Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
Specific Question about the Last Two Pitches of The Diagonal in the Daks
|
I posted this question under the route description this morning but realized that it will get more traction here: I'm looking to lead this climb at the end of July and I am wondering about the final two pitches. I lead up to 5.7 trad and have a bunch of experience but I am curious if the "cruxes" of the last two pitches (rated 5.8 on MP), if beyond my ability, can be "French freed" just to get through the final bits. If not, can you rap from the start of Pitch 7? Thanks! Climb On! |
|
Yes, they could, the start of the first 5.8 pitch seems really intimidating but its quick couple moves when you get into it. The 2nd pitch is littered with gear placements and old pitons, you could clip 5 pieces from a single stance if you wanted. I felt the grades were a bit softer than usual. Get after it! |
|
The beginning of the first 5.8 pitch was pretty balance-y for me. You're only 5 or 10 ft off the deck so it's prob be a short, but potentially hard fall since it traverses right there. I believe i could have French freed the exit of that bit, which was the crux for me. P2 I followed and I thought it was a bit harder. There were some wide corners at times, but I do think you could find smaller gear out it the side or in reachable cracks. I think it's all reversible if you need to down climb. Or bailing is easy as well. Enjoy! The diagonal pitches are a dream |
|
Just to add, i don't remember the pitches being a challenge when i did it years ago. I do remember a planned bivy at the ledge (awesome!), so we left stuff there and retrieved it on our way back down on rappel, thus there is no committment to finish the final two pitches if you chose not to do them. |
|
FWIW I broke my heel falling and smacking the big ledge and had to rap down in the dark and hobble out with a stick as a crutch when I attempted the diagonal earlier than I should have. I agree with a lot of the comments above, but just consider the remote setting, need for self-rescue, and terrain in your decision to go or not. The rock isn't going anywhere if you wanted to climb into higher grades cragging before attempting it. |
Ben Vwrote: Wow, damn, sorry to hear about that! Good to know and I'll be extra attentive. I'll be more than prepared to bail at the base of pitch 6 if it looks too hard for me. I'll also bring triples of everything that I might need and perhaps even an aider ladder as I've done some aid climbing in the past and I'm really psyched to get up it, if at all possible! As for "cragging" and getting stronger, I'm on the "backside" of getting any stronger having started climbing in 1986 and now in my 50's!!! These days I'm trying to prevent getting worse more often than getting better (although I'm still trying!) Thanks for the advice! |
|
I thought the two top pitches were fine but they were legit 5.8 and I would not advise you to push beyond your limits in this very remote setting. |
|
there short but definitely all of 5.8.. you could probably do some aid shenanigans to bypass them.. |
|
It is easy to bail from the crux pitches and walk back around to the top of the diagonal and rap from there down the normal rap route. Rapping can take a bit of time for route finding, tho the description listed here on MP is adequate. Just saying this if you're running out of daylight to leave time to rap and get out. Also I'm an advocate for caution in the daks. There's only so many rangers and that's a real tough spot to get the state trooper helicopter in to even if it's available. It's a bad place to have a bad time. |
Buck Rogerswrote: No worries! Luckily ended up being a good lesson... Not one to be repeated. Sorry for assuming your level of experience. Have a blast up there! |
|
As an old-school Climber, you should be able to use nuts and not bring a triple rack in with you. I believe both times that I did it, we only used a single rack but that was long enough ago that we may have had a couple of large hexes. |
Ben Vwrote: Ha! No worries! I do have a lot of experience but not a lot of climbing ability left at this point (no more hard 5.10 for me!) so your assumptions were not necessarily too far off! ;) But I'll make sure that I am super safe and maybe it's a good thing that I just redid my WFRer last month and reupped my AMGA Pro license and AAC membership as well! (just kidding--I'll be very safe and not put myself in the need of any rescue and endangerment to others unless a freak accident happens). I've no ego left at this point: If it looks too crazy, I'll retreat back to the end of pitch 4 and rap down! |
Buck Rogerswrote: Have a blast!! |
