Someone's Fixed a Rope!

“Someone’s fixed a rope,” a fellow climber called up to us from the notch, “so you’re good!”

We were on the summit of 14,155 ft. Mt. Sneffels in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The weather was spectacular, the view was breathtaking, but our feelings were mixed as we crouched on the rocky crest surrounded by empty sky, the highest point for miles around. We were exultant in our triumph, apprehensive about what was yet to come, shaky and on edge from the effects of the adrenaline which had been coursing through our bodies for the past several hours.

We were no strangers to mountain-climbing. This was our seventh 14er summit, and we had climbed before in all manner of conditions, including thunderstorms, blizzards, and gale-force winds. We had become familiar with scree, snow, and talus. And we had almost never experienced weather as good as we were experiencing today.

But this mountain was the next level up. A Class 3 route, the southwest ridge of Sneffels requires a more intense degree of technical climbing skills than any mountains we had climbed previously. In other words, Mt. Sneffels presents a more exhilarating kind of climb. The kind of climb that brings sweat to your fingertips and sets your heart pounding as you grope along the rock for handholds and pull yourself up each section of rock, higher and higher.

Mt. Sneffels' spiny southwest ridge

And Mt. Sneffels boasts something else: exposure. A level of exposure that is either thrilling or terrifying, depending on who you are.

One hazard on the southwest ridge is the long sections of steep, loose rock.

Exposure is bad . . .

... especially if you get off route.

But Sneffels was our mountain. If there was any 14er we wanted to climb, it was this stunning, unmistakable peak.

We greatly enjoyed much of the climb. There is something about that tingling feeling of excitement as you search for the best route, plan each move, work together to overcome each obstacle.

Some parts were, well, a bit too much. The crux of the climb was a vertical pitch of rock which I coined, “The Point of No Return.” For as we sat trembling at the crest of that terrifying obstacle, each of us knew there was no way we were going back down where we had just climbed up. Whatever dangers lay ahead of us, we knew our only way of escape was to summit Sneffels and descend via the standard route, which we knew had problems of its own.

The standard route on Mt. Sneffels takes you up the infamous Lavender Couloir--a steep section of small, crumbling rock that feels like it will never end.

The triumph as we crested the final hurdle was palpable. We had dreamed, cried for, toiled three times for this summit. Some of us had overcome debilitating fears of climbing. This summit was rightfully ours.

But then there was the descent. We couldn’t return the way we had come up, so the only way down was Sneffels’ standard route through the infamous V-notch.

Looking west over the Blue Lakes

Looking north is not so interesting

View looking east

And south-ish

But to our tremendous relief, there was another climber on the mountain that day. Having climbed Sneffels a “hundred-and-one times,” this man knew the mountain. He had come suddenly upon us as we were struggling in a precarious position near a terrible drop-off on the side of the mountain, and he had directed us to a safer and easier route.

Now, as he made his own descent down the standard route, he stopped at the notch to call up to us this encouraging report: “The notch is clear of snow, and someone’s fixed a rope, so you’re good!”

We enjoyed the summit thoroughly, especially as our nerves calmed down, and after a good snack, we felt we were ready for the descent. The V-notch was scary but manageable, as we worked together to get everyone through. Then sure enough, we saw the long rope attached securely to the rocks above and dangling down the steep snow in the gully.

Taking turns, we grasped the rope and began the icy descent. When it was my turn, I gripped that rope like death. One misstep on the slippery snow would send me slipping and sliding down the icy gully into the jagged rocks below. So I literally clung to the rope for dear life as I slowly picked my way down the slope.

Through the V-notch

Varying methods

Into the gully

And as I climbed, I realized something. Here I was clinging to this rope for all I was worth, depending on it for my very life. And I remembered that the danger of falling down the gully was trivial compared with the looming danger hanging over the head of every human being born into this world—the danger of God’s wrath. God’s wrath is our due after we die, and the result of God’s just, righteous wrath is eternal. It is Hell, a horrifying place from which there is no escape. That is how holy God is and how serious our sin is in His sight. Because of our wretched sinfulness, we can never stand before God, and Hell is our just reward (Romans 1:18-20; 3:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Hebrews 4:13; Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8).

I thought of the good news, the encouraging report: “Someone’s fixed a rope!”

Indeed, Someone has fixed a rope. In His incredible love for us, God sent His precious Son Jesus to suffer and die on the cross to take the punishment we deserve. He was buried and came alive again, triumphing over death (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 20-26, 55-57; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

And Jesus’ death on that cross is our only hope, our only plea. When we stand before God on Judgment Day, we have no excuse, no chance of escape, save to fall upon the incredible mercy of the Cross, and plead the blood of Jesus, which cleanses us from all sin (Luke 18:13-14; Hebrews 6:18-20; 1 John 1:7-2:2).

Are you clinging to the Cross today? Is the reality of death and Hell unfolding underneath you? Are you completely relying on Jesus’ cleansing blood, depending on it for your very life? Or are you depending on yourself, your own strength? Are you relying on your own goodness, a past experience, a false hope that God, the Righteous Judge will grant you a free pass into Heaven?

If you are staking your life on any of these things, throw them away at once, and fling yourself upon God’s mercy. Cling to Jesus today, every day—He is your only hope and plea.

Thanks to the sturdy rope, we all made it safely down the gully that day. What a fun time and what a beautiful reminder!

Christian, never forget the terrible danger of Hell and the awesome triumph of the Cross! Let it fill you with overwhelming love for God, which in turn will cause you to obey Him (Titus 2:11-14). In Jesus there’s hope, good news, a beyond-encouraging report: Someone’s fixed a rope, so you’re good!

Down the gully

Some sketchy snow above the V-notch

Finally out of the snow!

Some interesting perspectives on the southwest ridge

The "Kissing Camels" formation on the southwest ridge

Victory!

Photos by Jenny, Paul, and Joshua Venturo