Rappelling with the family

Hey all,

Family is coming out for the holidays and have asked if I could take them climbing somewhere but I have a feeling it may be too cold for the less adventurous. So I thought rappelling could be fun for them instead. I'm looking to hike to the top of a multipitch rapp (without leaving gear of course) along the front range. Does anybody have any suggestions?? I'm looking around Monument, Colo Springs, SPlatte, etc. Worst case scenario is I can go to Castlewood Canyon.

I'm thinking about N. Cheyenne Canyon somewhere might be my best bet?

Thanks guys.

Not very many fixed multipitch raps in cheyenne canyon... In fact I can only think of two that require two 30m rappels, and you have to climb the routes to get there.

Why do you want it to be multi-pitch? That just raises the level of danger for all involved. If someone freaks out halfway down the first rappel, what are you going to do? You can't make them climb up, and they sure as hell won't want to keep going down.

To answer your question, you can rappel off the wall of winter warmth in boulder canyon in 4 raps... but bring two 60s for the last rap otherwise you won't be on the ground. And you have to know where to rap off, and you will have to make your own anchor on the top and retrieve it when you are done. You have to walk back to the top to get to your car so it's not that big of a deal. HINT: Try to hit the Angle of Repose anchors on your first rap.

Why not take them to a gym instead? That's usually where I take non-climbing family and friends.

If you take them rappelling on a multipitch you really need 2 people to manage non skilled rappellers safely, IE someone at the belay and someone controlling the rap at the bottom. There are other ways but it's hardly what I would call fun.

Chris Plesko wrote:Why not take them to a gym instead? That's usually where I take non-climbing family and friends. If you take them rappelling on a multipitch you really need 2 people to manage non skilled rappellers safely, IE someone at the belay and someone controlling the rap at the bottom. There are other ways but it's hardly what I would call fun.

I agree with that...there's less "satisfaction in rappelling" and truthfull for beginners it's the scaries part.

At the gym they have fun..coaxing them over a lip for a rappell, they'll probably NOT being loving it.

In Cheyenne Canon there is a wall that has a short rappell that SAR uses for training. If you park at the parking lot for the Middle Columbine Trail and then look due east you will see a 40- 60(?) foot wall that you can walk to the top of and set up a rappell. You may need to bring extra long webbing or static line to set a good anchor. (Not sure what is up there hopefully some solid trees) You may be able to set up multiple rappels.
It may work for you as if the family doesn't have the experience someone can do a fireman's belay at the bottom while you rap next to them to teach/ assist. Have fun and I would drop the multi-pitch rappel. Most likely it will be chilly in the canon.

Wehling wrote:Hey all, Family is coming out for the holidays and have asked if I could take them climbing somewhere but I have a feeling it may be too cold for the less adventurous.

The 10 day forecast has temperatures at Shelf in the 60s from Christmas eve through the end of the weekend. Cactus Cliff is like a furnace there, and I imagine it will be comfortable to climb in t-shirts.

Why hike up some snowy cliff to get to a rappel? I never understood why people think rappelling is fun. I also imagine there aren't too many multi-pitch rappels that are easy to walk to the top of, since if it is just a class 2 walk off, why would anyone put in rap stations? I wouldn't want to bring a larger group of inexperienced climbers up some class 4 in the snow just to get to a multi-pitch rap, and then have the discomfort of having 3 or 4 people at a rap station, exposed to the elements, half way down the cliff.

Single pitch sport climbing at Shelf would allow people on the ground to bundle up in case it got cold.

Even the 10 day forecast for Boulder looks like it will be warm enough to climb if you are at a south facing cliff. At South Platte, Turkey Perch may be warm enough to climb and it is an easy place to set up top ropes for beginners. (Of course, it is a dirt road to get to Turkey Perch and if it has snowed recently I wouldn't want to go there without a good high clearance four wheel drive vehicle.)

I can understand all of your confusion of why this would be fun, I share your confusion in a sense too. I have taught all of the people who'd be partaking in this activity how to rappel down at our property where we have a few sandstone cliffs. My brother is proficient at fireman's belays and I will have my SAR stuff on hand for pickoffs if somebody gets stuck. They are not first timers but not "advanced rappelers" either. Time will be a little short, maybe too short for a drive to shelf, especially since I've never gone there and don't know my way around the crags.

Regarding the gym, I told them that we could do that and they all said, "I'd rather go do something outside" so that's where I tried to bridge the two. I'm just the chauffeur and they liked rapping last time.

Thanks for the input guys.

Phil Lauffen wrote:Why do you want it to be multi-pitch?

Oh, and regarding the multi-pitch, I wanted to do it to add some excitement for myself and also teach my budding climber niece a little more about rappel transitions. It'll be pretty manageable with the crew I've got really.

If you have a more experienced crew then that makes it more manageable. Just be safe and remember that newish people do stupid stuff, esp when scared or cold. Having an extra ATC on hand is probably a good idea if they don't know the munter and other stuff like that.

Not sure about your current situation but for your niece, I think the rap off of Mt Lindo/Lover's Leap is what you are looking for. 3 mostly low angle raps that feel like hanging stations and there are some easy routes to climb to the top or you could even hike it. Cold this time of year though.. faces North. Not for you and the whole family though.

Rick Blair wrote:Not sure about your current situation but for your niece, I think the rap off of Mt Lindo/Lover's Leap is what you are looking for. 3 mostly low angle raps that feel like hanging stations and there are some easy routes to climb to the top or you could even hike it. Cold this time of year though.. faces North. Not for you and the whole family though.

Thanks Rick, I did that climb for the first time (after having to bail twice before for weather and sickness) and thought the same thing. Is the hike to the top around to the West? I can pull out the topo too.

I'll be waiting patiently to read the accident report.

androo.daveass wrote:I'll be waiting patiently to read the accident report.

I've been waiting to hear one about you too Andrew.

If they want to go climbing, take them climbing (even if its in the gym)...rappelling is not climbing and I hate it when some people get the notion that climbing and rappelling are pretty much the same thing

P.A. Lutz wrote:If they want to go climbing, take them climbing (even if its in the gym)...rappelling is not climbing and I hate it when some people get the notion that climbing and rappelling are pretty much the same thing

I'm pretty sure I know my family better than you. I asked for places to go rappelling not whether or not I should or how or what was more fun.

I'm sure there would be several you could set up at Red Rock Canyon Open Space in the Springs, doubled up 60's should do it