Possible hazard, stuck rope, Maiden West Overhang rappel

This rope may have been removed by now, but if its still there, best not to rappel on it.

The evening of December 7, 2014, a stuck party called 911 for assistance for assistance from the Maiden West Overhang rappel on The Maiden. The stranded party climbed to the summit of the Maiden earlier in the day, and attempted the standard 120' rappel from the summit down the West Overhang to the "Crows Nest." Unfortunately winds blew the rope ends into the north face of the rock, where the ends lodged firmly. The climber rappelled down the West Overhang as far as possible, but reached the low point in the rope about 20' above the Crow's Nest. The climber was unable to climb the rope, and called for assistance.

Rocky Mountain Rescue Group responded to the Maiden and rescuers climbed to the Crow's Nest via the West Ridge, and then climbed the lower part of the West Overhang. A rescuer established an anchor at a highpoint above the stuck climber, and used a separate rope to raise the stuck climber off his rappel rope, and then lowered him to the Crow's Nest. Rescuers and the climber then rappelled the standard descent from the Crow's Nest, south to the ground. Rescuers left the climber's stuck rope threaded through the summit anchor, with the ends stuck above the Crow's Nest on the north face. An interesting evening's work.

Safety note for potential Maiden climbers: The rope left hanging from the summit down the Maiden West Overhang probably does not reach the Crow's Nest because the rope ends are (were?) lodged on the north face above the Crow's Nest. If the rope can be retrieved from the summit, the attractive nuisance of the stuck rope can be easily removed. If the rope ends cannot be free'ed from the summit, it will be inconvenient to reach them because of the overhanging (free rappel) nature of the West Overhang.

Be careful out there.

Nice work Rocky Mtn Rescue! We saw that party late in the afternoon, attempting to rap the South Face route after having done those first 2 pitches to the east ridge. I believe they just had one rope and were attempting to get to the ground from that intermediate (mid-second pitch) anchor. As we walked out, I heard something like "I think the ropes hit the ground"... I suspect they realized they couldn't get down that way and went back up to the summit to rap the West Overhang.

Interesting to hear the ropes got stuck on the north face (southerly wind). When we rapped earlier that afternoon, winds were blowing hard from the north, making for an exciting landing down to the Crows Nest.

I had winds do this on the First Flatiron once. My friend rapped down and had to stop as the rope was lodged in a flake. Luckily a second party had a rope and I used that to rap. I was able to climb up to the stuck rope and free it.

Bring your rope ends back up if that happens and tie a heavy bag to the ends and lower that.

Great job, Rocky Mountain Rescue! I'm glad they were able to get off ok. I don't imagine it's fun dangling on on a free-hanging rap in the wind, waiting for a rescue.

Stich wrote:Bring your rope ends back up if that happens and tie a heavy bag to the ends and lower that.

Or just tie a warm body to the ends and lower that. Or flake the rope onto a sling, in a bag, or even over your shoulders and feeding it out as you rap. Or have some prusiks to ascend the rope with. There's a bunch of stuff the stuck party probably should've done, the important thing is that they're ok, and I'm sure they've learned some lessons in this.