One of the steepest sections of Casaval Ridge

One of the steepest sections of Casaval Ridge

Kris approaching potentially the steepest section of Casaval Ridge, near the top of the ridge- 18 March, '7
Diggler
on Mar 19, 2007 9:35 pm
Image Type(s): Informational
Image ID: 279363

Comments

Post a Comment
Viewing: 1-9 of 9
Deb

Deb - Mar 19, 2007 9:44 pm - Voted 10/10

Steepness?

Having never been there but planning on going, what IS the steepness you mention? My desk depth perception isn't helping me out on this pic.

Diggler

Diggler - Mar 20, 2007 5:01 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Steepness?

Hi Deb, as I recall reading, humans are notoriously inept at manually interpreting (i.e. eyeballing) slope angles. While some people might be able to disprove this, I certainly fall into this category. I would say somewhere between 50 to 60 degrees, but am not certain. Given your experience rock climbing (& from your profile pic it seems that you've been ice climbing too), I think if you're reasonably proficient w/ an ice axe, you should be fine (just don't slip- some places would be extremely hard, if not impossible, to self-arrest). If you're going to do it this season, hurry up! Snow conditions are good now, but I don't think it will last long this year.

rhyang

rhyang - Mar 20, 2007 5:10 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: Steepness?

Maybe I'm just a sandbagger, but when I did it last June (after a big snowstorm) I thought it was more like 45 degrees. Conditions vary, of course. Daggering my axe and frontpointing with one foot while flatfooting with the other (pied a trois) seemed sufficient.

Diggler

Diggler - Mar 20, 2007 8:09 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Steepness?

Given said limitations in measurement accuracy/ability, I'm fairly certain that the uppermost (i.e. if you look at the final short section before/at the notch in the pic) section is 50 degrees or more (slope leading up to it is noticeably less steep). Snow conditions influence the route difficulty greatly here- we didn't even cross the Catwalk as it was completely snow-loaded (no room to walk), instead opting to walk over the rock to its L to where it ends. When you go there, bring the slope reader & let us know (I'm curious)!

Zzyzx - Mar 20, 2007 10:23 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: Steepness?

The steepest part is directly below the notch. I'd guess that it's about 45-50 degrees. It seems usually steeper than it is though. The bottom line is, if you slipped there and didn't self-arrest immediately, you'd probably end up on some rocks 1000-1500' below.

PellucidWombat

PellucidWombat - Apr 28, 2009 6:43 pm - Hasn't voted

Wierd

I recognize this spot, and when I climbed the ridge, the slope entering the photo from the left was far steeper than the slopes at the notch. My estimate is 50-55 degrees for the slopes to the left, and 45 degrees for the slopes leading to the rocks above and through the chutes. Similar steepness on the knife-edge section above the Catwalk.

Diggler

Diggler - Apr 28, 2009 7:21 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Wierd

Seemed fairly steep to me (used dagger technique to get up it)! A lot of exposure (to climber's L) there, too! Glad to hear you got up this, Mark!

PellucidWombat

PellucidWombat - Apr 28, 2009 8:12 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Wierd

Third time's the charm - this time not even bruised ribs could stop me!

96avs01

96avs01 - Mar 25, 2014 9:57 pm - Voted 10/10

Question

Most route photos I have studied show the chute in the center of the image as the typical route. Curious about the chute to its right closer to the ridge crest. Does it go? If so, steeper, similar, or lesser slope? TIA

Viewing: 1-9 of 9