Yosemite Valley winter weather

I've never climbed in the Valley during the winter say (dec-feb?), so I was wondering what I should expect. Could people share their experiences and/or point me to other posts where this is discussed?

Like, I climbed the Rostrum last weekend, it was chilly at the belays but perfect when climbing. I'd like to repeat it in better style, but I can't get up there until the first week of December. Is that too late? Does the rostrum get wet after a rain storm? Is it a problem that it's gonna still be in the shade then? Is the rock gonna be so cold that I'll get the screaming barfies? What other climbs of similar difficulty are good to attempt in the winter (sustained 10+ to 5.11+). I'm aware that some of the crags like cookie cliff and el cap base can be perfect in the winter, but what long routes are good too?
thanks.

Temperatures are usually less of an issue than runoff. The winter season is very similar to the spring season in that regard. I've never tried climbing at the Rostrum in winter. It has a detached summit which would work in its favor, since most runoff originates from the water-retaining soil above the cliffs. It can be plenty warm to climb in the shade in the Lower Merced during Dec... or it can be freezing, it all depends on what the weather is doing that week.

Climbing in the Valley proper is pretty much resigned to the sunny side during the winter. El Cap is maybe your best bet for what you're looking for. Maybe Freeblast, or the Nose to Dolt, or something along those lines? I haven't climbed a ton of multipitch 5.10's in the Valley, and even fewer 5.11's.

The problem with longer climbs is, the longer they are, the more likely you are to encounter seepage somewhere along the way.

Ice fall can be a serious issue in the winter - particularly at the base of El Cap. Ice can form up every day up high then fall like clockwork as the wall warms up.

Greg Barnes wrote:Ice fall can be a serious issue in the winter - particularly at the base of El Cap. Ice can form up every day up high then fall like clockwork as the wall warms up.

That kept me off the Base all of last winter, but the temptation to wander up there is a lot greater now! Any suggestions on how to work out how safe that is? e.g. presence of snow atop? Nighttime lows & time since last storm? etc.

I got quite a beating from ice falling off the Heart last late May, and that was just from rainwater that froze overnight and then started breaking off in the afternoon sunlight!

Nabisco x 2 + Meat Grinder = Rostrum

Plus The Enema if you want to do the Uprising :)

Royal Arches? Yea or nay?

Better bring your swimsuit for Royal Arches, there will be several "river crossings" on the route.

Ice falling from El Cap is mainly just an issue the day after a storm in my (somewhat limited) experience. And if you're at the base around the Nose, the ice chunks will first hit the slab many pitches higher and explode apart into small pieces. It's rather like climbing in a hail storm. I imagine it would be quite dangerous though if you were higher on the route or off to either side of the apron where an icicle could have a clear shot of your cranium.

Or the ice chunks may be large and put craters into frozen ground. Also ice can form up closer to the ground - one time we saw a small ice curtain break off from about 500' up and smash directly into the first pitch of Little John right (I had told my friend that there was icefall but he didn't believe me - so we hiked up and watched ice pummel the base for a while).

Bigger chunks go straight to the deck on the right side, when you hear them coming you sprint for the wall - if you're dumb enough to be there, that is. It's been 15 years or so since I was that dumb...

Easy way to work out how safe it is is to hike up and take a look when the temps are warming up (maybe 9-10am or so), just don't hike too close...

Arch Rock gets sun from about 1 pm on in the winter. Just you and the locals.

Thanks for all the advice. Anyone know if Freeblast is close enough to the apron (the start of the nose) such that the ice will first strike above on a slab (rather than directly colliding with the route)? And yes watching the wall during the mid morning sounds like a good plan too. I'll be a climbing bum soon if I pass my thesis defense so I'll have lots of time to scope it out.

On a related theme, I was planning on climbing the S Face of Washington Column next year. Does anyone know when that route is typically good for climbing? I'm wondering how early I could hope to hop on the route next year.