Moonlight/Touchstone Questions

A few quick questions for folks that have done either route:

1. The squeeze chimney section on Moonlight (5th Pitch I think?)...How hard is it really to get in there until you can clip the bolt? Is it really worth bringing a #4 or #5 up there to aid that section? PS...we are planning on aiding not freeing the route. Doing it in a day so we would love to keep the rack light.

2. Is the descent on Touchstone possible with a single 60m or 70m rope? Are two ropes required for the raps? I've done the route before but can't remember the raps too well. Last time we had two ropes. This time we are doing it in a day and only want to bring one rope if possible also.

Thanks in advance for any help!

1. No need for a #4 or #5 if you can climb a few meters of 5.8 chimney.
2. From the big tree (top of p7) you can rap with one 70m, and probably with one 60m.

Thanks for the beta. Any idea if a single rope would work for the standard rap route if you summit Touchstone? Not sure I want to rap the face if there are other parties on route.

A #4 would be too small. A #5 would fit, but it's an easy chimney for 5.8, also, it's literally 3 or 4 moves until you can hit the bolt. You do have to chimney a touch farther before the .5 section starts again. Purple link cam will go without thought in 70 to 80% of placements on entire route. I wish I had brought two instead of 1.

If I recall correctly a double rope is require for the final rap to the ground on Touchstone via the traditional descent. But there could be intermediates that we missed.

I would recommend rapping the route. Otherwise the summit descent is straight forward, but the terrain and hardware definitely add some spice...

Can't comment on Moonlight, but we did Touchstone a few weeks ago and got off the summit via the standard descent (not rapping the route) with a 70. My guess is a 60 would work but can't be sure since we didn't have one. Most of the descent is short raps and some down scrambling in the gulley. Would agree that some of the rap anchors leave a bit to be desired but other than that I found the descent rather enjoyable and fairly quick as well.

I recall using a really tipped out number four in the back of the chimney the first time but I probably should have just climbed a little further out where it was wider. I wouldn't bother with it again, especially if I were trying to do it in a day. I also remember using a couple of really small c3s at the base of the chimney in order to aid into it (the only place I used them if I remember right).

If your not into link cams then yellow and orange mastercams are perfect for that route. even the splitter pitch (#4?) protects well with nuts so having a bunch of cams that size is convenient but not mandatory in order to protect the climb.

Its a great route, hope you have a blast.