Rapping Down to Broadway Mud Swamp

[crazymonkey]

So this swamp at the bottom of the rap...I recall there being a post a while ago about changing the drainage or something so ropes don't get covered in goo after pulling them. What about chicken wire (or some non-rusting equivalent) to cover it up a bit to protect ropes? Secure it to the rock just above and drape it away from the wall over the swamp.

Thoughts?

Discuss whilst I wash my rope.

[scrubber]

It might be time to cut in a serious drainage ditch from it. I did a little one a couple of years ago and dropped the water level by about half, but then was into big roots and stuff.

It's really interesting how pools like that form. In our rare cold snaps, a big chunk of ice forms on that wall due to the seepage from above. When the weather improves and it pops off, it augers into the ground at the base pushing back the soil into that crater-filled-with-muck configuration. We could never fill in the hole, because the ice would keep digging it out.

Time to carry the mattock up there.

K

[crazymonkey]

Well, I'd be game to do some excavating or contribute to something that keeps my rope from landing in the sludge.

[AaronRN]

Chicken wire? Drainage ditch??! WTF people? How's about we just MOVE THE RAP ANCHOR a couple meters to the left or right?

[crazymonkey]

See, now that's why I said "discuss". Moving the rap anchor would be a better and possibly simpler solution. No need to get all "wtf" in block letters

So then: Move to a different tree or install a bolted rap station? To climber's left or climber's right? Aside from ropes landing in the sludge, the rap is in a good spot right now: Not interfering with other climbers going up and not landing in a bunch of bushes. If other bushes were cleared/massively trampled, would that not create another swamp?

[dakine]

How far of a hike is it to the base? perhaps some concrete where the swamp is?

[natsdad]

Hi Folks:

To answer Dakine's question - this is on broadway ledge: near to, but south of, Memorial Ledge. You could hike up the trail and then hike up and across broadway, taking care at various 4th class spots (assuming you were transporting concrete mix).

The current location does have a rarely climbed route below it - I've never done it, I recall it being rated about 5.10c...anyone ever climbed this?

There may be a better spot nearby to move this to, but there may not be. This is in a bay with a relatively steep and clean wall.

If the station was going to remain where it is, maybe putting gravel in the swamp and covering that with small logs, etc. would allow for a dry platform. (Otherwise, carefully coiling your rope onto a sling that you attach to your harness works to keep ropes from going into the drink.)

My 2 cents,
Steve

[J Mace]

Maybe learn a new skill, rap with the ropes in your bag or on a sling...it will help you in the mountains or windy raps or where ever you may find your ropes having the possibility of getting snagged.

Concrete pads? I guess it would be hard to chop...

[scrubber]

The rap happens to be in an optimum spot. 25m, easy to pull, good landing area (except for the sludge). If it were moved to the left (north) a bunch of bushes would have to be cleared or eventually just trampled to death at the base. A bit further North and you quickly need a 70m rope to just barely reach. To the right (south) the terrain at the top becomes far more difficult to navigate and more hazardous, plus lots of tree branches would have to be cleared to make it through easily.

The ditch would not be much work at all. The width of a mattock head by about 5m long by maybe a foot deep at the most. I'll bet I could have it dug before someone could navigate to the top of the wall and managed to sink in two bolts in a poorer spot.

[t-bone]

Why not just install a rap anchor at the top of Afterthought? It's about 20m south of the swamp and currently (well as of last year) had a bunch of slings around an not-so-large tree. The rap itself is 28m and deposits you in a nice, non-swampy area. Maybe Afterthought would get more traffic this way....it's one of the better 10d cracks in Squamish.

[crazymonkey]

jmace: I actually do rap with my rope flaked on a sling attached to my harness if the situation requires it. Excellent skill to have. The swamp is small enough in the summer for safely throwing the rope, but pulling it down after...mud.

bearbreeder: haha...I do see your point...but a clean rope is safer than a dirty one. And there was definitely pee in that swamp. My rope reeked after.
I think the chain situation is a little different because there's already an alternative (a short belay) that works just fine. But that has its own thread, so let's not go to town on it in here

natsdad: I kinda like the gravel idea. It's not rusty chickenwire (mmm...tetanus...) and it's a bit more natural to see than a block of concrete.

[Lurch]

you gonna haul that much gravel up there? dig a small ditch.. done. Scrubber has some experience with this stuff, from what he said getting to the afterthought anchors from there might be interesting + not everyone will know that beta and will still end up with muddy ropes. Alternatively you can always walk up the apron a bit and over to the brand new rap chains situated right beside the old boomstick rap tree.

Digging a ditch in the dirt is nothing like bringing down the rock to your level.

[Axilla]

We barely missed getting our rope in that swamp coming down from Rock On this past Sunday. We threw a few more rotten branches over it, not that it helps much.

What about just covering the swap with small cedar branches? All one would need to haul up are some pruning shears.

[Chris155]

Is it possible to move the anchor location ? been awhile since I've been up there !

[scrubber]

I'm going to try and deal with it via a small trench this week. If I end up hitting bedrock and it is indeed a natural birdbath, then I think it will be time to look at the other options.

Kris