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Yosemite...what to do for an old free climber?

Original Post
Lucille Lee Vincentiquone · · my van for now.... · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 5

Ok going to the Valley for the first time! I'm getting spooked by all the aid routes. I do like granite a lot and getting better at doing cracks as laybacks by developing unhumanly strenght. What are yours suggestions for free moderates?

TWK · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 160

What difficulty do you lead at? Or follow at? When are you going? How long are you staying?

Robbie Brown · · the road · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 465

For a single pitch route Bishops Terrace is a great 5.8 crack climb.
Are you looking for longer routes (5-10 pitches)?
And what do you consider moderate? 5.6 or 5.10?

Lucille Lee Vincentiquone · · my van for now.... · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 5

6 months April to October not straight though cos have to commute for work in SF. Moderate granite cracks are 6 for me...I heard its stiff unless you r a total crakee. If you all know anything else useful about the valley feel free to share. Thank you in advance!

John D · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 10

Definitely check out the grack center It's 3 pitches of 5.6 with some great crack climbing.

Royal arches is 5.7 and should be doable, snake dike is worth looking at too.

knob hill has some good 1 and 2 pitch routes with a couple that are pretty easy to set up with a top rope.

Jam Crack is a classic 5.7

Munginella is a 3 pitch 5.6 with lots of face climbing, and after 6 at manure pile buttress is great 6 pitch route.

that won't keep you busy for 6 months, but it'll get you started. Get Supertopo's book, it's full of great info.

I wouldn't say the grades in yosemite are stiff, just a bit old school and once you get a handle on the technique, it makes sense.

Steve Williams · · The state of confusion · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 235

The Nutcracker.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

Buy the Yosemite Valley Free Climbs book by Supertopo. Lots o' good info in the "guidebook."

Kirk B. · · Boise, ID · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 60

Middle Cathedral has some stellar routes on it. Kor Beck is 5.8, fairly classic. Or if your route finding is pretty good, there's The Flakes. Also 5.8.
South Face of North Dome is a fun outing.

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

IMO ... you should easily be climbing 5.9/10- at home if you want to do the longer stuff like the royal arches, or even nutcracker in safety and decent speed

if you arent a SOLID crack climber youll have issue, especially on lead

the "moderate" grades in yos are known to be a bit stiffer than some other places ... and they require crack and layback technique

your best bet is to go to bishops terrace, swan slab or the open books to do some of the shorter climbs then decide if yr up for the bigger stuff

get as strong as possible on cracks before you go, and have yr trad/multi dialed ... and get stronger there ...

IMO yos is not the place where you climb 5.7 at home, and you go there thinking "oh ill just run up a 15 pitch 5.7 because i can climb 5.7" ... thats how epics happen ...

have enough of a margin for error ....

even the something like snake dike has 50+ foot runnouts on the 5.2/3 sections (which in squamish would be 5.5/6) ... you need to climb it with confidence ....

TWK · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 160
bearbreeder wrote:they require crack and layback technique your best bet is to go to bishops terrace, swan slab or the open books to do some of the shorter climbs then decide if yr up for the bigger stuff get as strong as possible on cracks before you go, and have yr trad/multi dialed ... and get stronger there
Laybacks require technique? I always thought strength was the key--maybe because I lack technique?

Anyway, BearBreeder's right. Obviously check out the shorter routes first, find your way around, get used to granite and cracks. All the routes suggested are good suggestions depending on your skill, strength, and mindset. To that list I'd add SE Butt of Cathedral Peak and Fairview Dome up in Tuolumne. Nutcracker is a classic way to see how you do on Yosemite granite. If I remember, the crux is low on the first pitch.
Cory Harelson · · Boise, ID · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 2,410
bearbreeder wrote:IMO ... you should easily be climbing 5.9/10- at home if you want to do the longer stuff like the royal arches, or even nutcracker in safety and decent speed if you arent a SOLID crack climber youll have issue, especially on lead the "moderate" grades in yos are known to be a bit stiffer than some other places ... and they require crack and layback technique your best bet is to go to bishops terrace, swan slab or the open books to do some of the shorter climbs then decide if yr up for the bigger stuff get as strong as possible on cracks before you go, and have yr trad/multi dialed ... and get stronger there ... IMO yos is not the place where you climb 5.7 at home, and you go there thinking "oh ill just run up a 15 pitch 5.7 because i can climb 5.7" ... thats how epics happen ... have enough of a margin for error .... even the something like snake dike has 50+ foot runnouts on the 5.2/3 sections (which in squamish would be 5.5/6) ... you need to climb it with confidence ....
Good advice, but I would say that climbing something like Royal Arches is more about being efficient with your protection and belay changeovers than being strong. Other than a few short bits of 5.7, it's mostly 3rd/4th/easy 5th class. Your certainly don't need to be climbing 5.10 to do it. What causes epics is when you place a piece every 3 feet on 5.2 terrain and then take 15 minutes at every belay changeover. Efficiency with protection and belays, and being comfortable on Yosemite 5.7 is all you need to do RA.

That said, no matter what grade you climb at home (wherever that is), it would be smart to do some shorter 5.7s or 5.8s in Yosemite first, since the technique is so different from most non-granite climbing areas.
Chad Namolik · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 2,905

swan slabs. several 5.easy 5.6 and 5.7 leads/TRs. go here 1st to get dialed in.
munginella
after six
& higher up in the Meadows....
SW buttress Cathedral
Tenaya Pk
W ridge or N ridge Conness
are good longer peaks in the 5.5 - 5.7 range

if your partner is an aspiring 5.8/9 leader then follow bishops terrace, nutcracker, churchbowl lieback, and other 8s.

TWK · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 160

Don't you mean SE Butt Cathedral Peak?

TWK · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 160

Ok this is pretty funny--a 72 y.o. Women who leads 5.11 trad and lives in her van is asking for climbing advice?

I think I've been trolled. Friendly troll, but troll nevertheless.

Lucille Lee Vincentiquone · · my van for now.... · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 5
TWK wrote:Ok this is pretty funny--a 72 y.o. Women who leads 5.11 trad and lives in her van is asking for climbing advice? I think I've been trolled. Friendly troll, but troll nevertheless.
Would't it be a dream though...????
TWK · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 160

A dream, maybe; a nightmare, perhaps?

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065
TWK wrote: Laybacks require technique? I always thought strength was the key--maybe because I lack technique? .
yes even laybacks have technique ;)

the key is to shift as much weight onto your feet as possible whenever there are holds/smears or toe locks ... and to keep the trailing foot in the crack whenever possible with the toe turned in

otherwise if you do what some people do and power through with your butt sticking out and your arms pumping ... youll pump out and have real issues placing gear

Cory wrote: Good advice, but I would say that climbing something like Royal Arches is more about being efficient with your protection and belay changeovers than being strong. Other than a few short bits of 5.7, it's mostly 3rd/4th/easy 5th class. Your certainly don't need to be climbing 5.10 to do it.
IMO if youre going to do the arches without a gongshow ... you should be onsighting yosemite style 5.7 without a second though and quickly ... which likely means yr leading 5.9+ redpoint and perhaps higher considering the different climbing styles ... and the fact that youll need to climb at that grade many pitches up ...

otherwise youll just be putting in pieces every few feet and hauling yourself up ... and be slow as a result ... youll have to climb at that level when your feet are killing you, in the sun when yr tired and thirsty

nutcracker in particular has a somewhat dangerous mantle move ... that in squamish would easily be 5.9/10a ... in fact rock on, a 10a route in squamish has almost the exact same move .... you dont fall ... the initial 5.7/8 layback to nutcracker as well would easily be a higher grade in squamish, the day we climbed it some other party fell off the first pitch and got seriously hurt

ive seen many gongshow on the moderate trade routes up here where the rock and temps are friendlier, and the climbing softer ... of parties climbing moderate mutli right at their limit ...

im not saying dont go out and project the harder multies ... but on a moderate its much more dangerous as the falls arent really clean ... and youll cause traffic jams on popular route ...

there was this time last year in squamish when all the yanks came up and thought they could climb a stuff at their limit on the apron ... what should have been 2-3 hour routes jammed up with 4-6 parties ... never again will i climb moderate multi without checking to see if its an american holiday =P
John D · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 10

Last time I climbed royal arches, I think my time was 6 hours up and 2 down. Which is far from blazing fast, but I've never onsited or red pointed a 5.9 in the valley. I think bear breeder's advice is safe and well intentioned but perhaps a bit conservative. If you want to try a route before royal arches, try pine line at the bad of el cap. If that goes well, you should have no problems with any of the climbing on royal arches (other than maybe the chimney that starts it) However since it is such a long route, efficiency in your climbing and change overs does come into play.

People do get hurt in royal arches so don't take it lightly, but it's doable for the common man (I think)

Nut cracker is a bit serious, I actually ended up bailing to the left because neither my partner or I had that mantle move in us by the time we got up there. So it is possible to bail left to after 6 but its poorly protected and loose.

mark felber · · Wheat Ridge, CO · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 41
Jake Jones wrote:Ellenor.
Sorry, this person is entirely too coherent and articulate to be ellenor. Spelling and punctuation are too good, too.
Lucille Lee Vincentiquone · · my van for now.... · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 5

Thanx mates!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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