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Did my first big wall. Just wanted to thank you guys for all your help!

Original Post
Conor Galvin · · Santa Ana, CA · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 90

I know it's only a grade IV for a lot of you guys, but I just did the west face of leaning tower! It was my first big wall, and I know that I never would've been able to pull it off without all the resources at mountain project. Just wanted to say thanks to the folks here on the big wall forum for your advice and for the information I got from earlier posts. Also, thanks to the folks at the FS/FT forum for helping a college student outfit himself with an aid rack and big wall climbing books.

Seriously, you guys rock.

I soloed the west face over the course of two and a half days, and managed to go the whole time without so much as a daisy whipper. Definitely had a couple of trouser-filling moments when free climbing was required, but all-in-all, it was a great experience and my favorite climb so far. I think I'll post a trip report here in the next couple of days, but I really wanted to thank the mountain project community before anything else.

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346

WFLT is legit grade V. Most people do not climb it as a grade IV. Good job, that's a fun route.

Conor Galvin · · Santa Ana, CA · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 90

A couple of guys doing it in a day blew past me on day 2, so I figured that's how most people did it. Good to know I'm not a total slowpoke!

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346

Most of the people I see do it climb it as the Supertopo book recommends, which I think is something like sleep on P4 and again on 8, or something like that. Also, Some people fix to 4 and then blast the next day, but I would not call that climbing it in one day, not if you climb 4 pitches the day before to fix.

Moof · · Portland, OR · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 25

Nice work!

WFLT is a pretty decent undertaking. While it can be done in a long day, you need to be dialed. As soon as you throw in a haul bag, storm gear, and a couple days of water, it cannot be grade IV'ed or anything close to it.

I've done 8 pitches of aid in a day before, but never more than 4 with a haul bag. Besides Awhanee ledge is a great place to hang out. I tried soloing WFLT once and got shut down trying to get to the first bolt of pitch 5 (storm on day 1 had the guano oozing all over the start, and I kept slip sliding). So I spent a full day just soaking in the view, then retreated. Still one of the high points in my wall career.

Conor Galvin · · Santa Ana, CA · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 90

Damn, that's bad luck about the weather. Did you stay dry on awhanee ledge?

Max Supertramp · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 95

It seems like a Yos IV is different than the other ones. It seems.

Moof · · Portland, OR · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 25
badmoonrising wrote:Damn, that's bad luck about the weather. Did you stay dry on awhanee ledge?
The next day was warm and sunny, very pleasant. On day 1 got to see a wall of snow 20' away from me as I wimpered up pitch 3, which was just surreal. It had been wet for at least a week before and there was a lot of spring melt keeping the guano flowing.

It took me 17 hours from car till I got the haul done to Awhanee. Soloing is just slow and hard work.
vietgoeswest · · Portland · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 100

badmoonrising: Great job! What were the conditions of fixed gear on WFLT?

mucci · · sf ca · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 655

Nice! The majority of climbers do this as a grade V, and solo as a first wall is proud.

Great screen name too!

mountainproject.com/v/bad-m…

Conor Galvin · · Santa Ana, CA · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 90

viet goes west: There were oodles of fixed gear, and most of it seemed pretty solid. Definitely clipped a couple of questionable angle pitons and a sketchy aluminum head, but that was about it. For the most part fixed gear was nuts. There's definitely a ton of it on the seventh pitch, through the roof sections.

Fat Dad · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60

Very cool! Leaning Tower isn't too hard, but the approach is somewhat involved and it's got instant exposure that freaks some people out. Props on the solo.

Erik Sloan · · Yosemite, CA · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 254

Good Job BMR!

Not the easiest route that Tower. Super fun though.

Go For It!
Erik
erik@yosemitebigwall.com

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Big Wall and Aid Climbing
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