HCR Questions

I'm planning on going to HCR in a couple days. Have a couple questions.

1) Is it crowded at all in December?
2) Is the standard rapping or lowering?
3) Can I get by with a 40m rope? It seems like most routes are shorter, with the exception of Orange Crush. There's 4 of us so I was thinking of bringing a 60 and a 40.

Thanks in advance!

Crowded? I've seen both it being super packed and super bare, it can go both ways. I'd wager it would be less packed right around Christmas and start picking up close to new years.

Please rappel. But do whatever you're most comfortable with. Safety is always preferred.

40m can get you up pretty much everything at North 40 area, and I'm sure most other places at the ranch. Start getting near Swamp Rat and Orange Crush type of routes, I don't think 40m can quite make it.

December is typically a cold month for Arkansas climbing. If it's cold HCR will be mostly empty. If it's unseasonly warm it will be busy. Most of the traffic is on the easier routes, like many crags. Many climbers lower despite the possibility for a fatal communication error and the significant wear on anchors. Like the previous poster I would just do what you and your partner are comfortable with.

Thanks for all the info. Had a great trip, climbing was very under-rated and not crowded at all. Very impressed.

We spent a few days at White Rock Mountain during the cold spell. Walking around we found about 5 TR anchors, and a few bolts. Does anyone know anything about these lines? They all appeared relatively moderate, but were covered in moss and lichen and didn't seem like they had been climbed in about 10 years.

Those are some climbing routes that were being put up by Kerry Allen I believe. Unfortunately, Kerry passed away before a lot of his routes were finished. but nobody really climbs out at white rock anyway. climbing was illegal at white rock until not-so-many years ago, which is when Kerry started developing.