Is it socially acceptable to only climb Free Blast on El Cap?

Me and my boy are making the obligatory first trip to Yosemite from NC. I don't really know a lot about the climbing ethics on El Cap and really am not trying to piss people off when I come to The Valley. I've been thinking about climbing the 10 pitches of free blast and then rapping off, is this socially acceptable to do? We don't have any big wall experience but more so, none of the gear to climb the entirety of El Cap but 10 pitches is completely doable. I'm hoping that this is a very normal thing to do but let me know if it isn't and feel free to make fun of me as much as you'd like.

It is very common to do. At least half of the people on it are doing just that. There are usually fixed lines from Mammoth Ledges (where the Free Blast route ends) down to Heart Ledges down to the base to make the rapping experience relatively easy (but watch for people coming up!)

Ben Horowitz wrote:

It is very common to do. At least half of the people on it are doing just that. There are usually fixed lines from Mammoth Ledges (where the Free Blast route ends) down to Heart Ledges down to the base to make the rapping experience relatively easy (but watch for people coming up!)

Sounds great, this is exactly what I was looking for I appreciate it.

It's 100% OK, but also not a particularly good climb compared with many other valley 5.11 day routes.

Kevin DeWeese wrote:

It's not considered a valley 5.11 route. A majority of those that climb it pull through the short 5.11 slab and roof on bolts/gear and enjoy one of the better valley 5.10 day routes. 

To the OP: freeblast is a free route with a couple points of aid and it's totally fine to climb it as a free route with a couple points of aid.  If you wanted to climb it entirely as an aid route then people would likely give you the side eye due to the slow speed of such an endeavor but even then, they probably should have woken up earlier. 

Kevin, I believe it being rated 5.11 makes it a 5.11. 

Kevin DeWeese wrote:

It's not considered a valley 5.11 route. A majority of those that climb it pull through the short 5.11 slab and roof on bolts/gear and enjoy one of the better valley 5.10 day routes. 

To the OP: freeblast is a free route with a couple points of aid and it's totally fine to climb it as a free route with a couple points of aid.  If you wanted to climb it entirely as an aid route then people would likely give you the side eye due to the slow speed of such an endeavor but even then, they probably should have woken up earlier. 

Definitely am going to free the majority of the climb, i really just want to compare NC slab with Yosemite slab lol, it’s going to be interesting. Also it’s just a famous route so in between my trips to Separate reality and the 3rd Pillar it would be sick do something on el cap even if we down climb

blakeherrington wrote:

It's 100% OK, but also not a particularly good climb compared with many other valley 5.11 day routes.

Just curious since I’ll be out in the valley next week - what 5.11 day routes are better, and in season-ish right now?

Tal M wrote:

Just curious since I’ll be out in the valley next week - what 5.11 day routes are better, and in season-ish right now?

I'm the farthest thing from a local expert but thought Freeblast was probably 2 out of 4 stars as a free climb on its own. And on a relative Yosemite scale, maybe not even worth two stars considering the high level alternatives which would be less sunny and crowded and simply have many more high quality individual pitches.

Rostrum

Voyager

Center of the Universe

Astroman

Freestone

A bunch of others off this list?

Parker MacDowell wrote:

Definitely am going to free the majority of the climb, i really just want to compare NC slab with Yosemite slab lol, it’s going to be interesting. 

The routes on Glacier Point Apron in that grade range, like Dead Babies, Chiropodist Shop, Ephemeral Clogdance and Green Dragon seem to me to much more represent Valley slab climbing than that short 5.11 section on Freeblast.  There's a pic of me leading that 5.11 section on the Freeblast page here - you can see that it's really only the feet that are slab.  The hands/fingers on the upper feature make it much more secure than most Apron slab, esp with modern small cams for pro.  By all means do Freeblast, but October should be fine on the Apron.

blakeherrington wrote:

I'm the farthest thing from a local expert but thought Freeblast was probably 2 out of 4 stars as a free climb on its own. And on a relative Yosemite scale, maybe not even two stars considering the high level alternatives which would be less sunny and crowded and simply have many more high quality individual pitches

Rostrum

Voyager

Center of the Universe

Astroman

Freestone

A bunch of others off this list?

I've climbed on 4 out of the 5 routes Blake mentioned and I enjoyed Freeblast just as much as them.  What stood out for me: First pitch rock quality reminded me of the rock they carved the Lincoln Memorial out of, the slabs require more thought but less strength than the other 5.11s, Chimneying Half Dollar facing outwards looking at the entire Valley, and just the experience of walking up to El Cap and climbing on it.  Least favorite part was Triangle Ledges smelling like a subway from all the sun dried urine.  I did not expect to like it as much as I did, totally worth it on its own.

blakeherrington wrote:

A bunch of others off this list

Thank you, bookmarked, that's great list. I thought I'd done 'nearly everything' (realistic, for me now) in Yosemite but it's got me quite psyched about returning in a couple of years. 

I've done Freeblast twice, the 5.11 and 5.10 A0 versions. I think it's an excellent route to do, even if the quality is a bit inconsistent. Still, many of the pitches are great. You get to climb up to the heart of El Cap. quickly and relatively easily. This is amazing in itself, especially if you've never climbed on El Cap. before. It's the OP's first first visit to Yosemite, how cool is it do to this with his son?  Blake has done Freerider (chapeau) so hanging out on El Cap. is likely not so much of a Big Deal for him. You also get to wonder at Alex Honnold's physical and mental skills. All this and it's only 15 minutes from the road!  

I think the OP and his son will have a blast.  

Edit: concur with Blake’s comments below about not getting in the way of other teams. The speed parties are likely to be starting pre-dawn. Going just a little later still lets you to climb the slabs before the sun gets on the face but, at a guess, with less likelihood of impeding others. 

Jon Rhoderick wrote:

I've climbed on 4 out of the 5 routes Blake mentioned and I enjoyed Freeblast just as much as them.  What stood out for me: First pitch rock quality reminded me of the rock they carved the Lincoln Memorial out of, the slabs require more thought but less strength than the other 5.11s, Chimneying Half Dollar facing outwards looking at the entire Valley, and just the experience of walking up to El Cap and climbing on it.  Least favorite part was Triangle Ledges smelling like a subway from all the sun dried urine.  I did not expect to like it as much as I did, totally worth it on its own.

I agree with you Jon about P1 being good. I thought it was the best (and only really great) pitch on Freeblast. I think enjoying Freeblast as much as Astroman or Rostrum requires valuing the overall setting and convenience, as opposed to the specific individual pitch quality and climbing the entirety of a feature, not bottom 1/3rd. 

One thing to be mindful of for maximum courtesy if you are casually day or AM “cragging” something like Freeblast which is the shared start of longer climbs and also has a huge sun/shade difference - try and be reasonably considerate of people trying the complete longer routes who might have their ascent/trip ruined in a traffic jam at the start behind people who are happy to AO, climb slow, or come back another day. (Think of it like a sport crag where 2 or 3 pitches share the first few starting bolts then branch out into different and extended routes. Of course you 100% "could" spend 3 hours casually toproping the short version of the warmup, but you could also let others climb through without much impacting your own day and ascent style.)

Kevin DeWeese wrote:

Considering that most ascents of the climb are 5.10 A0, there's a difference between its objective grade and its effective grade. By your logic, everyone that climbs the Nose can claim an ascent of a 5.14 trad route 

I think John's logic is that a free route has a free rating, and Freeblast's free rating is 5.11. If you climb those pitches at 5.10 A0 (nttawwt), then you've done the first third or so of the Salathe, not Freeblast. That's if you buy into the whole renaming aid climbs as free climbs thing. If you do, then given the name, I think it's reasonable to assume the intention is for it to be an all free route (or collection of pitches in this case). Kind of a poor choice of name otherwise. Has there been some kind of exit poll that show most climb it at 5.10 A0? Even if true, the objective free rating is still the rating of the climb as intended. How any or most people climb it is irrelevant. 

The Nose escaped being renamed by Lynn, so instead people have to specify if they climbed it all free. A better comparison would be Astroman vs. East Face of Washington Column. 

Something more in line with NC would be Stoner’s Highway on Middle. Could be right off Laurel Knob!

Kevin DeWeese wrote:

Your photo shows you climbing the third pitch roof. The "slab crux" is higher up on pitch 5 where it's bolted

Thanks, Kevin.  I know I’ve done past pitch 5 from highlighting in my guidebooks, but like so many pitches and routes from that far in my past, I have big gaps in my memory of particulars.  

Kevin DeWeese wrote:

Someone better tell everyone that has ticked freeblast on MP after climbing it and pulling on the slab bolts that they need to go back and remove their tick from Freeblast and add it to Salathe.

But all kidding aside, when you take the posts in their context, my post was in response to Blake comparing the route to other routes with the same objective 5.11 grade. Comparing freeblast to other 5.11 climbs that are commonly climbed without A0 points doesn't make any sense. Of course astroman and rostrum are better 5.11 climbs, they're primarily climbed by 5.11 climbers looking for 5.11 movement. Freeblast is more assessable to 5.10 climbers precisely because of its 5.10 A0 option and so its value as a climb is better understood by its common use and so comparing it to pure 5.11 climbs doesn't make sense as you're comparing it to apples climbing 5.10 and oranges climbing 5.11. 

It's the OP's first time in Yosemite and their knowledge of the difference between Freeblast's 5.11 rating and any other 5.11 rated route in the valley can't be assumed. Thus a better response woukd have been something akin to "if you're looking for 5.11 climbing there's others that are a better option, but if you're looking for position then Freeblast can't really be beat except for maybe snake dike or lost arrow tip."

Your photo shows you climbing the third pitch roof. The "slab crux" is higher up on pitch 5 where it's bolted

You mean the rostrum which would go pretty easily at 5.8 c1 or astroman which was originally an aid climb as well that would go around 5.10 c1? Kevin, maybe step out of the aiders more often. People do free things above 5.10 that aren’t astroman or the rostrum. That said, i respect the service you do by aiding routes in the valley. 

Kevin DeWeese wrote:

Next you'll say that Royal Arches is a 5.10 route instead of a 5.7 route.

I mean, I’ve never tugged the knotted rope on it ;)

Following in the hopes that Kevin (representing all aid climbers), and John (representing all free climbers), keep up the back and forth.

Cole Darby wrote:

Following in the hopes that Kevin (representing all aid climbers), and John (representing all free climbers), keep up the back and forth.

Don’t temp me. I am very bored.

genuinely enjoy both of y'alls posts over the years, so here's hoping! 

looks like Kevin has kicked it off!

Round 1, fight!

reponds = correct spelling on MP

Kevin DeWeese wrote:

Lol, aid climbers don't care about 5.XX A0 routes, only freeclimbers care about those routes. 

Looks like CD needs entertainment. I agree with you. I’m a person who compulsively needs to do all the stupid side missions in video games to get 100% completion, so if I am going to go for a route that has a reasonable free grade, I’ll always try to avoid that pesky A0 and get that 100% free.

I was post limited. Anyways, what young climber from NC is looking to aid the closely bolted slab on freeblast.