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clustiere
Trad climber
berkeley ca
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 19, 2008 - 04:17pm PT
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I am looking to climb this route next weekend. Are there any educated opinions about spring melt and general condition of the route??? I have not yet made it out to the valley this spring.
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marky
climber
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Apr 19, 2008 - 05:22pm PT
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seconded. I want to know too, as I throw down Memorial Day weekend.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Apr 19, 2008 - 05:41pm PT
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You're likely to encounter snow in the Cathedral Chimney. Somebody did the East Butt awhile back and posted a tr. Search that
Peace
Karl
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clustiere
Trad climber
berkeley ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 19, 2008 - 06:34pm PT
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A classic long-adventure route. Definitely some spicey technical edging on the lower half of the route but once you get a feel for that type of climbing its not unreasonably scary. The upper chimneys are physical but go fairly quickly once you adopt the right attitude. The supertopo is excellent. This is a must do on the Yosemite long-free circuit. Anyone who pushes the "Do Not Bother" moniker obviously hasn't done the route and is just plain intimidated by the commitment necessary to climb the route in a day. Check the route beta info for the East Buttress of Middle Cathedral as there has been recent rockfall in the Cathedral gulley descent.
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Joec
The DNB has been possibly misrepresented by the local moniker "Do Not Bother". The route is certainly worth doing, and contains testy face and crack climbing en mass. Like many older routes, the pitches are predominantly short, and using the abundant natural pro, one can easily create belay stations where needed when running the rope out. Careful routefinding is essential; circuitous variations right of the wide crack on Thirsty Spire exist, are fun and protect reasonably. As with any thousand-plus foot expanse of Yosemite granite, loose rock can be found - being first on the route is key for both mental comfort and avoiding epic-bound parties. Be sure to head up high and left to the Katwalk and stay high generally ALL THE WAY around the formation to the gully (followed by a couple of short raps into the gully proper). Between the end of the 5th class and before the Katwalk, don't be lulled into the blocky downward freeway that dead ends at the U-shaped bowl - it's a frequent epic site.
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Mike Ousley
http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=yomcdire
Just bringing balance to the force..
Question, have you done the route? If so why not bother?
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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Apr 19, 2008 - 06:55pm PT
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I would tend to agree with the "Do Not Bother" group. I have done this route twice, and it was a bit of a letdown both times. The bottom pitches were the best & cleanest. After the 9th pitch, the rock got dirtier, more lichen infested & tended to follow awkward chimneys that were prone to naturally occuring rockfalls that rained down on my partner & I.
Clusterie- You said "Anyone who pushes the "Do Not Bother" moniker obviously hasn't done the route and is just plain intimidated by the commitment necessary to climb the route in a day." Well I have done the route and I would dare to say that I am NOT intimidated by the commitment to climb the route in a day. I have plenty of experience on Yosemite's cliffs so I can say with some degree of expertise that the DNB is an overrated choss pile.
Another friend of mine & his wife were victims of rockfall on this route when she was struck by a falling stone that almost completely severed her finger from her hand that she raised to cover her face when the rock fell from above.
I have seen so many rockfalls over in the Cathedrals it seems like a bowling alley. Look over the base & examine for yourself all the fallen debris from up high on Middle cathedral. Why expose yourself to all that risk for a rather middling route?
There are cleaner & much more classic routes to do in the Valley, go do some of those instead.
Levy
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Apr 19, 2008 - 07:15pm PT
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At least the first 6 pitches are worthy if you like face climbing on Middle Cathedral. p5 is one of my favorite pitches in Yosemite (rated 5.9 on some topos, 5.10d on supertopo!). Then you can rap or do a few pitches on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
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clustiere
Trad climber
berkeley ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 19, 2008 - 08:12pm PT
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Levy reread my post, I did not make those statements I just brought to life a conflicting statement from the DNB superposty. I am sure you are a good rock climber,you big stud you. You see DNB= Do Not Bother does not answer any of the questions I have, it just seems like a cute responce that has built up in the rock climbing community. So I am seeking more information, cause I don't have it.
Now, I have also heard people call the Balck Canyon of the Gunnison a choss pile and I love climbing there, it is also dangerous and loose. I find it worth it every time, as there is more good rock than bad and with good judgement and research you can go out and climb a quality route every time. So I am wondering then if the same thing might be going on with the DNB.
Westchrist what is your experience on the route you big reticent you.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Apr 19, 2008 - 09:18pm PT
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When you look at Reid's topo for the DNB, it's a terrible sandbag. It's easy to think, Only a few moves of 5.10 and a bit of 5.9 face, big deal, let's start at 9am.
Big mistake. The routefinding can be challenging and face climbing thin and sometimes run-out. You can't run up face pitches like that unless you are dialed on that kind of face (or are climbing way below your limit)
Either way, Start dang early and have new batteries in your headlamp and some way to not freeze if it gets dark and cold.
Peace
karl
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Apr 19, 2008 - 10:15pm PT
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It's been over 32 years but as I recall, there are better routes. Still Middle Cathedral is always a joy to climb on.
EDIT
Sure beats the one-pitch stuff I have been climbing on in Dalkey Quarry lately.
BTW, if anybody out there on the Taco Stand is coming to Ireland, look me up, as my front door is a five-minute walk to the quarry. Good granite, with face, crack and slab climbing (5.3-5.13+, M-E7+), though short (average 20-30 metre), of course, but the late Michael Riordan, among many people, found the quarry a good place to climb - 25 minutes or so on the DART from the city centre and a ten-minute walk up from Dalkey Station.
patricksawyer@mountaineers.net
dpatricksawyer@gmail.com (d for Douglas)
home phone: +353 1 204 8961
mobile: +353 87 671 0025
office: +353 1 660 8400
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Apr 20, 2008 - 04:35am PT
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weschrist,
> Thrashed my way through the first chimney seconding. Horrible when it is wet btw.
I agree, that first chimney pitch can be a major pain (ask Melissa, too). I can do it OK because I have long arms. But instead, I always start from the right and traverse in above it.
> The 3rd is the one with the crux bolt clip, right? The bolt that is 3 inches beyond my absolute max reach from anything resembling a good stance? And my last piece was way down right, out of site... probably near the top of that corner thing... what was it, a blue TCU... I forgot on purpose. So I did the move unprotected, clipped the bolt at my waste, then allowed myself to piss my pants.
The bolt at the crux mantle is at chest height (4" above the W-shaped mantle hold), and you are standing on a big ledge. So your recollection may be of:
 approach to the crux mantle. Here there is a very reachy move to exit the small corner over to the right, with a blue TCU for pro sounds about right. (I place 2 pieces of gear there). I'm tall, so the reach is not too bad for me. The Roper guide calls this approach move a 5.9 mantle, which is about right, and it is not marked on the Meyers/Reid topo.
after pressing up on the mantle, there is a second bolt up high on the right. Some people try to clip it in the middle of doing the mantle and some end up pulling on it. I don't clip it, since it was added in the 1990s and does not belong there. It's a Petzl Longlife and looks difficult to remove.
> After a couple wobbly flakes and what looked like utter choss above, my partner and I decided it wasn't worth it. We rapped and went to do something else.
I don't remember any wobbly flakes or choss on the first 6 pitches (except maybe some low angle stuff on p2). I've done those pitches probably 10 times; most recently in 2006 and 2003.
Claire, trying to step onto the mantle hold from the left, instead of pressing onto it.
Standing on the mantle hold, with the added bolt at chest height.
On my favorite pitch - 5; following the undercling traverse at the end of the pitch, which is tricky to protect for the follower.
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WBraun
climber
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Apr 20, 2008 - 11:38pm PT
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If you hate the upper chimneys just rap down "Paradise Lost" back to the base.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Apr 21, 2008 - 12:12am PT
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I used to like to do the first 7 and rap Paradise Lost. Fun to top rope some of those pitches on the way down (cause they're pretty led-out if you lead them, which I've done as well)
For some reason, there's some buggery sandbag 5.9 thin face up high with no pro on the DNB (the last 5.9 in Reid's guide?) at least twice and maybe 3 times I wound up climbing over left up, and then, gripping, then down over right and up, taking an lot of time and climbing about 25 vertical feet in a big circle path.
Seemed ridiculous the second or third time I went the wrong way on it
Another crazy thing is, after Chris Mac released more realistic ratings for this climb, I haven't felt as casual going up there and doing the first 7 anymore. Minds are silly
Peace
Karl
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Apr 21, 2008 - 12:30am PT
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It's no longer 5.9?
kinda like Steck salad?
is there a trend?
seems a bit early to me...
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Apr 21, 2008 - 12:40am PT
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DNB?
What's not to like???
picky, picky, picky...
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Apr 21, 2008 - 01:02am PT
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DNB = Do Not Bail
There is no "try". Do, or do not.
Yoda
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Apr 21, 2008 - 01:47am PT
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weschrist,
> Are you saying you mantle the thing her right foot is on...
Yes. You are standing on a 6' x 1' ledge, and the mantle hold is about 5' above it, until you step up to some higher footholds. The mantle hold is 1-2" deep, is shaped like /\ and the bolt is about 6" above the hold. The added bolt is about 4' above the mantle hold.
> and where is the bolt at that point? Approximately at her waist? Maybe only an inch or two below and left of her right hand?
In the photo, the bolt is just above her right foot (which is on the mantle hold). The bolt is not visible in the photo.
> I think I somehow came in from the left there... I recall reaching right past a bolt, thinking about threading my finger through it... then realizing if I'm doing to die I might as well do it with dignity and not leave my finger up there... then I set my feet, held my breath, and clipped. Then the little warm fuzzy feelings came.
If you face climb in from the left, it seems to be about 5.11.
Mantling is 5.10b.
Here are a couple more photos which may help:
Claire has just done the lower 5.9 mantle, and is making a thin move up to reach the ledge below the crux mantle. The clipped bolt at the main mantle and the chalked mantle hold are visible (the gold biner on the draw touches the mantle hold and the rope runs right over it).
Claire has unclipped the bolt at the mantle hold and is face climbing to her left of the mantle (there is a little blank corner there with tiny holds). Her right hand is on the mantle hold. The added bolt is visible.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Apr 21, 2008 - 03:00am PT
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Seems like it could be a bit early and wet, but I don't know.
I don't agree with "Do Not Bother" at all. It's a great climb, and well worth finishing. The upper pitches are different, so what? Why would anyone be interested in climbing the same perfect crack for the rest of their life? Just get on your 5.11 treadmill and keep going til you puke from boredom. Great walls have always had variety of climbing and challenges on them and always will. Do the whole route. Amen....
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Apr 21, 2008 - 09:04am PT
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"If you face climb in from the left, it seems to be about 5.11.
Mantling is 5.10b. "
I've done it always from the left and indeed it seems 5.11. I can't figure out the mantle straight on so I can't imagine it's 10b but I sure could be wrong.
Middle Cathedral, I love-hate that place, taken many of my longest falls there.
PEace
Karl
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona, Spain
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Apr 21, 2008 - 12:04pm PT
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I thought that was a great climb, at least up to the 7th or 8th pitch, where where we bailed. Some of the scariest moments of my whole climbing career were the raps off the cheesy anchors (this must have been '86 or '87). I think one of them was a jammed knot. But the climbing was excellent.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Apr 21, 2008 - 12:28pm PT
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I tried this route about 15 years ago. I was comfortable at the grade(s) and was not paticularly adverse to some run-outs. However, I hadn't really done much Yosemite face climbing. I was terrified! We ended up getting thunderstormed off- I've never been so happy to retreat because of rain. The climbing was fine- I even enjoyed the pitches I followed!
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