Descent

There are many possible options for getting off after completing the route. To some extent, which way you go will depend upon how you made the approach, and whether you have left gear anywhere.

1) Summit (you can bypass the summit if weather is threatening), and descend the cables route to Chasm View, which usually involves one 165' rappel. From the base of the cables rappel, traverse along the top of Chasm View wall to the very low point between Longs and Lady Washington. Don't forget to stop and look over the edge of Chasm View down Directissima & Red Wall. From the low point, downclimb (5.3) 40 feet into a gully (this is the second gully you come to) and down this to where it narrows dramatically. From this point a huge ledge called the Sidewalk traverses the base of Chasm View wall and will deposit you close to the base of the N. Chimney. This descent has the advantage of being direct, and fairly obvious. However, the N. face is often covered with snow early in the year, and it would be hard to find the bolt anchor for the rappel in the dark.

2) Rappel; there is a new line of bolted rap anchors which start down from the top of D7 (you walk past this on Table Ledge at the top of the Casual route). Five 150' rappels take you down to Broadway, then another set of four rappels (some 160') goes down Crack of Delight (south of North Chimney) to the Mills Glacier. To get to the top of the lower set of raps, look for the first anchors almost directly below the start of the Casual/D1 (you have to walk down to the south and then back north to reach them). As you descend, look to the right (facing the rock) for large Metolius rap hangers. There are no chains, and the next anchors are always to the right - sometimes thirty or forty feet. I personally don't like rappelling, but this would be an attractive option earlier in the year when you might have to carry boots/crampons/ice axes to get off via the above routes.

3) Summit, and hike down the Trough. I've never done it - it's pretty long, and has lots of hikers on it, but is technically the easiest. Nobody seems to recommend this unless you top out in the dark.

You got snowed on and didn't make it up? You need to know how to escape.

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