UKC

Off to Cogne late Jan - are the routes / abbs generally equipped for 60m ropes or would 50m be ok

Also hoping to do Lillaz Gully (mixed climbing) - can anyone suggest good gear selection to take for it - it would avoid carrying excessive rock gear on the flight (20k limit)

Cheers

In reply to steveb2006:
60s needed.
Used a few cams and a few nuts on LG but really only 2 mixed pitches and one of them took a screw or two.
Gully tremendous btw.
Bruce

In reply to Hay:

60m essential, dangling at the end of the rope 10m above the next ab bolts is not recommended

In reply to steveb2006:

You'd probably get away with 50m ropes as there are usually a couple of abseil points. It would be easier to have 60m so you don't have to do short intermediate abs to get between these, and do you don't accidentally end up dangling as mentioned.

There are two sections of mixed on Lillaz Gully, the lower section took a couple of nuts and the top section was pretty iced up and protected by screws. We took cams and hexes but I can't remember using them. Also took bulldogs but didn't use those either.

Have a good trip and I hope you get good ice!

David

In reply to steveb2006:

Have been climbing with 50m ropes in Cogne +60 days, it's OK, but 60m is much better. Done Lillaz Gully 4 times, never used any rock gear, but it was pretty fat those times.

In reply to steveb2006:

I always use 60's, I found some of the route lengths described in the guidebook inaccurate. LG would depend how it has formed and how fat it is . A few nuts and a yellow camalot might help if it is a bit lean. There is a nice crack that takes a yellow that I used but my mates did it without.
Its a beautiful place,have fun.
K

In reply to steveb2006:

Was there on a 1 week trip with 50m ropes and was fine.

In reply to steveb2006:

Anyone know what current conditions are like in Cogne?

In reply to Doghouse:
http://www.ice-fall.com/Page_Secteur.aspx?IdSecteur=70

Doesn't look wonderful, but at least they are reporting SOME routes in (sort of, to judge by the most recent picture).

In reply to steveb2006:
We were in Valnontey (the first valley) yesterday, rive droite (so left as you are walking in) was good ice though thinner than most years. We went on the other side and opted for Valmiana which was thin but ok going.

Hopefully the next week will fatten it all up a bit but the temperatures are rising again..

Nick was with us an has a write up here - he is on here somewhere so might add some more feedback: http://nickdraperupslidedown.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/patri-di-gauchewi4-25...

In reply to charleyradcliffe & Simon4

Thanks guys.