Lindsey NW Gulley vs Others

[ultimategully]

I just hiked the gully up and down in summer conditions. It's great if you enjoy loose chossy dangerous crap for ~900' continuous feet of steep hiking. If you are determined to try this way stay climber's right on solid(ish) stone and excercise extreme caution.

[randalmartin]

If you do the ridge up and gully down just be very clear about putting eyes on the entry point to the top the gully as you make your way along the ridge towards the summit as you would anytime you descend differently than your ascent.

[greenonion]

Thanks everyone for great input. Ridge seems the better way to go. Hoping that ridge down climb is not too nasty. Right, hope is not a strategy!

[Reg0928]

Thanks everyone for great input. Ridge seems the better way to go. Hoping that ridge down climb is not too nasty. Right, hope is not a strategy!

You'll be fine on the downclimb. The little crux wall was my first experience with class 4 and I went up and down it no problem. There's also a class 3 bypass to the crux wall if you don't think you can get back down it

[Jorts]

Hoping that ridge down climb is not too nasty.

Solid 4th cl safer than loose 3rd cl.

[nmjameswilson]

I went up the ridge and down the gulley. Loved the ridge and regretted the gulley . That was years ago and it may have just gotten worse since then.

OP - I am doing this Sunday and decided on the ridge too. From what I have heard it is much worse then Sneffels.

@denvermikey - Do you suggest going back down the ridge due to your experience?

As long as you are comfortable down-climbing solid class 3/4 then I would do the ridge both ways.
BTW, have you checked the forecast for Sunday?

Right on that sounds fun! Yes I have looked at models and it looks like we will be dry Sunday for the most part while Saturday is going to be very wet.

BTW that gully is dangerous ... I have a friend that broke bones on rocks that came down.

[OldTrad]

Thanks everyone for great input. Ridge seems the better way to go. Hoping that ridge down climb is not too nasty. Right, hope is not a strategy!

Onion - I wasn't going to weigh in on this because I look at the world through climber, not hiker eyes. I would be a bit like telling someone who is determined to climb LB via the hourglass about what they should or should not do, when they expressed concern that they had never attempted anything like it before. My sense is that you think more like a hiker or would not be asking for advise about the best route on Lindsey, so therefore have reservations about the ridge. That's a good thing because screwing up while taking one of the harder variations could have severe consequences. However, climbing-wise, since the ridge-variations "aren't technically that bad...", I suggest that if you have some interest in the ridge then prepare yourself mentally and physically beforehand, so that you can stay calm and measured when you get up there.

Additionally, know that it is easy to make a runtime decision to change your mind/route once you reach the headwall, and opt for the gully instead.

Prepare, and then play things by ear.

[greenonion]

Thanks everyone for great input. Ridge seems the better way to go. Hoping that ridge down climb is not too nasty. Right, hope is not a strategy!

Onion - I wasn't going to weigh in on this because I look at the world through climber, not hiker eyes. I would be a bit like telling someone who is determined to climb LB via the hourglass about what they should or should not do, when they expressed concern that they had never attempted anything like it before. My sense is that you think more like a hiker or would not be asking for advise about the best route on Lindsey, so therefore have reservations about the ridge. That's a good thing because screwing up while taking one of the harder variations could have severe consequences. However, climbing-wise, since the ridge-variations "aren't technically that bad...", I suggest that if you have some interest in the ridge then prepare yourself mentally and physically beforehand, so that you can stay calm and measured when you get up there.

Additionally, know that it is easy to make a runtime decision to change your mind/route once you reach the headwall, and opt for the gully instead.

Prepare, and then play things by ear.

Beautiful advice, nail on the head, and I appreciate it. I am more of a hiker who enjoys a degree of third and fourth class scrambling. Was comfortable, very attentive and deliberate on Pyramids green wall. Have scrambled up Mt Superior (Utah - Snowbird) south ridge which I believe has low 5th. Very comfy there too, along with other scrambles. But Cap’s knife edge stopped me cold, so I know my head has a limit. (Worked Cap out and got across after dealing with flipped stomach at the time) So I tend to like to research a bit about what I’m taking on. I figured the down climb on the wall might be gnarlier than the gully, but seems more folks think the opposite. Again, much appreciate your advice and perspective, and I’ll have my “game on” mindset with me and will alter routes/plans as needed. Maybe I’ll finally do a TR and share how it went (but all this WRITING!!).

[cougar]

the ridge is practically a walk up if going climbers left (bypass) - just a short stair step like section. The class 4 (and 5) is off to climbers right. There's a choice of lines there, progressively harder as you go more to the right on ascent.

[OldTrad]

the ridge is practically a walk up if going climbers left (bypass) - just a short stair step like section. The class 4 (and 5) is off to climbers right. There's a choice of lines there, progressively harder as you go more to the right on ascent.

Agreed that the LHS variation is "easy", but the transition move getting off the headwall part of the "staircase" and situated on the slab above requires some shifting of body position, weight and balance, is more like actual technical climbing, and is trickier than the headwall itself. So yes it is "easy", but it's also exposed there and for someone who is inexperienced, or perhaps without a more experienced climber to talk them through it, spot them, or is freaked out by heights, etc... I can see the potential for it becoming a big problem for someone. Additionally, down-climbing that way requires reversal of those same moves with significant exposure right before you start them - definitely enough to freak some people out.

Bottom line - it's a place where you absolutely have to keep your sh*t together.

[Camden7]

The ridge was fun and not to hard. Just do that... the 3rd class is not too exposed and the rock is great. Avoid the gully. I watched someone kick a rock the size of the average walrus. Or washing machine or dishwasher or whatever you find the most compelling comparison. With everything you said you have done, I don’t think you will have any trouble. Pyramid is waaay harder, and so is Capitol.