original finish.
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If you had to rappel from the slot you would have to stop part way down that pitch where there is a fixed pin and probably build a rap anchor with another one or two pieces. Then rap from there to the top of the next pitch and down from there. A 60m will work.

OR you can aid through the crux of the chimney and arrive at the belay where you could rap straight down or finish up the last pitch using ancient French free techniques.

Now you might ask how is it that I know all these options work? I've had to resort to one or the other or all of these at some point.

This is the best 5.11 climb in Colorado and possibly the universe. GET PSYCHED!

I did this route a few hours ago and finished pitch 3 thinking that it wouldn't be very hard to rappel in 2 raps, but you'd have to trust a pin or back it up with a piece of gear. The only 5.11 moves on the whole climb you couldn't A0 would probably be on pitch 4, but as everyone has said, you can climb left from this belay and escape onto something much easier.

All belays are fixed and all pitches are less than 30m, except for p3. However, there are several good-looking pins and it's lower angle than the other pitches. It'd be pretty easy to descend p3 in 2 rappels, using one of the in-situ pins and/or a nut for your 2nd rappel. pretty cheap and not so epic.

WOW! There's a wealth of information here. Thanks for all of the info! I'm very psyched, it will definitely be an adventure! I'm definitely going to try and take all of the pitches I feel I have chance of making up, and since my partner is super soft from climbing in Yosemite all summer I'll probably have to drag him up the cruxes....

Once again thanks for all the positive encouragement!
I was half expecting people to tell me that it was way beyond my abilities.

best 5.11 in colorado? that should go to a vote. i'm pretty sure wunch's or yellow wall would trounce the edge pretty severely.

Just did this thang yesterday. Yee haw.

You'll want a 70 for sure to bail. Dont take one!!! Make yourself keep moving up!!!. I'd dread having to "aid" the bombay though.

Get er done!

slim wrote:best 5.11 in colorado? that should go to a vote. i'm pretty sure wunch's or yellow wall would trounce the edge pretty severely.

I sure would love to tie in with you guys and do "The Edge" for the first time again.

Trip Report Phil???

Haha unfortunately there is not too much to report. The edge will have to wait through the winter for a successful ascent by any party composing of yours truly.

We got up to the base of the first pitch in fine form(the cave pitch is actually pretty cool). Colin blasted through the first part of the first pitch but then got stalled right above the ledge at the crux. He hung his way up, then I followed, actually falling on the 5.8 entry moves into the 5.9 crack. I thought, oh god, this is going to be a long pitch. But then I cruised the rest of it on tr no falls or takes.

However, the abundant pro had helped Colin avoid a long fall, and he wasn't really up for a letter grade harder with significantly less pro. I wasn't really ready for it either. So we retreated off with our tails between our legs to go find something a little easier. :(:(:(

oh well, I guess I'll just come back next summer when I'm ready to lead it, or find someone else who wants to lead the sucker earlier in the year.

It made me realize how easy it is to skid off some of those eldo slopers, even on 5.8. A sobering thought, because I free solo up to 5.6 on a regular basis. Mic and co. have some real gonads. It made me realize I'm not going to free solo anything harder than 5.6 unless I have the moves absolutely dialed.

Don't let it get ya, Phil. The first time I went up there, my partner and I were 5.9 guys just trying to deflower the mystique- we knew we were going to get worked. The scariest part was that accepted practice back then was to solo to the base. We generally "cheated" our way to the top and learned plenty to help with subsequent ascents. We weren't sophisticated enough to want to cherish an on-sight, we just wanted to summit. Pick a nice enough day and commit to a few hours of battle, you won't be disappointed.

Phil,

Don't hang your head. Now you have the approach one step closer to dialed. Go again, and again, and again until it's sent. Read about some of the mountaineering/climbing greats - Riccardo Casin, Hermann Buhl, Reinhold Messner, John Gill, Henry Barber, Marc LeMenestral, etc... The common thread is they all failed regularly and succeeded only through persistence and determination.

On my current Eldo project, just last week, at the crux I was horrified of a clean 15' fall onto a bolt and mumbled out loud "I'm scard" before down climbing and taking a baby fall onto the bolt. I'll be back.

Time is on our side, let's use it wisely!

Well, today Rob Kepley dragged my ass up the naked edge! Thanks so much man! It is a great climb and I feel I can get the lead RP within a month or so. Just have to get back on it.

Thanks for all the good advice on here, and the solid belay Rob!

I need to get drug up that sucker before I leave my beloved CO next year. I know some sharpies that would be glad to do it. Just need to make it happen. Thanks for the thread/inspiration.