First Solo Route on El Cap

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Messages 1 - 9 of total 9 in this topic
Buzzardboy

Trad climber
Lancaster, PA
Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 23, 2003 - 03:11pm PT
Just to Piggyback on the First El Cap Route and Solo Aid Forums...What was your first El Cap Solo and/or what route on the Big Stone would be good for a frist solo, Triple Driect, The Nose, Zodiac????
Lambone

Ice climber
Seattle
Apr 23, 2003 - 03:21pm PT
I haven't soloed El Cap...yet. But i definately wouldn't want to haul up the Slabs on the West side. Go for the steep. Clean air is safer and less work...
BrentA

Gym climber
estes park
Apr 23, 2003 - 04:49pm PT
I guess you have to consider how comfortable you are with soloing systems, how easy/hard you want the leads to be, how many pitches you can do in a day...etc...

for sure a right side route, easy hauling

I soloed Shortest Straw in 2000 and it was a good time, first (and only so far) el cap solo. Good fun...if that sort of thing is fun.

I would stay off of anything crowded so you can epic at your own pace.
Cheers,
Brent
Catra

Big Wall climber
Fremont, Ca.
Apr 23, 2003 - 08:53pm PT
Hey Buzzardboy-

Whats this???? You're going to solo EL CAP??????

I have a better idea..... climb it with me and Ammon....

When we finish the climb me and you could run 100 miles on the trails!!!

Cheers,
Catra

http://rocknrun.net
Buzzardboy

Trad climber
Lancaster, PA
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 24, 2003 - 08:36am PT
Yea!!! I AM gonna climb the Stone with my buds from Cali, but I wanna solo it too. Run 100 miles in Yosemite--that's just crazy--who would want to run 100 miles through some of the most beautiful wilderness on the planet?? :-)
FTB

Trad climber
Near the Vally, CA
Apr 24, 2003 - 10:41am PT
(who would want to run 100 miles through some of the most beautiful wilderness on the planet?? )

My guess is only the wild and crazy girl Catra. Considering she has done it before!
Buzzardboy

Trad climber
Lancaster, PA
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 24, 2003 - 11:56am PT
Yea, there isn't anything running releated that Catra will not do!! She's way motivated. I ran with Catra for the first 60 miles of her Yosemite 100 (aka Catra's Chaos)--it was amazing! We got to see the Valley from many different vantage points. Next time I'm in the Valley I want to see it from up high on El Cap!
Mike

climber
Orange County CA
Apr 24, 2003 - 03:14pm PT
Heyya BB, These people know the right side is the place to be for your proposed wingding. The rub is finding a moderate route with little traffic - kind of a paradox. I did the Trip first, then the NA. Really not much difference in overall aid climbing difficulty between the two (traversing/swinging is the main climbing dif). The main dif for me was length; I had one bag on the Trip and two on NA. I think the cargo-moving aspect is maybe more weighty (pun) than many give it credence for. I know people solo pretty alpine (one bag) on long EC routes, but I'm no superhero so I usually do 2 or 3 pitches a day. The "generally accepted rule" (as I've read) is to do 6 partered walls before soloing one. This is certainly not necessary, but if you got some good miles in on medium/hard aid, your route menu for soloing would really be expanded, and you might have more fun where the masses are less likely to be. I'm sure Brent had solitude on the Straw (super proud, man), but as a Colorodan, I'd also bet that he logged a fair amount of climbing before he came in for the kill. FWIW...
Karl Baba

Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
Apr 25, 2003 - 11:57pm PT
I soloed Zodiac in 1982 as my second Grade 6 and found it ideal for soloing. Now crowds are the main crux but, you're soloing so you can bring all the water you want, so go in July if you have too. Not during a heat wave, but otherwise you could be just fine with the breezy nature of the stone.Not likely to be crowded then

Peace
karl
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