FAQ and threads for those just starting to hike the Colorado 14ers.
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"‘Class four’ is a lie we tell ourselves. We know what scrambling feels like, and we know what easy climbing feels like, and it relates basically to the overall angle of the slope. With short enough moves and large enough ledges a climb becomes a scramble, but there is this middle type of climbing that seems excessively easy, yet terribly exposed, and when we rope up for it we call it low fifth and when we solo it we call it fourth class. We do this because we were taught that the distinction between scrambling and rock climbing was the use of the rope, that if one is rock climbing one should be on belay. This is nonsense – whether one needs a belay has nothing to do with the difficulty of the climbing and has everything to do with one’s own skills... In short, what used to be called fourth class has become low fifth, and is treated roughly as fourth class once was; the term is just a misnomer."
Thanks for all the input. It has been very helpful. On my last trip to Colorado (mid-August) my buddy and I climbed Crestone Needle. The best we could tell we went too high in the east gully and climbed class 4 stuff for about 200 yards before we realized our mistake. We discussed that the ascent wasn't an issue. In fact, it was the best part of the entire climb. What we pondered was the descent. As has been mentioned by several of you about class 4 sections, it appeared that the downclimb would be far more dicey than the ascent. On the descent we made sure we followed the class 3 route to avoid the more difficult area we had previously climbed. I'm not sure we could have descended the class 4 stuff.
Michaeldadof4 wrote:What we pondered was the descent. As has been mentioned by several of you about class 4 sections, it appeared that the downclimb would be far more dicey than the ascent. On the descent we made sure we followed the class 3 route to avoid the more difficult area we had previously climbed. I'm not sure we could have descended the class 4 stuff.
That's because you're a bolt clipper! Just kidding... I'm a bolt clipper sometimes too. But anyway, for most sport climbers, downclimbing is almost not in their vocabulary. When clipping bolts, one hardly ever have to downclimb anything. So maybe work on your downclimbing a little, then maybe it won't feel as hard. Some moves are harder to downclimb than others, or even impossible to downclimb: mantles (especially overhanging), deadpoints, dynos, and really hard friction slabs. But with the exception of the mantle, you probably won't see any of those on a class 4 route.
"Getting to the bottom, OPTIONAL. Getting to the top, MANDATORY!" - The Wisest Trail Sign
Do you want to learn to climb class 4 or protect yourself on class 4?
Practicing climbing, like any other skill, is the only way to get better. Downclimbing will get you out of some tricky situations so practice it a lot. Sometimes your only security is your movement ability.
If you want to learn how to protect yourself on class 4 then hire a guide and go to a local climbing area to learn the skills. I'm a guide and if you have some basic rock climbing skills then it's not a hard transition to learn basic short-pitching. As people have said the 4th class routes on most 14ers are loose. That doesn't mean you can't use the rope successfully without raining rock down on people. While the rope can be great for increasing your safety and getting you out of a jam one must be careful to not become overconfident and use it to get into a worse situation that one would without the rope.
Downclimbing - that' s a skill that doesn't seem to be appreciated enough, and is a wonderful tool to have in your kit. Builds tons of confidence (just to get overconfident!).
justiner wrote:Downclimbing - that' s a skill that doesn't seem to be appreciated enough, and is a wonderful tool to have in your kit. Builds tons of confidence (just to get overconfident!).
Getting down is kind of mandatory.
On Class 4 I never go up anything I'm not willing to come down, unless I'm certain there's an easier descent route.
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake
