This section is a little south of center and shows the upper portions of one of the routes feasible for really good/nervy free soloists and average roped climbers. The inset gully on the left is way too mossy for good climbing; the trick is to get over to the right and climb the sunlit rocks up to the shaded gully just left of the prominent, pointed tower. That narrow gully APPEARS to offer a reasonable way to the top. The problem: getting to those rocks. The path of least resistance on this route takes the climber to the shaded green face just left of bottom center. Although it is a short move, only 10-15 feet, there are not good holds there and the rock is very slippery. That spot turned me around because the objective just wasn’t worth the potential consequences, especially considering the likelihood of those consequences. Roped, though, a climber could go safely around this spot and continue to the top. A free soloist more daring than I could, too.
Shenandoah National Park, VA
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