Building my rack for El Cap

So I'm thinking I'm going to get a set of Metolius Offset Master Cam or Metolius Ultralight Offset TCU. I'm leaning more towards the Metolius Offset Master Cam. What do you guys think?

William Turner wrote:So I'm thinking I'm going to get a set of Metolius Offset Master Cam or Metolius Ultralight Offset TCU. I'm leaning more towards the Metolius Offset Master Cam. What do you guys think?

of those i'd get the MC's...i dont like how the cable on the side of the TCU gets in the way of shallow placements.

Darren Mabe wrote:i am surprised you guys are falling for this. well. maybe i'm not.

+1.

I can already read the new thread coming 2 months from now: "lost offset cams on Kinda Super Hard Crack Climb (5.8+) in NC, if anyone can get them out I would really like them back"

Keep in mind the max camping time allotted in the valley during peak season is 2 weeks.

supertopo.com/a/The-Best-Yo…

Fucking dick

Eric Chabot wrote:I can already read the new thread coming 2 months from now: "lost offset cams on Kinda Super Hard Crack Climb (5.8+) in NC, if anyone can get them out I would really like them back"

Sounds epic. You should definitely hit up the Column or Leaning Tower to get your system wired before heading up the Captain. Expect the 5.10 up there to be a little more demanding than what you expect. Really is hard to take your post seriously if you have little trad experience and are planning on heading up with hexes and tricams. Either way get a big set of cams and stoppers - offsets aliens and stoppers for the pin scars. Perseverance is key, dont give up.

Darren Mabe wrote:i am surprised you guys are falling for this. well. maybe i'm not.

The last time I was talking about learning to multi pitch and trad on my own I got chewed out really bad on another forum, but despite what people said I did it anyway. Now I do it all the time. what the fuck is up with you? Jerk! It isn't like I'm going to climb the noise tomorrow I'm climbing outside every other week so fuck off. Some of you have been very helpful. So thanks to the people that actually helped me out.

Will,

Instead of relying on forums, where asking the right questions becomes a skill, you should read as many books as possible: supertopo.com/packs/road2no…
supertopo.com/packs/howtobi…
backcountrygear.com/the-mou…

And you should also read as many trip reports on climbing the nose, and other big wall routes:
supertopo.com/climbing/foru…

There are also a crapload of reviews for every item you may want to buy, Chris Mac does some of the best and his opinion holds a lot of weight with most "real" climbers:
outdoorgearlab.com/climbing

Andy Kirkpatrick is also a smart guy:
andy-kirkpatrick.com/articl…

It may be fun to get the opinion of a bunch of armchair climbers, but you'll likely get your feelings hurt, especially if you have thin skin.

If you're just trolling, then have fun, it's an easy way to get the attention that "real" people don't give us because we are unimportant people that contribute little value to other peoples lives. . .

DoesNotCare

Does too.

DoesNotCare wrote:Will, Instead of relying on forums, where asking the right questions becomes a skill, you should read as many books as possible: supertopo.com/packs/road2no… supertopo.com/packs/howtobi… backcountrygear.com/the-mou… And you should also read as many trip reports on climbing the nose, and other big wall routes: supertopo.com/climbing/foru… There are also a crapload of reviews for every item you may want to buy, Chris Mac does some of the best and his opinion holds a lot of weight with most "real" climbers: outdoorgearlab.com/climbing Andy Kirkpatrick is also a smart guy: andy-kirkpatrick.com/articl… It may be fun to get the opinion of a bunch of armchair climbers, but you'll likely get your feelings hurt, especially if you have thin skin. If you're just trolling, then have fun, it's an easy way to get the attention that "real" people don't give us because we are unimportant people that contribute little value to other peoples lives. . .

Thanks youre right, I will now only use the forums as a last resort. My feelings weren't hurt. I was just frustrated but that's silly I really shouldn't care what you guys think.

William,

I've done El Cap a few times. The most important thing to know is it is way different once you get that kind of air under you. For reference I lead about 2 to 4 number grades lower high up on El Cap than just craggin. Probably just my tiny balls though and may not be an issue for you. Once you are loaded with that monster rack and have some wind and big air you'll see the difference.

Maybe consider doing the first day (4-8 pitches) of some other El Cap aid routes to get everything dialed. Get good at hauling and lowering out first BEFORE you start and do at least another Valley wall first. That will make El Cap more enjoyable and you wont be holding up others below you. Which is way uncool btw.

Have fun!

William Turner wrote: The last time I was talking about learning to multi pitch and trad on my own I got chewed out really bad on another forum, but despite what people said I did it anyway. Now I do it all the time. what the fuck is up with you? Jerk! It isn't like I'm going to climb the noise tomorrow I'm climbing outside every other week so fuck off. Some of you have been very helpful. So thanks to the people that actually helped me out.

You climb outside every *other* week? So from now until let's say August, that gives you what? 14 days on the rock? Unless you're really gifted I don't think that's going to cut it man, sorry to say.

Any way you can get out more often than that?

Oh and PS, if you are trolling, masterfully done. Kudos.

I'm just wondering if you have any aid climbing experience... While aid and trad climbing are similar in some ways, they're also completely different. Based on your tick list and suggested ratings for easy climbs you should get comfortable with placing gear and being on the rock, then you should head to the north side and practice on routes like creatures of waste and invisible airwaves as well as the glass menagerie. These routes are going to give you a much better idea of what Yosemite routes are like than the red. If this post is serious you need a lot more time on the rock, and while climbing el cap is a very feasible goal, the time frame according to your experience may not be.

If you can climb the noise, you can climb anything. Now fly fledgling n00blet, fly!

Locker wrote:"last time I was talking about learning to multi pitch and trad on my own I got chewed out really bad on another forum" So you didn't like it over on SuperTopo? LOL!

No, to be honest you guys are a lot more helpful even though my goals are higher than most. But there are assholes here, but VERY few.

Yer gunna die!!!

alleyehave wrote:Yer gunna die!!!

You're very helpful thanks

William !

First you need to be a little more thick skinned if ur going to be asking questions that have been hammered into the ground and pulverized to dust on so many forums .

Second you need to separate the wheat from the chaff and decide what will work for you and what won't . We can give you ideas to help ant things to practice but in the end when your knees are in the breeze and your ass is in the blast 25 pitches up that's where you will discover if your a wall rat or a wanna be way over ur head .

I've been up the cap 49 times cuz , see wallin used to be my gig man
I've done everything from lurking fear to Jolly Roger to NA wall, the ranch ect ect.

Here are the points that have been covered I think are viable:

1) ditch the hexes and tricams ( there fine but this is one place I don't use them)

2) get at the very least a set of offset cams and nuts , micros are always useful .

3) practice pendulums , lower outs ,traverses , ect until there second nature .if your going to haul and jug practice this as well .

4) if you don't already have a good wallin book get one !

5) be prepared for anything and know how to retreat , there's no shame in backing off in the face of a storm , injury or just high winds .if the wind starts howling it will blow every direction even straight up! Know how to safely pass party's or allow party's to pass .also the most important thing to remember is idk what time of year your climbing the cap don't ever let your guard down and think the weather will hold , the minute you do it will slap your ass down quicker then you can say fuck.

6) realize that most people train for the nose by climbing other valley classics that are shorter . It's called payin ur dues , but more importantly getting a feeling for what's in store .

7) no amount of gym climbing will ever relate to what ur about to climb period ! Yea it will make you strong but it won't give you the balls to do a wall.

8) understand French free and use it where needed .

9) how hard you crack climb in Yosemite is really all that matters , well there is some face climbing as well . None the less well said !

10) if your planning on spending the night up high , pack simple food that you can stomach , snacks that are not only easy to eat and cary but have juice as well oranges were a welcome snack to me . . Lots of water and don't forget morning coffee . As I got older I started subbing ibuprofen for sugar as my sweetener of choice .

I don't think anyone here wants to see you fail ! Pard . We have just been there done that and got the tee shirt . I hope you practice a little more then your planning on to have a better shot at success .

You have 8 weeks in Yosemite ? then spend 6 of them climbing everything that relates to the nose and then some ! use week 7 to rest and then giver sliver .do this and I think you have a better shot at your goal. Well it will be more enjoyable for you .

Last plan on waiting in line to climb , and keep a weary eye on what's / who's ahead of you.

Off topic and totally irrelevant ......................what's with the nose anyway ? I think the Muir wall was/ is a much better climb IMHO . Meh to each there own .

Cheers .