Insight for C1 or C2 practice aid routes in Yosemite needed.

Going to be hanging around Yosemite for around 3 or 4 days for spring break, and was wanting to do a few pitches of aid climbing. Will be with two of my friends as well so I guess that could be taken into consideration. (I'm just sitting here thinking of how bad this is going to suck with that third wheel, being new and slow and stuff haha).

Thanks in advance,

Max

Church bowl Tree , pretty standard intro into easy C1 ...

Le Conte boulder has two lines. Easy to do in the evening when you get there to dial in your system before hitting real pitches.

El Cap Tree Route is on my list for this season.

I've heard the first pitch of the Pacific Ocean Wall is C1. Be pretty sick to practice on the first pitch of that and think about all the badass FA's that came before your practice run on the big stone.

The first pitch of the PO is A1 but it's a bit of a hike, maybe 45 minutes. There is a sharp edge on the small roof 2/3rds of the way up, so careful there. Climbing to Lunch Ledge on the S. Face of the Column has a nice pitch of A1. Or you could just find an obscure free climb and aid that.

At the base of El Cap you could do a bunch of Aid practice. La Esquela is a good C1. Offset cams are useful. You can do 2 first pitches of the Nose too. Or do first 5 pitches of Washington Column's south face. Which is a very popular route for beginners. Enjoy.

You know, if you're going to be there for a few days, and the weather is good, I'd just hop on a wall. Something on the column, no better way to learn.

Oh, and noticed you'll be with two other friends. Third wheels are great on walls, share responsibilities, ease stress, an extra brain. Got on South Face as a party of three and it was a total blast noobin out.

Stigma is close to the road and perfect C2 angle scar practice.

^^^^
Good suggestion! No one is going to give you shit for aiding the Stigma but you might have a couple of the most badass climbers in Yosemite history happen to walk by and give you some good advice. Also, it's very unlikely someone is going to show up wanting to climb that turd.

It's mostly C1 with a little C2 at the top.

Thanks guys! All these suggestions are really great, I appreciate it.

As for Mr. Morris, Washington column will have to wait until summer unfortunately, unless I can add two more days to our trip to avoid getting in trouble with the military institute...

Anyways, thanks a ton, any more suggestions are welcome, the more options the better, because who knows what the weather will be like around the 3rd-6th of next month...

Great suggestion from Mr. Morris. To be honest to enjoy the best of Washington Column, all you need is a day and a partner. Do first 5 pitches, or as many as you can, and rap the route. Majority of the parties do not top this wall out anyway.

Really? I am too old school where I actually think it's cool to summit? I guess it does save the hike down North Dome Gully, which I never really found all that bad.

I was thinking of the Stigma too, but it's been so long since I've done it, I didn't know how tricky the upper part of the pitch would be on clean gear.

It is cool to summit. Nobody argues with you there, Fat Dad. Question here is what can one do in one day to practice aid. Doing multiple pitches of aid is not a bad option.
I have heard of multiple parties not summiting though, because you can rap the route and avoid hauling to the top/sending rocks down on to other parties. Many are just too slow since it is their first wall experience. A lot do it over a weekend, and rap the route to avoid an epic descent with a pig (getting back to work on Monday sucks after an epic). Personally, I did the Prow in a day, and did top out. IMO summits matter, but that's just a personal preference.

By the way, 'El Cap Tree' could also work maybe? Would have nice views, and being on El Cap is kind of awesome...

Wasn't a climber killed by rocks dislodged from that top chossy pitch. I remember reading they were minding their own business on dinner ledge , then bam , rockfall , lights out . Unfortunate ...

I've only climbed the S. Face to Dinner Ledge, but all the stories I've heard about the upper part have involved loose crud. I say if you can climb to Dinner Ledge, enjoy a mellow bivy and climb the upper pitches without having to haul a pig, that would be a good, good thing. Alot of the hassle with aid is hauling. If you can eliminate that, go for it.

I like to play on El Cap sometimes just for practice the column is fun to play on and run laps.Just a bit farther of a hike with no big pig it not bad for hike.
If your looking for a 4th to balance out Im always up for some wall time, practice or maybe we can hit a wall.I want to do leaning tower west face to get a wall in and only 10 pitches.

Max H. Janszen wrote:As for Mr. Morris...

Okay so I can be there from the 2nd to the 6th, giving me 5 days in the valley! So I should be able to top out on the South Face and hike down (I would like to avoid hauling, but I'll do it if necessary). Is the route really crowded at this early in the year? I don't want to slow too many people down, no matter how stoked the three of us are.

Thanks so much guys, I find it really awesome that everyone is so friendly to aid noobs like me and my friends. Thanks a ton.

It could be all free for a week, or it could be crowded. It is easy to check, the approach is like 20-30 mins. Just go and have a good time/learn. South Face is considered a route where people go to learn. If there is someone really fast doing it in a day, let them pass, if not you got up earlier and deserve your place in line.

All of us people who hang on these forums are noobs :)

The first two pitches are easy to pass people so you won't hold anyone up. The third pitch is where a crowd would form and you can see them coming up pitch two in which case you could wait and let them pass.

It is common to aid the first three pitches and leave fixed ropes.