OTHER Trip Report 09/16/2017

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	The Sharkstooth - 12630
Date Posted	09/16/2017
Date Climbed	08/19/2017
Author	dpage
Additional Members	CarpeDM, 12ersRule

East Gully of the Sharkstooth
After a failed attempt 3 weeks earlier when early morning rains and more snow on the approach than any of us expected, Dave, Dave, and I returned for our attempt on the east gully of the Sharkstooth in RMNP. The route follows the descent route which made me more comfortable as this was my first alpine trad climb and I liked the idea of being able to bail if need be. After reading MP and the RMNP climbing guidebook, I thought I had a good understand of the pitches but failed to understand that using a 60 meter rope would change things a bit. Hopefully this report helps other newbies such as myself better understand the pitches of this 5.4 route. The route up to the Gash is straight forward with an option of scrambling through a series of benches or heading up the snowfield to the west of them. Although we came prepared with ice axes and microspikes this trip we scrambled through the benches. After trail, talus hopping, and scrambling for 3.5 hours, we found ourselves at the base of the east gully with morning light on the Petite Grepon and Pinknife. Maybe one day I'll be able to tag those summits but it won't be this day. (Anybody need a second to follow on those?) Pitch 1 on the east gully is rated either C4 or 5.0. We decided it looked easy enough and scrambled up to the right side standing at the bottom of the first headwall. This pitch might have been half a rope length and we did rap this on the return trip instead of downclimbing it. Pitch 2 CarpeDM took the first lead on this pitch which ended up being a full 60 meters ending at the 2nd rap anchor just below walking terrain. We expected this pitch to end just above a 12 ft right facing dihedral which may have been the case with a 50 meter rope. Pitch 3-4 Not being certain what was ahead, I started leading the 3rd pitch expecting to move to the left during the pitch but instead should have moved our entire group up through the walking terrain to the far left building an anchor and then climbing the final pitch to the summit. Instead I created way too much rope drag traversing a ledge and brought 12ers up to me after which CarpeDM made his way through walking terrain and climbed to and then through the belay anchor to the summit. Another couple finished the NE ridge route about the same time and agreed to share duties setting up the raps, us with our 2 60 meter ropes and them with their 60 meter rope and a tag line. 2 full length rope raps with the walking terrain between them and 1 30 meter rap returned us to the top of the gully which did have some rock fall from another group above us moving rather quickly without much regard for us below them. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

East Gully of the Sharkstooth

After a failed attempt 3 weeks earlier when early morning rains and more snow on the approach than any of us expected, Dave, Dave, and I returned for our attempt on the east gully of the Sharkstooth in RMNP. The route follows the descent route which made me more comfortable as this was my first alpine trad climb and I liked the idea of being able to bail if need be. After reading MP and the RMNP climbing guidebook, I thought I had a good understand of the pitches but failed to understand that using a 60 meter rope would change things a bit. Hopefully this report helps other newbies such as myself better understand the pitches of this 5.4 route.

The route up to the Gash is straight forward with an option of scrambling through a series of benches or heading up the snowfield to the west of them. Although we came prepared with ice axes and microspikes this trip we scrambled through the benches. After trail, talus hopping, and scrambling for 3.5 hours, we found ourselves at the base of the east gully with morning light on the Petite Grepon and Pinknife. Maybe one day I'll be able to tag those summits but it won't be this day. (Anybody need a second to follow on those?)

Pitch 1 on the east gully is rated either C4 or 5.0. We decided it looked easy enough and scrambled up to the right side standing at the bottom of the first headwall. This pitch might have been half a rope length and we did rap this on the return trip instead of downclimbing it.

Pitch 2 CarpeDM took the first lead on this pitch which ended up being a full 60 meters ending at the 2nd rap anchor just below walking terrain. We expected this pitch to end just above a 12 ft right facing dihedral which may have been the case with a 50 meter rope.

Pitch 3-4 Not being certain what was ahead, I started leading the 3rd pitch expecting to move to the left during the pitch but instead should have moved our entire group up through the walking terrain to the far left building an anchor and then climbing the final pitch to the summit. Instead I created way too much rope drag traversing a ledge and brought 12ers up to me after which CarpeDM made his way through walking terrain and climbed to and then through the belay anchor to the summit.

Another couple finished the NE ridge route about the same time and agreed to share duties setting up the raps, us with our 2 60 meter ropes and them with their 60 meter rope and a tag line. 2 full length rope raps with the walking terrain between them and 1 30 meter rap returned us to the top of the gully which did have some rock fall from another group above us moving rather quickly without much regard for us below them.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

MtnHub	Very nice, guys! 9/16/2017 4:47pm Great job!
JtheChemE	Awesome 9/16/2017 9:10pm Looks like a great day you had up there, nice work on the climb!
12ersRule	Thanks!! 9/18/2017 3:13pm Thanks for leading this one, CarpeDM and dpage!

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