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Easiest free route that goes from the bottom of El Cap to the top?

Original Post
Jack Bushway · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Oct 2018 · Points: 10

I’m just wondering how hard I have to climb to go from the bottom of El Cap to the top without learning how to aid. This is very hypothetical, yes I know it’s a very gumby question. I’m just curious.

Insert name · · Harts Location · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 57

East Buttres (5.10)

West Face (5.11C)

For the “real deal” Freerider 5.13a?

Ben Horowitz · · Bishop, CA / Tokyo, JP · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 137

Depends on your definition of bottom of El Cap, top of El Cap, and climb! You can start at the base of the Nose, travel east to north east, go up the Yosemite Fall trail, and then take the trail Southwest. The grade for that is probably just Class 1 ;)

Easiest technical free route on El Cap itself is East Buttress, which is 10b. it is off on the far flank and isn't considered a "real" El Cap route. Still lots of fun!

Easiest technical free route that is on a main face of El Cap is Freerider, 13a.

Jack Bushway · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Oct 2018 · Points: 10
Ben Horowitz wrote:

Depends on your definition of bottom of El Cap, top of El Cap, and climb! You can start at the base of the Nose, travel east to north east, go up the Yosemite Fall trail, and then take the trail Southwest. The grade for that is probably just Class 1 ;)

Easiest technical free route on El Cap itself is East Buttress, which is 10b. it is off on the far flank and isn't considered a "real" El Cap route. Still lots of fun!

Easiest technical free route that is on a main face of El Cap is Freerider, 13a.

Thanks! East Buttress will go at some point! Freerider on the other hand…

GizzardJones · · Pollock Pines, CA · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 637

Anyone try el cap gully 5.5? Waay off left? 

Thomas Zenner · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2020 · Points: 0

I did El cap gully last summer and it's quite the adventure! Mostly 3rd and 4th scrambling and very bushy at times. Route finding isn't too bad for the most part, just go up. The last ~100 ft are where the 5.5 is and you could probably rope up for it, but I opted not to because it seemed like a long ways to carry a rope. I had a great time on it and did the east ledges descent to get back down, so I brought a harness and ATC for that.

Cherokee Nunes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2015 · Points: 0

There is no charge for any of them but you do have to pay to get into the park.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Big Wall and Aid Climbing
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