UKC

looking at descent options after the cassin,

seems like the south ridge is the preferred option?, however its then a long walk back over to Switzerland, descending the north ridge sounds a bit epic, although takes you back to the swiss side, we are planing on bivving at the base and climbing with light bivvy gear with us and ideally just approach shoes ( although possibly bodge some crampons to fit on them for the walk back over from italy if needed?),

so yeh do people have any info about either descent route or advice on footwear for getting back over the Passo di Bondo.

thanks for any info.

In reply to Ginger McGrath: I wouldn't recommend descending the N ridge descent unless you've climbed it before - some of the rap anchor were a bit of a bitch to find...

In reply to Ginger McGrath: I'm sure you will get lots of opinions on this. My experience after doing the N ridge about 8 yrs ago and walking around is that it is long. I wore fell shoes and they were adequate but only just and probably not recommended by the mountain rescue. We didn't carry axes. We were there in August and there was a short obligatory stepped snow slope off one of the cols. I don't know if that is still the case. As far as I could tell we were the only ones that walked around, just about all the other parties descended the N Ridge. There are lots of fixed anchors on the ridge. If you like a good walk then walk around but if you just want to get down then rap. Additionally there is a reasonable uphill walk at the end of the long walk to retrieve bivy gear from the base of the Cassin which you can toss a coin with your partner to do!!

In reply to Ginger McGrath: Did exactly this day plan 8 years ago and came down the North Ridge. We moved together up to the snow patch (which wasn't there )at the base of the crux on the cassin and pitched it afterwards.

The rap down the north ridge had rings the size of ship anchors and a couple a little awkward to find. During the bottom half, we down climbed solo about 400-500m worth until the place on the ridge where it isn't immediately clear where to go - go R (facing down). This is two raps above the col at the base of the ridge.

We left the bivi at the foot of the north ridge at about 5.30 and were back in the valley by about 21:00 celebrating. Long day but one of the best.

Ben

In reply to Ginger McGrath:

Descent options already covered in some detail here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=405823&v=1#x5811426

Hope this helps.

Dave

In reply to Dave Williams: thanks, all of those are really useful

In reply to Ginger McGrath: I've descended the north ridge twice. The first time was after climbing the same ridge so it was fresh in our memories, we'd had a relatively short day and it was still broad daylight, so it was fairly uneventful (although not a lot of fun). The second time was a couple of years later after being stuck behind a slow party on the Cassin. We were tired, we didn't have a clear recollection of the route and it got dark pretty early in the descent so it turned into a bit a mission - lots of dangling about at the end of an abseil rope scanning around with a headtorch searching for the next bit of tat. Again, we got down safely but I wouldn't recommend it. If I climb there again, I'll be tempted to descend to the south.

In reply to Ginger McGrath:
Descended the north ridge after the Cassin four years ago - the german guys we shared some of the stances with on the route were mystified why we were doing that when you could descend the south side much quicker to the comforts of the hut then walk out to the road in another couple of hours next morning (they arranged a taxi to collect them to take them back round to the swiss side which cost about 40 euros each). My experience of descending the north ridge was painful - rope continually got snagged as its not steep enough in most places to get a clear throw, yet there's lots of flakes to get in the way. As was said previously, some of the rings were hard to find and we lost the route down a rotting gully at one stage, and despite making good time on the route still got benighted taking ages to find rap stations near to the base. If I did it again I would go over the south side without doubt.

I know little of the descent route to the south, but I think if you're experienced to do the Cassin (and top out around lunchtime) you should'nt have any issues rapping the ridge. It took us the same amount of time to come down the ridge as it did to climb the route (about 6 hours each), the key piece of advice being that if you cant find the "ship anchor sized" rings you are straying from the crest of the ridge. You'l find them, dont worry. We were back in the valley drinking beers by 9pm. Good luck!

In reply to Ginger McGrath: Same for me did the Cassin a few years ago now, came back down the ridge. Ab rings we easy to find but its a bit of a ballake because of the angle, lose stone etc. but we Bivied at the base and was up and back down in a day! Beers in the valley late at night. Take something for crossing the ice, tent peg and trainers are not recommended. The jump across the Burgshrud was a bit of a leap for life, but the rock was top class. A great route.

In reply to Ginger McGrath:
I did the N. Ridge and came down the South side into Italy and stayed at the lovely and comfortable Italian Hut before heading down into the valley and a train journey back. It was more relaxing after for us to do it that way as were not a fast party and enjoyed beers and dinner at the hut.

In reply to Ginger McGrath:

Just wondering if anyone ever decends the north ridge for a bit and then traverses to the top of Another Day in Paradise to ab down that route?

In reply to shunty:

Wish we had done that - instead we ended up with a stuck ab rope near the end of the descent and a bloody cold bivvy out !

In reply to Tyler:

Seems a good idea, so long as you know where it goes, and meets the ridge. It may frighten a few N ridge ascenders to do that though.

In reply to Tyler:

This is something that I've heard about (and indeed - guardedly - recommended). However, I have just noticed that the local guides have included ADIP on their summer programme. The descent is described as using the N ridge rather than rapping back down the route, which surprised me. I'd definitely sniff around some more before relying on it.

Hope this helps.

Luke

In reply to Ginger McGrath:

The best way to do it is to have 2 cars and take one round and leave it in Italy. Then you can descend down to the South and just walk off in one day. Of course that's not always possible though..

There are new Ab points on the South Ridge which I used last year, most people were going down a choss shoot, we definately got the better deal.

You will need 2x 60s though, and don't worry the last Ab does get you to the bottom.

In reply to Dan Walker: I agree..

it took us longer to come down than go up. ...

all in a day out though hey !

In reply to Ginger McGrath:
Planning to be there in late June / early July - would any of you have any insight into what conditions might be like for the Cassin and on the S. Ridge descent at that time of year?
Damian

In reply to Ginger McGrath:
Have absiled the North-East Ridge twice after doing the NE Ridge & also after the Cassin. 20 abs-hard work.
Good luck,

Pete

In reply to dgbryan:
Depends on snow from earlier in the year. Can still be in winter conditions at end of June or could be fine. There's usually a large snow patch above the Cassin that melts during the day releasing small stones.