UKC

Aig. du Midi: Cosmiques Arete rope length

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 pdone 02 Jul 2012
How long does your rope need to be to cope with the abseil on the Cosmiques Arete? Would you have a problem with a 30 metre rope?
 payney1973 02 Jul 2012
In reply to pdone: I havent been on that route since 2005 however i recal one of the rappels needing two 30m ropes, like i said long time ago and i was a complete novice at that point, some one with more experience of the route maybe more help.
 jon 02 Jul 2012
In reply to payney1973:

It's exactly 25m from the abseil point to the ledge at the bottom of the couloir, so 50m. However, I've often done it with a 35m rope but obviously this means that you arrive part way down the couloir and have to pull the rope there, then down climb, which isn't really a problem unless the couloir is full of ice.
OP pdone 02 Jul 2012
In reply to jon: Many thanks
In reply to pdone: It is usually possible to descend the ridge to the right at the abseil point and then traverse back in to the bottom of the groove. This has the advantage of avoiding one of the two major congestion points on the route. Some say that this takes some of the fun out of the route though.

Al
 tipsy 02 Jul 2012
In reply to Gaston Rubberpants: Saw a group doing this last week and setting a lot of mini avalanches and rock falls off down the side of the cosmiques. Not a huge problem as there aren't really any routes/people in the fall out zone, but they didn't look like they were enjoying the ground below them giving way.
In reply to tipsy: Clumsy buggers like all judgement calls in the alps conditions play a part. I often used the Cosmiques as a way back up to the station as an alternative to the tedious ridge. Must have done it 5 or 6 times this way, usually solo, and never had any issues.

Al
OP pdone 03 Jul 2012
In reply to pdone: Thanks to all respondents for their helpful replies.
In reply to pdone: Im with Al on this one. you can circumvent the abseil (I preferred this to rude and obnoxious people pushing in getting me angry)
the beekeeper 19 Jul 2012
In reply to pdone:

i take a 38m length of 7mm which gets me from the squeeze at the anchor chains to a couple of metres from where you move out of the gully. works perfectly for me.
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