The skinny on the Sneffels V-Notch

[barryfagin]

This is the post I wish someone had written before I went up Sneffels.

So the standard route up Sneffels on this site sends you through the V-notch, and mentions "some exposure" on the left. Various people have posted about it and experienced various levels of trepidation. For those of you who don't know, the Roach book sends you up to the notch to have a look, but routes you around it through a crag off to the west (to the left as you ascend) about twenty feet below it. Apparently lots of people don't know that there is a way up to the summit without going through the notch. It looked perfectly doable to me, with no exposure. So don't skip the summit if you're worried about the notch.

That said, I went up to the notch to take a look, and ended up going through it. Yes, the exposure off to the left is nasty, but the holds in the notch are good, you can always have at least one hand and foot hold securing you at all times. It's a little easier if you're taller, but I'm 5' 4", in my fifties, and did OK. It's good to pay attention to what's where for the trip down, which I though would be more nerve-wracking, but in fact going down (face in) your foot comes down nowhere near the exposed cliff face. In fact, I met a family that went through it both directions for which Sneffels was the first fourteener for the mom and son.

So anyway, for those who were wondering. The notch is doable without being a superwhiz (I've yet to climb anything harder than a 2+), but don't miss the summit of Sneffels just because you don't want to do the notch. You don't have to.

[giarcd]

Up,no problem! Down on the other hand ,while going thru the notch , I asked another climber to assist me with foot placement while facing in. Was helpful for sure.

[Jim Davies]

The first time I climbed Sneffels, I went up the rocks on the left but down through the notch. It was kind of scary taking the step of faith down and to the right, even facing in.