First solo wall, route advice and all other advice...

I've got two weeks in the Valley coming up in mid June, and I'd love to try and solo my first wall. Though the prospect intimidates me slightly!
Since I'll only have two weeks, some of which will be free climbs with friends out there I reckon I only have time for one shot at something.

I'm not particularly experienced, I've done SF of Washington Column and WF of Leaning Tower with a partner last Fall, and Triple Direct up to Grey Ledges before bailing also with a partner. I've done a few solo pitches around the base of El Cap, so have the leading bit fairly confident, albeit slow. I've read up a quizzed friends of mine who've done solos about the rest of the systems, I reckon I probably know enough now to muddle through the inevitable clusters that will occur. Any other advice though is always helpful.

I'll be planning to go VERY slowly (2-3p a day) and bringing enough crap to be able to relax and enjoy myself up there, so that time pressure is at least one more thing not to worry about. Also going to bring extra candy to placate all the other parties that will have to get past my slow cluster.

I was originally thinking the Prow, but reading the route beta on Supertopo it seems like it might be a bit too heads up for me. Alternatively I was thinking maybe Southern Man or Skull Queen, though the obligatory free chimney on Skull Queen might potentially make me wet myself.

If anyone on here who's climbed any of these routes could give me some suggestions/pointers it would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Jane

First off, why not find a partner? Very easy to pick up a willing soul for the routes you listed.

Secondly, "Slow" is knott 2-3 days. I would plan on no more than 2 per day until your kit gets light.

That said, SQ is cruiser, the first 4 P as you know are quick. The OW is just a thrutch and nothing crazy above that.

SMan is more heads up, and requires anchor building.

Both are great routes that can be done in a day, or a overnight on Dinner.

Whatever you do, be safe.

I don't really want to find a partner, right now what I'd like to do is try a solo. Thats kinda why I'm going out to the Valley.
I ran out of time/weather last year to try and I've been thinking about it all year.
Skull Queen does sound good.
Cheers.

The Prow isn't any more difficult than the WFLT. Probably not as much fixed stuff but a bit more free climbing (1st pitch) and that 5.9 pitch near the top. Haven't looked at the Supertopo but can't imagine what on it made it seem more intimidating that Leaning Tower. There isn't any hard aid on either climb.

Sounds good. Thanks everyone.

JLP - swung leads on Triple Direct and SF, whichever way it worked out I just lead the two C2 pitches on Leaning Tower.

Fat Dad - Just lots of stuff about scary fixed heads and hooking. And some guy breaking himself.

The start of Leaning Tower was very clean last summer, I remember being pretty scared leading the 3rd? pitch as there was only one fixed head in it at the time,if the C2 on the Prow is like that I don't know would I be mentally up for many pitches in a row specially if it's my first solo.
But then again the Prow is the route I'd most like to do, it just seems a really amazing line.

What kind of rack is good for the Prow? I don't have a huge amount of stuff but can hopefully round up anything specific before I head out.

Thanks

When I did the Prow (OK, I'm dating myself) about 28 years ago I think, the hook placements were already really bomber. They'll probably be the size of grain scoops now. Re the fixed heads: bounce test them well but know that they're probably there because they're totally welded into the rock and no one's been able to clean them without blowing out the cables.

Enjoy and be safe. If you need some info on technique, track down Pass the Pitons Pete on this site.

You can find a couple good (maybe too basic though) articles HERE

Just click on the four links under Rope Soloing. Might have some helpful tips.

Good luck on your Solo(s). I am also interested in becoming proficient at soloing, for fun and also to facilitate my photography.

Wyatt H I found your link to Andy Kirkpatrick's site very helpful. Thanks for sharing!

I've soloed the Prow and really had a good time. The pitch off the Awahanee on WFLT is/was harder than anything on the Prow IMO. Just bring a good selection of micronuts and a few hooks, I remember hooking a few deadheads but nothing scary, one was left as pro it was so bomber.

Most likely your crux on the Prow will not be the route, but instead the descent. You will know the drill from the approach, but most likely it will involve shuttling loads. This is the challenge with rope-soloing, the slower you plan to climb the more you end up suffering with the hauling/approach. Plan on 2 days and it shouldn't be too bad, plan on 5 days and you will bring so much extra crap you will be bumming even when your food is gone. Hiking down the North dome gully twice and back up at least once in a day is not fun, but most likely will have to be done.

Hauling on the route is cake with the exception of the top 2 pitches which can be no prob if you follow the advice above.

Have fun and post your TR when you get back. If you know you can do it, you will.

My first wall in the valley was WFLT and I ended up soloing the Prow a few days after that. I'd agree with the above posters that the crux aid on the west face was slightly harder or equal to the most difficult aid on the Prow. The Prow is slightly more sustained in C2 difficulty for the first few pitches but pretty straightforward when I did it (I could easily reach/climb past any dead heads and only did a few easy hook moves). Bring plenty of micronuts (brass offsets and DMM peenuts were most useful) and a single set of offset aliens was nice beyond a pretty standard rack.

I don't think too many people do this, but I ended up rapping the route after topping out and leaving my gear at my last bivy. That way I didn't have to haul the last few pitches and didn't have to carry multiple bags down the descent route. The anchors worked out for rapping but I did have to leave an occasional directional clipped to a fixed bolt on the traversing pitches.

I think the Prow makes a great solo for the hauling, climbing and position.

Awesome, thanks everybody. haven't had time to check this recently as I've been mad busy packing. Hopefully will be in the valley this evening.

Just wondering, did a quick roundup of my cams, and I'm 26 cams short of the supertopo rack list. Not so good.
Currently I've 3 offset aliens - blue/black, blue/green and red/yellow, a set of aliens to yellow (and double yellows), and a single set of camalots to a 4.

I'm hoping to maybe borrow some more, but if that falls through does anyone reckon the ones I've got are enough, or if not how should I spend the last of my cash?

Cheers,
Jane

You've only got a single set of cams?! I hope you have more than a couple dozen biners.

Look, ambition is great, but if you don't have the gear, you're not going to get far. Good luck.

Definitely spend your money one 12 packs to help in bribing friends for some gear loans.

The Prow is probably not a bad choice for a solo, I found it to be no harder than the cruxes on WFLT, though much more sustained and with much less fixed gear and bolt ladders.

Make sure you have your solo system dialed well enough to handle a few spots of mandatory free (top of 3, top of 8, gully at the end of p10, middle of P11). None of the free stuff is bad, but getting short roped while tottering at a balancy spot sucks bad.

If you can borrow enough for a pretty healthy rack, consider linking P9 to the obvious natural belay 2/3 up P10, it will let you avoid the "Haulbag Eating Flake", and all the ensuing bag tending which sucks when solo. Make sure you rig up a far end hauler for the P10 gully either way, as the gully above the Haulbag Eating Flake also requires a lot of bag tending.

Northdome Gully is an awful walkoff when overloaded. Especially the first ~1/3 of it has many No-Fall zones. If your load is awful either take it down in 2-3 carries, or at least ferry it down the first 1/3 (to the tree with 4th class if my recommendation). On my last trip up the column we had heavy loads due to a monster rack and two portaledged (Mideast Crisis uses 4-5 each of everything, plus cams to #5) so we did a ferry to the 4th class tree, then another ferry to the bottom of the slabs where the trail goes into the trees. At that point we just loaded up the bags and suffered for the least 2-3 miles of decent trail. Save several liters of water for the walkoff if you are solo, and expect to spend most of a day doing it, quite likely the walkoff will be the crux.

Mission successful. Thanks for all your advice everyone. Tis a fantastic route. And now for a shower...

Congrats!

Pics please if you have them!

Thanks!
I only had a crappy "Yosemite" themed disposable camera, which I haven't got round to developing yet. Will hopefully post something in the next few days.

Yes, please post back with a trip report. This is something I want to check up on.

Nice work Jane! Can't wait to get up there myself.

thanks so much for the TR. Awesome send.

Congratulations and thanks for sharing the TR.