Descent off Western Slabs

[xxnitsuaxx]

I'm climbing the Western Slabs of Olympus tomorrow and nobody seems to agree on the least hellacious descent. Anyone have any suggestions for me? Anyone want to come? I plan on soloing it but would welcome any company.

bairdas@gmail.com

Austin

[Brian in SLC]

I'm climbing the Western Slabs of Olympus tomorrow and nobody seems to agree on the least hellacious descent. Anyone have any suggestions for me?

I've done it a few times...and...honestly, I'm still lookin' for the easy way off.

I've gone to the west. Far, which, involves really brushy scratchy-ness over to a grove of trees, then scrubby back down far west of the base of the route. I think this is the one that's described in the latest guidebook (Ruckman X 2).

The other way I've gone is to go west to the open but steep gully, then down climb a bit to gain the steep loose social trail which leads back to the top of the coulior that starts the route. I noted some rap anchors there too, but, we didn't rappel but were careful with some of the down climbing as it was exposed and a bit loose, but, never too hard.

I hear rumor that its easier to the east down that large tree filled gully. Haven't done. Also hears its a long way to go to the main summit, then back down the trail. Might be nice to have a car shuttle for that one.

You might try either Utah Climbers or the Mountainproject websites. The descent of hte West Slabs has been (ahem) a popular topic as of late...

Cheers,

-Brian in SLC

[Iceaxe]

I did the route about 12 years ago with the guy that claimed to hold the car to car record for the West Slabs. He was also a guide for Exum at the time. I do know the guy climbed the route all the time as a condioning workout. Brian might remember his name because I talked with him after we did the route.

Anyhoo.... we took a descent route that went to the east. If I remember correctly we hiked up the ridge a short distance and descended what would be the "mountaineers couloir route", form the ridge down to the top of the actual couloir. At the top of the couloir we did not descend the couloir but instead descended a gully the led back west and hooked into the base of the West Slabs route right where the actual technical climbing begins. At the time the approach to the west slabs was 10' deep of snow and the descent joined in right where the snow ended and the actual climbing began.

It wasn't a bad descent as I remember. Some scrambling but no bushwhacking, rappels or technical climbing involved. I remember thinking at the time that the descent was pretty simple.

Hope that helps, its from a fuzzy 12 year old memory.

[Brian in SLC]

I did the route about 12 years ago with the guy that claimed to hold the car to car record for the West Slabs. He was also a guide for Exum at the time. I do know the guy climbed the route all the time as a condioning workout. Brian might remember his name because I talked with him after we did the route.

Did he look like Daniel Day Lewis in Last of the Mohicans? Probably "Poca-hinton". Can't recall his car-to-car time, but, was pretty darn fast. He's still purty, but, not as fast (ha ha).

Yeah, do that east descent and report back on how great it was...!

[Iceaxe]

Poca-hinton... that's him, I remember you had an injuin name for him. :lol8:

He was a talented climber.... kinda surprised he is still alive.... one day we climbed some 5.8ish type trad route up BCC.... we were pretty proud of ourselves.... and then he free soloed up after us just to tell us he thought we did a good job of climbing the route for a bunch of old guys. :eek2:

[qedcook]

Did you end up climbing the route, xxnitsuaxx? I'm still dying to do this route. I'm leaving for moab tonight and won't be back until saturday, but if you want to try it next week, I'm totally game.

[xxnitsuaxx]

Yeah - went yesterday and did it. Car to car in 3:30. I found the gully to the east that Shane mentioned and it was perfect. A bunch of scrambling and downclimbing but zero bushes. I want to do it again and see if I can break 3 hours. Next week is no bueno for me but I could be down the week after?