I've got some questions relating to The Prow. I've already read some of the trip reports on Tuan's other pages.

- How do the other A2 pitches on The Prow compare with the second A2 pitch? I recall some fixed manky copperhead, RURP and piton placements on the second pitch. Is this characteristic of the other pitches?

- Can I just get by with one portaledge or can I get by without a portaledge? That is, can one person bivvy on the ledges at Anchorage Ledge and Tapir Terrace while the other person uses the portaledge (I've got the Fish 5-Season portaledge with rainfly.)

- What's the best way to break down the climb. Day One: I was thinking of hiking in, climbing up to Anchorage Ledge, try and fix one more pitch (pitch 4) and then rap down to Anchorage Ledge for the night. Day Two: Climb up to Tapir Terrace (pitch 8) and try and fix one more pitch (pitch 9) and then rap down to Tapir Terrace for the night. Day Three: Finish the climb and hike out via North Dome gully.

-- Dan Rampe (drampe@bluecurve.com), March 27, 1998

Answers

i found the route to be pretty consistent A2. i had the even pitches which seemed a bit more challenging than the odds. anchorage looked pretty crappy to bivy on, with tapir not all that much better. we did the route in a day, avoiding this particular dilemma!

we did north dome gully in the dark. it was my second time down it and it still sucked. good luck!

-- david hill (dfhill@ecn.purdue.edu), April 01, 1998.

I just did the prow a few days ago. The second pitch did seem like the crux of the route. However, the hard part was only about the first 20 feet. The other A2 pitches were pretty straight forward. There are a lot of fixed copperheads on the route. I would bring some in case those blow. Most of them were in good shape, but a few are time bombs. No fixed rurps, but some fixed pins. Three fixed on pitch two, then some other fixed stuff. I would bring a ledge for two. The ledge on top of three could be slept on, but it is really slopy. It would be very uncomfortable. Tapir terrace is the same. The best bivy spots are the anchors at 3, 8, and 10. Yet, all belays have new bolts. We spent the night on 6 and then the top. We came down the north dome gully which sucked!!! I would recommend rapping down the south face or royal arches.

-- Ronnie Miller (dylan-miller@juno.com), May 04, 1998.