Class ratings - Rabbit Ears and "Dragon's Back"

[TeresaGergen]

Rabbit Ears:
http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=2666

"Dragon's Back":
http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=844

I've recently climbed both of these peaks. We did Rabbit Ears as a formal lead. I thought the lower part of the standard pitch was Class 4, and the final moves were probably 5.0. However, it looked like it might be possible to keep it Class 4 if you moved slightly down and left around a small bulge before continuing up, instead of doing the final bit of the standard line. The 5.0 part protected well with a cam in a crack and I didn't want to drag the rope around the bulge, so I didn't check to see if it might really go at Class 4 or not.

I've now climbed Dragon's Back 3 times. The first time I thought it was Class 4 and I believe I downclimbed it. That was at a time in my climbing career when I could downclimb lower 5th Class. The second time we brought a rope and rapped down; I can't remember if we actually used it going up - we might have due to exposure on the final arete.

I'm not 100% after my accident a couple years ago, and one thing that's affected is my balance, with one leg weighing more than the other that's still missing a lot of muscle. This time, I felt uncomfortable trying to downclimb, and rapped the whole length down from near the top. There are other rap slings that look like they were placed at different times, that I passed on the way up.

So, I'm wondering if Dragon's Back might be lower Class 5, and I was just able to downclimb at that level years ago, or if it's Class 4, and I was too spooked by my current issues this time to downclimb even that. I would say it's definitely harder than Rabbit Ears.
Regardless, this peak remains my favorite in CO, and is a very fun and worthwhile climb.

Opinions?

[John Kirk]

OK, I changed Rabbit Ears to class 4. There seemed to be some confusion in the past about which ear is higher - was it fairly evident?

For Dragon's Back, maybe it depends which route? We (Derek Wolfe and I) noticed some slings and really intense exposure along the ridge from the east. We didn't like it so went down and around to the west and found a decent chimney that I would not rate harder than 4th class. There were no slings there, but there was a good horn of rock we put a 30m rope around for a hand line down, since Derek brought it along.

Was this your route (shows chimney right below the summit)?

I'm interested in your take on Squaretop, by the way

[TeresaGergen]

I wouldn't want Rabbit Ears changed to Class 4 only on my opinion, since the line I actually climbed probably did have one spot of 5.0. I was more wondering if anyone had done a variant line that really might have been Class 4. I didn't hand-level the two summits. I hadn't read anything to indicate that there was a question. It seemed to me that the western one was visibly higher, but it would be close.

I did the very exposed east arete ridge finish on Dragon's Back all 3 times; I don't think I found your chimney. If you felt your route was Class 4, you'd be in a much better position to call the rating. I'm having a pretty hard time relating difficulty ratings from before and after the accident.

Tom would be much more able to describe Squaretop. He did say he agreed with the 5.7 rating. I believe we did the same route that Ken and Jean and Mike and Aaron did, from their descriptions. I would call the orange rock start 5.0, then the short crux a reachy 5.7 with scary loose rock and vegetation in the way, then a long stretch of knobby Class 4. Just before the end of the overall cliff wall, Tom went up a more vertical, inset bit of knobby rock that I think was maybe 5.0, although maybe it was Class 4 and just more vertical. If I remember, it seemed to be the logical line to go with the rope and there was protection there. I didn't want to downclimb it because it was covered with loose gravel and too vertical. After re-reading Aaron's TR, I think maybe he bypassed this spot to the left and stayed on Class 4 terrain to reach the top of the cliff wall. I probably would have been able to downclimb the rest of the Class 4; it wasn't exposed and was relatively laid-back for the angle. Tom's 70m rope was perfect for a single rappel that required traversing down on a strong diagonal line from the slung tree others have used, to our starting point at the orange rocks. The final part of the rap was free - and fun once I remembered how that felt! Funny how I had a moment of being unwilling to let the bad foot leave the security of touching rock. I'm still re-learning "body-memory" things as I have a chance to encounter them. Thank you again, Tom, for an excellent lead and a good day out. (And thanks to Sarah for taking me out on the rock every week for the past couple months in preparation!)

[TWorth]

I supplied the 5.0 rating for rabbit ears after going up there in '08. Did pretty much the same thing, went straight up, near where the old ladder used to be, thought it was 5.0, one move. Didn't look around for anything easier. So I don't doubt there is a class 4 variant. Brought a rope but didn't use it...seemed less of a hassle to downclimb.

I've read claims that the west ear is higher from a couple different sources, but have never seen any hard evidence or proof. West one seemed higher to me also but its close, and I didn't bring a level.

Nice job on Squaretop by the way...I've been up there to check it out only, probably 5 years ago, didn't bring a rope, just some recon hiking while passing through the Pagosa area. Wandered around the base...went up to the 'orange crack', looked around, and called it a day. Did you see the old bolt holes at the base of the 'orange crack'? Was wondering what those date from, 50's maybe. Scared whole family of mountain lions where the two faces meet on the W end, mom and two kids, during daytime hours, a rare sight.

[Brian Kalet]

FWIW, both summitpost & mountainproject call it 5th class...

[John Kirk]

FWIW, both summitpost & mountainproject call it 5th class...

Very well... until someone "does" a 4th class route, I've reverted to the 5.0 rating...

I've been meaning to check it out for several years.

[RyanSchilling]

FWIW, both summitpost & mountainproject call it 5th class...

Very well... until someone "does" a 4th class route, I've reverted to the 5.0 rating...

I've been meaning to check it out for several years.

Yeah, but the SP page's author freely admits he hasn't climbed it!

I have not climbed to the very top of the peak; the rock is very poor and crumbles in your hand. ... I would hazard a guess at the difficulty to be anywhere from 5.2 to 5.7. If anyone actually summits this final 50 or 60 feet, let me know, and I will send this page to your care!

[Tom Pierce]

I climbed Rabbit Ears last year and I vaguely recall an entry on summitpost about which of the two ears was highest. I could be wrong on that. Anyway, I can't recall which ear is what direction (e.g. which is east/west) but I know we climbed the one with remnants of the old ladder and once up I do think it was marginally higher than the other. The other ear looked much tougher and looser, fwiw. And yes, I thought it had at most a move of 5.0, but it looked so easy I didn't bother to scout around for an easier line.

As for Squaretop, Teresa's description nails it. 5.7-ish on our route but only a move or two. Rock is suprisingly solid where it needs to be, but a few key moves were reachy for me. Protection is only so-so, most cracks were dirty and/or calcified in spots; used only cams. And boy, not sure how you'd easily get down without a 70m rope. I saw how it could be done, but it'd require some exposed downclimbing and I think you'd need to leave some gear as a rap anchor; we saw evidence where this had been done twice before.

Finally, thanks so much for getting out, Teresa, a great day! And congrats on reaching your highpoints goal!!
-Tom

[Scott Patterson]

Did the climb to the west summit with the benchmark today with my two kids. I'd probably call it a 5.1 at one move just above the crack and didn't see what I'd call a 4th class variation, at least by Colorado standards (some other regions use low 5th class as 4th class). Of course there isn't that much difference between a 5.0 and a 5.1.

OK, I changed Rabbit Ears to class 4. There seemed to be some confusion in the past about which ear is higher - was it fairly evident?

I believe the east ear is the highest point by a slight margin and it's definitely much more difficult. Photos taken from the west summit seem to prove that the east summit is indeed higher. It would be interesting if someone brought a level or a laser level up there and see by how much. There is probably only a few feet difference.

Here is a picture I took from the west summit and looking towards the east ear:



The camera level is slightly above the west summit. If the east ear was lower than the west summit, then the ridge on the horizon (Rawah Wilderness) should have appeared above the east summit since it is higher elevation and you should be able to see over the east ear. Since this is not the case and since the curvature of the earth isn't even close to influence the difference, the east ear should actually be higher.

[John Kirk]

Since this is not the case and since the curvature of the earth isn't even close to influence the difference, the east ear should actually be higher.

Curvature - 8" per mile, at 38 miles = 304'
That's how much lower the Rawah ridgeline is with direct line of sight. If that's Clark on the left of the east summit, it is probably safe to say the east summit is higher.

[TeresaGergen]

Has anyone else who's climbed the west summit actually sight leveled to the east summit?

Has anyone who's checked it off actually climbed the east summit?

[Tom Pierce]

If anyone wants to go out and sight it, I'd be interested in tagging along. But if the east is actually higher, I'll pull my hair out! Don't need to add more 5th class work!! Forbidden!!!

Seriously, it might make an interesting project. The west summit is super mellow, as is the approach hike (made even shorter with a 4wd). As I vaguely recall the east summit would be a real challenge, my recollection was that it was a bit overhung on suspect basalt. Could actually be a candidate for a bow & arrow top rope?

-Tom

[Scott Patterson]

Could actually be a candidate for a bow & arrow top rope?

Maybe, but I'd be afraid of pulling down loose stones off the top doing it this way. Maybe a bow and arrow slack line? Ug.

Anyway, Paul Ross, Brian C, and Noah (for example) climb somewhat similar stuff (on Mancos dirt rather than basalt) using nails:

http://www.summitpost.org/things-of-bea ... -co/819148

http://www.summitpost.org/the-quest-for-choss/819073

I don't have the stomach for that kind of stuff though. It's probably not a good idea to leave a bunch of nails on a highly visited/viewed feature either.

I wouldn't mind going back to the west summit and sight leveling from there though.

[John Paul]

Would it be possible to do something like this to determine which ear is the highpoint?

The Castles Analysis

At any rate that's pretty interesting about East Castle almost being ranked. That looks like a tough climb..JP

[John Kirk]

Would it be possible to do something like this to determine which ear is the highpoint?

This one is not a good candidate for pixel analysis for a variety of reasons. Generally, there need to be higher features with known elevations in the background, the image needs to be taken from a similar elevation, and the image needs to be taken away from the two compared features so that they can both be compared left-to-right. Given that there are trees all around the area and no higher peaks as a backdrop capturing both competing summits in the foreground side-by-side, this would be difficult. Maybe it's possible from the bare slope to the WNW, but higher discernible peaks in the background will be quite far away.

It would be much easier to just take a sight level.