Cathedral Ledge (NH) good training for Yosemite?

Title says it all. Want to get out to Yosemite next year but haven't had much granite experience other than a couple days in Little Cottonwood this summer. Would Cathedral Ledge be good (better than the Gunks) for getting used to granite slabs and flakes? Or is there a better location in the Northeast? Thanks in advance

It will get you started!

It wont train you for the weird stuff though...flaring cracks, endless pin scars, off widths, chimneys, french free, going from aid to free climbing and back again,  etc etc etc

I haven’t climbed at Yosemite yet, but I can attest to Northeast climbing lol. Cathedral, Whitehorse, and Cannon Cliff are probably your best bets for granite walls out here.

Cannon is the tallest cliff in the Northeast, but beware of the constantly changing shit weather, especially this time.

Cathedral is my second favorite place to climb, after Cannon, lots of variety, you just need to find it. There‘s a little bit of everything there including offwidth (Black Crack) and good aid routes (The Prow).

Whitehorse is next door to Cathedral. Slab. So much slab. 10 pitches of SLAB.

Also the Adirondacks. There are endless routes of all kinds. The climbing is phenomenal and I think it’s all/mostly granite. 

Yes, it's probably the closest major granite formation to Yosemite in the northeast. The pitches are relatively short, but there's enough variety in technique and enough climbing to have big days. It certainly has enough steep, hard slab climbing to keep you busy. The only thing it really lacks is splitter cracks - check out Poke-O in the Dacks for that. Also check out Green's Cliff - that felt uniquely Yosemite-like.

If you're a solid 5.9 trad climber you will find plenty to do in Yosemite. I honestly wouldn't worry about what type of rock you're climbing before going out there. I would be more concerned about just being in shape. Like any new place, start on a couple grade below your ability until you get a feel for things. Enjoy!

Mark Thesing wrote:

If you're a solid 5.9 trad climber you will find plenty to do in Yosemite. I honestly wouldn't worry about what type of rock you're climbing before going out there. I would be more concerned about just being in shape. Like any new place, start on a couple grade below your ability until you get a feel for things. Enjoy!

Really? I mean if you’re exclusively  climbing 5.12 at the Gunks, you’re going to get smoked on any sort of real crack climbing or slab anywhere.

I'm more worried about the slab and offwidth stuff. My crack, face, and roof climbing (thanks Gunks) are all pretty ok (comfortable 5.10)

Matt Kelly wrote:

I'm more worried about the slab and offwidth stuff. My crack, face, and roof climbing (thanks Gunks) are all pretty ok (comfortable 5.10)

Warning, tangential comment:

I would say work the slab and finger cracks as much as you can. A lot of yosemite 5.10-5.11 can be brought down a couple grades by trusting microscopic feet and smears. I’d recommend working as many long corners as possible, as most of the really great classic 5.11s in yosemite feature long corner cruxes. However, look around for gyms with cracks/crack training options and big modern funky volume climbs, as doing strange contortions will benefit your mental flexibility for doing odd flares and less featured obstacles. I mostly climbed at the gym doing the cracks there a million times to train for yosemite, which was my main weekend spot. I’d grab a crack climbing book too if you are newer to jams/crack. 

Stop worrying it's just rock. Get up early your first climbing day & go do the East Buttress of Middle Cathedral Rock. It's a 10 pitch 5.9 with an optional 10c face on the 4th pitch. It's easy it's fun & you will have a good idea of Yosemite Valley Granite. DON'T rap it, do the catwalk & then rap & walk off. It's your first time in the Valley go the long way.