Rappel rope choice, for rappelling from top of First Creek Slabs , Red Rocks?

We will be at RR this week, hope to climb Lady Luck, Sunset Slab or one of those. Off of First Creek Slabs......

Wondering for the rappel at the "pine tree", what rope/s should we take on the climbs? I have a 9.5 70m rope, and have two 8mm 60m half ropes.

Which do you think would be best to use so we have the best descending experience?

.....also, any beta needed for the approach?

Thanks!!!!

I have climbed those routes and done the rappels several times, always with a single 70M rope. However, that does entail a bit of down climbing to reach the anchor for the third rappel. It's not much of a nuisance compared to managing or packing two ropes. There is another bit of down climbing farther down the gully, but you can rig something like an anchor there if you want one and don't find one already in place.

I have descended that area a handful of times. I’d take the half ropes. See MP description for seven pitch and longer routes between Sunset Slab on climber's left and Hot Flash on the right.  First rap is short. But pretty convenient to do double rope raps after that.

Then again, your mention of a pine tree brings memories of getting over to the descent from, say, Lotta Balls. I’ve done something like that but would not for routes like the above.

John R wrote:

.....also, any beta needed for the approach?

In general for those types of things at RR that are that low angle, the start of things can be confusing because you cannot see the rest of the route, and this can be true even for very heavily travelled trade routes if you are not familiar with the area.  Look at the line in the photos to put a landmark in your mind so you know what you are heading for.  Sometimes people will put a photo on MP with the description "looking up at the first pitch from the base" and it is worth looking for those. Have fun! I use a 70 meter for that descent with no issues...

I remember when we used to do that whole descent rappelling at all. I think there are a couple spots where a short rappel is nice, but I’m still surprised most people rappel the entire length.

I wouldn’t take two ropes down that thing- too low angle. You’ll spend more time untangling your ropes than actually rappelling. 

Random Climber wrote:

I remember when we used to do that whole descent rappelling at all. I think there are a couple spots where a short rappel is nice, but I’m still surprised most people rappel the entire length.

I wonder if your experience was before the relatively new rap route that goes straight down a water polished gully (easier on old knees).

In that gully, with one 70 meter rope, we had to get creative in a couple spots.  Also, a 70 meter rope won’t reach the water pool on the last rap.

One time at that last rap with one 60 meter rope, we used a tree to skier’s right as an intermediate rap anchor but that seemed quite messy and seldom traveled. Maybe things have changed?

Sounds like the path- we just zigged and zagged around it a bit to avoid the slippery parts. I used that tree once and agree it was annoying, but it worked out. Better than hauling a second rope up, imho.

It’s funny how things change over time…it’s probably nicer to rappel, but I remember it usually taking about an hour to just scramble down it after the first quick rap off the big tree at the top and then the last couple raps at the bottom.

You can make it down fine with a 70m but it requires a good bit of down climbing between stations for quite a few of the raps.  It's low angle and pretty secure (scooching down water grooves) but might be a pain if you've never done the rappels before just with the navigation of finding the stations at some spots.  Twin 60s will get you down to every station with no down climbing but the upper rappels are a pain because of how low angle they are.  The ropes constantly pool up and tangle so you spend a lot of time constantly undoing a giant mess of rope and retossing them.  If it's your first time, I would say the double 60s might the better choice, especially if you think you might end up rapping at dark by chance.

First rap is a single rope rappel off a bolted anchor just below the big dead pine tree.  Past that it is double rope raps off bolted anchors with hardware the whole way.  Very last rap station can be tricky to find, especially in the dark.  Just be aware it is climbers left hidden on a comfy ledge. 

If you decide to use a single 70m, you'll use the same anchors except for an additional rappel at the end.  There was previously a rappel tree climbers left for the last rap but there seems to be a bolted anchor there now.

I've used a 70 with no problem. As said above, you have to downclimb some but it isn't too hard. I also have every pitch of Lady Luck + the descent beta on my channel if you or anyone else is interested. I did the route again last October and the tree anchor was still there for the last rap to the ground. Cord had recently been replaced. As for the approach, it can be kinda tricky finding the start. I remember scrambling a little bit to the base while also going around a big, prickly bush. You start going up to the left of the route and scramble to the right on a ledge or two. I used pictures from MP to find the base so just go off those. Here's pitch 7 and descent beta: youtube.com/watch?v=RCuJXcb…

Lots of good information in posts above.

Blaine Hartness wrote:

I did the route again last October and the tree anchor was still there for the last rap to the ground. Cord had recently been replaced.

If this is after the last bolted rap (double rope), there is a pretty easy down climb at skier’s left from that bowl / ledge. It’s the only way we have gone.

Bryan K wrote:

Twin 60s will get you down to every station with no down climbing but the upper rappels are a pain because of how low angle they are.  The ropes constantly pool up and tangle so you spend a lot of time constantly undoing a giant mess of rope and retossing them.

Yeah. Makes sense. And there are at least a couple ways to avoid the mess.

Bill Lawry wrote:

Lots of good information in posts above.

If this is after the last bolted rap (double rope), there is a pretty easy down climb at skier’s left from that bowl / ledge. It’s the only way we have gone.

I think I noticed that the last time. I was interested in trying it but didn’t know how it was

Blaine Hartness wrote:

I think I noticed that the last time. I was interested in trying it but didn’t know how it was

The only “con” I can think of is that branches tend to crowd you, maybe just for the first ten feet. Wants tidy backpack coils.  :)