The Road To The Nose

Hey, will you all out there stop bursting my bubble please!

If you have 3 months to spend in the valley to practice then you shouldn't have any issues with the Nose. Perhaps after the Nose you can do one of the slightly harder aid routes if you decide that's your thing. Since you are in the valley you can practice on the lower pitches and get them dialed. Most parties bail in the Stovelegs not because the climbing is too hard but because of clusterfucks with lowering out the bags, lowering themselves out, and the tension traverses.

The best book I found for learning Aid systems was Jared Ogden's book "Big Wall Climbing Elite Technique". Chris Mac's stuff is also really good, I haven't read his "Road to the Nose" book, but some of his posts and videos on Supertopo are really really good, it's worth the time to search for them.

For practice I had spent probably about 10 hours practicing jugging / hauling at the local sport areas. Climbed / Aided Moonlight Buttress while hauling and practiced aiding a few other local pitches. I free climbed like shit on the wall not being used to the granite, or climbing with all the extra crap needed. But I found it was generally quicker or at least easier to pull through any hard sections then to try to figure them out.

The only specialty gear we used was cam hooks for the first 1/2 of the great roof, and the DMM offset nuts were really nice for the first 4 pitches. If I was to do it again I would bring offset aliens for these pitches. I actually bought some after the Nose for if I ever did another El Cap route.

Here's a video my friend put together of our trip up the Nose.
picasaweb.google.com/desert…

Thank you all for your posts! I appreciate your candid words on both sides. I want to become a climber full time, but life gets in the way. I'm not brave enough to give up everything I have and become a dirtbag climber. Begging a few months off is perhaps my best option right now.

Mark Hudon wrote: Do you want to be the cluster, be part of the cluster or be able to climb away from the cluster?

Right now I have realistic expectations of being part of the cluster, with hopes to someday progress to being able to climb away from the cluster.

The cluster can get pretty ugly. If you're ready for that then have at it.

It's good to have goals to live up to, and great to have time to focus on those goals. I think where we get in trouble is when we sacrifice most of the rest of our lives for some big dream, and because of conditions or chance end up not achieving what we set out to do.

I think any climber who sets his mind to it and takes the time to learn the techniques and gain the fitness can get up the Nose. I have heard though that only about 50% of the people who set out to climb the route actually make it to the top. Most of the people I have passed when I have been on the Nose look to be in physical shape to make it up the wall, but I know many of them didn't make it to the top. It's my belief that it is due mostly to lack of skill and fear. Climbing 5.10 and knowing how to aid will not get you to the top of the wall. Knowing how to follow and haul I think are much more important skills. Being "unkillable" will just get you deeper into trouble, and if you go up there planning to spend 6 days in the Summer your chances of success are quite slim. Most important is to feel at ease in that environment, and the only way you do that is with experience.

So back to the original point. Why are you going to give up your whole summer just to climb a rock? Why not just spend a couple weeks a year in the Valley and know that sooner than later you will climb the route in good style? Is getting up El Cap regardless more important than having a good time? Do you even have a partner that shares your dream that you can train with? The Nose is a great climb and worth aspiring to and training for. Just make sure you don't give up your life to do it.

Being a dirt bag is way over rated. Most of the guys hanging out for long stretches in the Valley do more drinking than climbing. Anyways good luck in your journey.

Kevin Stricker wrote:It's good to have goals to live up to, and great to have time to focus on those goals. I think where we get in trouble is when we sacrifice most of the rest of our lives for some big dream, and because of conditions or chance end up not achieving what we set out to do. I think any climber who sets his mind to it and takes the time to learn the techniques and gain the fitness can get up the Nose. I have heard though that only about 50% of the people who set out to climb the route actually make it to the top. Most of the people I have passed when I have been on the Nose look to be in physical shape to make it up the wall, but I know many of them didn't make it to the top. It's my belief that it is due mostly to lack of skill and fear. Climbing 5.10 and knowing how to aid will not get you to the top of the wall. Knowing how to follow and haul I think are much more important skills. Being "unkillable" will just get you deeper into trouble, and if you go up there planning to spend 6 days in the Summer your chances of success are quite slim. Most important is to feel at ease in that environment, and the only way you do that is with experience. So back to the original point. Why are you going to give up your whole summer just to climb a rock? Why not just spend a couple weeks a year in the Valley and know that sooner than later you will climb the route in good style? Is getting up El Cap regardless more important than having a good time? Do you even have a partner that shares your dream that you can train with? The Nose is a great climb and worth aspiring to and training for. Just make sure you don't give up your life to do it. Being a dirt bag is way over rated. Most of the guys hanging out for long stretches in the Valley do more drinking than climbing. Anyways good luck in your journey.

I agree with you on many of your points. I think there is certain misunderstanding on what I'm planning to do. I'm not just gonna keep bouncing off The Nose until I get it. I want to be in the area and climb many other routes. From long free climbs to grade V aid routes before I go do The Nose.
I'm not old old old, but old enough to regret things I should've dedicated myself 100% to it but didn't. I rather fail while trying, rather than fail to try. I'll ask my boss if three months off is possible. If the plan works out, I'll definitely let you guys know.
While we are on the subject of historical routes, how did you guys collect so much info? I would love to build my climbing library involving history of climbing.