Question: How improbable is it to onsight the Death Slabs approach to the RNWF in the pre-dawn?
csproul
·
Jun 11, 2015
·
Pittsboro...sort of, NC
· Joined Dec 2009
· Points: 330
Only been up it once in the light myself. However, I thought it was a pretty easy path to follow, but it was much longer than I expected..
Guy H.
·
Jun 11, 2015
·
Fort Collins CO
· Joined Jan 2001
· Points: 8,318
Probably not the best idea, if you are trying to do it in a day. You might even have a hard time finding the start of the climb in the dark, not to mention that everyone that spent the night at the base will be in front of you. Once you hit the slabs, it is nice to spot the next fixed rope and scope out the best path to get to it. You will probably add at least 30-45 minutes trying to figure out where to go.
Guy H. wrote:Probably not the best idea, if you are trying to do it in a day. You might even have a hard time finding the start of the climb in the dark, not to mention that everyone that spent the night at the base will be in front of you. Once you hit the slabs, it is nice to spot the next fixed rope and scope out the best path to get to it. You will probably add at least 30-45 minutes trying to figure out where to go.
So in short, scope it out before you need to do it for real.
Its possible but plan on getting lost for a bit. We did it recently and the real issue for us was finding the start of the trail near mirror lake. It is not marked. You pass a sign near the bottom of mirror lake then start looking in the trees for a small trail with random small cairns. The fixed ropes, although helpful also eat up energy. Finding the start of the climb is easy. The crack goes up a corner next to some bushes growing on the face. You can fill your water bottles at a spring about 20 feet past the start. Good luck
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