Standard Free Rack w/ one 4" piece for the OW section. Otherwise small - medium cams will do you fine. A standard hook is not required but will help at the crux.
By Peter Franzen Administrator From: Portland, OR Jan 24, 2007
I hope someone can come in and add a better description of this. Beta on rigging the rappel, how to manage the ropes, a pitch-by-pitch, and some info on how to set up the tyrolean would be very helpful for this fantastic route.
The rap requires 2 60M ropes. (A third rope is to be used for the climb itself.) There are a few healthy pines nearly directly across from the spire that can be slung. The guidebook indicates an anchor right in line with the rap where passing the knot is to be accomplished; we didn't find it. Perhaps we were a little too far right. We used some 1"-2" gear to rig an anchor nonetheless.
Once at the notch, the follower should tag line the ropes used for the rap, checking occasionally for snaggage. The route twists up the spire approximately 180 degrees, so be careful to check the line by pulling the slack up (& then releasing it- too taut and you won't be able to make the turn around the spire.)
Once the top is gained, pull the line tight and secure it on the myriad (of newly replaced) anchors on top. This will only use one of the ropes; bag the extra. The first to traverse gets a belay and then once on the rim secures his end much like for the rappel. On the spire, the second ties the traverse line to the belay line and feeds it thru the anchors. Pick one to traverse (and make a mental note of which has the knot so it pulls freely through when both are safely back on terra firma.) A variation to that is to use the third rope as a belay line for the last guy off the spire.
I'm sure there are several other ways to pull this off, I'm just sharing how we did it.
Amazing exposure at an amazing setting. Good Luck!
P1: .10d pin scars and fingers right off the notch (easy for the rating, some fixed gear, short crux) to easier climbing to more fixed gear and a stance below an awkward slightly bulging, grainy, and flaring .10a fist/OW for a few moves to a belay on a huge ledge.
P2: Move left off the ledge using a couple of small pieces to a large flat edge than can be hooked or bust a psuedo-free 5.8ish move to get the next placement. A few placements interspersed with bolts/rivets (both with and without hangers..take some small wires or rivet hangers) leads to a full-on bolt ladder than ends as the angle kicks back about 15' below the top. Step out of the aiders and fight the rope drag on the dead easy slab that will feel harder with the drag.
Or, free it at 5.12b, stopping to belay halfway up this pitch after it stops traversing left to cut down the rope drag.
Terrific position and novelty make this a must do. The climbing itself is largely fogettable.
TrevorB: You don't need two 60m ropes for the starting rappel, I've done it with two 50m's. Perhaps you missed the intermediate anchor because you had a 60m rope? Another trick is to lead the first pitch using the end of the rap line, this way you only need two ropes. I've not done this but surely it can be done with two 60m ropes? The first pitch is not very long.
Once exciting moment comes when starting the tyrolean traverse. Here you suddenly realize that the first half is all downhill, and amazingly steeply downhill! Some may enjoy "letting go", or hand braking on the rope, but we used an extra rope end anchored to the summit to rappel, for a nice, slow, controlled start.
The best spot for photographs from the rim of someone on the tyrolean traverse is rather dangerous (as in right on or even slightly over the edge of a slab). I recommend anchoring yourself with a rope so you don't have to worry about falling off.
Lost Arrow Spire Tip
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