Zodiac Traverse

[alyssacait23]

I am hoping to do the zodiac traverse in the Gore Range this weekend but have a couple of questions that I cannot find answers to in trip reports. With the weather not being the best I'm trying to decide if I want to commit to this climb and was wondering how long it has taken people to complete the ridge line. Our plan is to backpack into willow lakes the night before so we can hopefully be up to ridge line and start the sporty climbing at sunrise. Also, if weather does set in, are there any bail points between the zodiac spires that are reliable to go down?

[jbchalk]

That's awesome you would like to attempt the traverse! Go for it! Get a super duper early start.

As for a reference for timing, my partner and I started at what we have dubbed "Zodiac Ponds" on the west side of the ridge at a camp. It took us about 9 hrs RT on the dot to hit Red, all the spires South to North, East Thorne, and Mt. Silverthorne and back to camp. Probably not the fastest that it could be done, but we're not the slowest either.

As far as bail-out options, I believe the west side lends itself to more gullies an ledges that could be downclimbed back to the basin. However, there are a few gullies down the east side back to Willow Lakes. Here is a pic of the east side of the ridge from up on East Thorne:

IMG_7094.jpg (287.46 KiB) Viewed 440 times

Cancer & Capricorn have large cliffs that would make retreating tough down to the east side, but there are steep gullies/ledges north of Libra and Saggitarius. You may be able to get down between Gemini Twins, Taurus, & Scorpio as well.

Best of luck!

Brandon

[Monster5]

I think timing-wise, we were around the same, 7-8 hrs (very rough estimate, some AM snow to deal with) from Red's summit to Zodiac View. Studying beta, set anchors, and solid route-finding should save you a half hour off the bat. One could also shave off an hour or two just doing the towers and skipping the peaks on either end. Depending on climbing ability, you could also go N to S and bypass Capricorn on the W as has been done in the past (estimate 5-6 hrs?), but that wouldn't be as cool IMO. That rap is fantastic.

Concur with the Good Buddy Chalk on bail options. Plenty to the west throughout. E and W options on the northern towers and before the start of the S towers. E options are lacking throughout the meat of it, however, if you've a rope and webbing, the terrain is amenable for a couple bail raps to the east from all of the tower saddles except perhaps near Capricorn. The western sky (weather) is also view-able for the traverse.