Discussion Topic |
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dirtbagaaron
Trad climber
el cap dreamin'
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 30, 2005 - 04:25pm PT
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cruxes would be the zig-zags, higbee hedral and the face near the top correct? any beta on any of these?
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Spinmaster K-Rove
Trad climber
Stuck Under the Kor Roof
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Jan 30, 2005 - 05:31pm PT
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Be really, really strong.
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Jan 31, 2005 - 07:11pm PT
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Actually most of the Zig Zags are 5.10 or easier. But there's a super thin section on the 2nd one (I think, but may be wrong--that's been 25 years ago) that is nasty hard. Higby dihedral is just a tricky corner (short) and the last pitch is hard slab bouldering for several body lengths. But this route is no classic in my book. Just too chossy.
JL
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Spinmaster K-Rove
Trad climber
Stuck Under the Kor Roof
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Jan 31, 2005 - 07:19pm PT
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You heard it first here on Supertacos! Largo says the Reggae is a chosspile! Comments? ;-)
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Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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Jan 31, 2005 - 07:36pm PT
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I wouldn't call it a chosspile, but I like it up there for the position and the rock formation at least as much as climbing itself.
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Let me rephrase that: Half Dome is a classic formation with a divine view. But the first half of the Reg route is pretty beat up and flakey and low angled--like a route in the Sierras or the North Face of Tahquitz--and not till you get to Big Sandy does the angle kick up and the rock get clean--and then it's only a few hours to the top. Thank God Ledge is an all time pitch (I had traversed it, and actually know of nobody who has foot traversed the whole thing), but after that it's basically over save for a few cranker slab moves or easy aid moves. So if you boiled down the whole route to prime footage, you'd have a great 4 or 5 pitch route. You can have the rest of it. But of course you have to do it--it's Half Dome for Christ's sakes.
JL
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yo
climber
NOT Fresno
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Yeah, if anybody out there's walked Thank God, they best spray about it now. I, like everyone, went up there determined to saunter across and ended up handtraversing, although I demeaned myself horribly with a bit of crawling in between. Don't crawl, peeps. When you got to get down--and you do have to get down, when the wall bulges--just go straight to hands.
I may have to go back up there...
Who's walked it?
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Edge
Trad climber
New Durham, NH
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I, for one, chose to crawl like a little baby.
Mostly because I ran out of rope and was caught in a hanging belay in a Whillans harness just short of the ledge, and couldn't feel my freaking legs for a bit...
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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half and half for me. hell I was looking for that sweet spot that gives you props for standing up as long as you did, but felt ohhh so sweet when you dropped down and sunk your hands into those sinker jams behind the ledge.
But I'm with Largo, as a route to remember for the climbing and not the position, there's only a few places that standout.
BUT, it's friggin Half (rubble) Dome for christ's sake and must be climbed by some route or another, other then the cables or Snakedike to say you've actually climbed the thing. At least to me
Cheers
Pat
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August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
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"Yeah, if anybody out there's walked Thank God, they best spray about it now. I, like everyone, went up there determined to saunter across and ended up handtraversing, although I demeaned myself horribly with a bit of crawling in between. Don't crawl, peeps. When you got to get down--and you do have to get down, when the wall bulges--just go straight to hands."
Well, I watched my partner walk it. Which gave me some added determination to walk it. But I crawled and hand traversed anyway.
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atchafalaya
Trad climber
California
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I had heard the stories that it had been walked, and was psyched to try, but, groveled on hands and knee. My partner tried it with a pack on and failed to walk it as well. It was like a bizarre limbo contest at the end of a long day...
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Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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I thought that most people walked it... Interesting, I think my friend was messing with me when he told me to walk it. I had to take my camelback off, and placing gear made me appreciate yoga. My wife followed me and tried to walk it, but she was so tired that she ignored my advice to take the camelback off and she whipped. Unfortunately she sprained her ankle a little which didn't help for the descent... :(
Edit: My favorite part was that you had to have your toes on the ledge so that your heels could be as far out as possible for balance. Very intimidating!!!
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Melissa
Big Wall climber
oakland, ca
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"It was like a bizarre limbo contest at the end of a long day..."
Nice image!
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Matt
Trad climber
moving to the RIGHT
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i actually didn't know anything specific about TG ledge before i went up there and it never even occurred to me to walk the whole thing (damn!). my partner just told me the pitch was mine becaus eit had a short wide section on it, so i walked most of it and then i just layed my right leg and hip on it, hanging my left leg off, and slid about 6 feet before i stood back up.
afterward i sent some jpegs to a friend, who promptly informed me i'd have to go back up and clean it up (at 1st i thought he was joking).
a few of my friends have walked it, i'm told it's really more heady than hard to do.
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Southern Man
climber
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When I got to TGL I crawled on my hands and knees like a reptile or is that an amphibian, whatever, I groveled. I had a great time on the route w/ my son (close encounter w/ bears, snowed the night we bivyed on Big Sandy, etc.) last June as our first wall. Since the consensus is that most of the route is less than spectacular, I can't wait to do the more classic big wall routes w/ him.
Does anyone have suggestions in Yos. for the next step up from Half Dome? Lurking Fear?, Nose?, T. Trip?
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Cracko
Trad climber
Quartz Hill, California
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Southern Man,
My first wall was NWFHD years ago. Due to the fact that it isn't very aid intensive, I did the Grade V circuit (Prow, WFLT, etc) in preparation for my first real wall which was Zodiac. I would really recommend you dial in your aid on a grade V before hitting El Cap. Zodiac was great!
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Southern Man
climber
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Cracko:
Thanks for the info. The RNWF did have alot of free climbing on it. One of the reasons it was so much fun. Ditto on the grade V and aid prep.
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Rob
climber
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How about some photos of the ledge?!
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Gunkie
climber
I don't get mad, I get stabby -- Fat Tony
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Brick-
That's the best overall picture I've seen of TGL from above. You can clearly see the narrow section.
BTW, I hand-traversed/crawled across that thing for the most unasthetic crossing of Thank God Ledge ever.
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Matt
Trad climber
moving to the RIGHT
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i walked part of it...
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Spinmaster K-Rove
Trad climber
Stuck Under the Kor Roof
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Nice pics guys!! And Largo I was jsut teasing. I think a lot of 'classic' routes have that kind of issue. They are classic more for their historical value, position, line and the formation they climb than anything else. The Reg on Fairview is similar. Some great climbing for sure but not pitch after pitch of divine granite by any stretch.
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Festus
Mountain climber
Antelope Valley
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Hey, Cracko
With all that experience, how did you then go oh for three on Prodigal Sun? Keerist, Michael Jackson could step into the batter's box against Randy Johnson and put up the same numbers.
"Now pinch hitting for Cracko, number 16, Bulging Puke!"
[crowd cheers]
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malabarista
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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I walked it.
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Tradboy
Social climber
Valley
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The original question was about the free climbing cruxes not about some easy pitch rated 5.7 only because there is an easy chimney at the end of it. The Huber variation around the bolt ladder is easier than Higbee but not as classic. The squeeze chimney to skip the 11c corner is airy. The very end of the Zig Zags would have to be the absolute crux, very thin. Seems much harder than the rating. Another crux would be the crowds since it is a gumby wall route with parties taking upwards of 20 hours for one day ascents.
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malabarista
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Look TradBoy, BURT BRONSON has probably already free-soloed this route in heavy mountaineering boots in under 2 hours.
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Southern Man
climber
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I still stand in awe of anyone who climbs HD and the Nose in a day. Heck, I amazed that folks hike the slabs, climb the RNWF, and go back down the slabs in a day!
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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He wrote: "The very end of the Zig Zags would have to be the absolute crux, very thin."
Especially if you hve fat fingers like I do. I think this last bit--20 or so ultra-thin feet--would probably be rated around 5.12b by modern standards.
JL
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Spinmaster K-Rove
Trad climber
Stuck Under the Kor Roof
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If you if you are just really fat like I am. The thin feet pose extra problems when your belly prevents you from seeing them.
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Southern Man
climber
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Who ever in the future does the first free solo of this route will be one bad-ass individual. IMHO.
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yo
climber
NOT Fresno
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Supposedly some mad Brit soloed it in the '80s. Belatedly reported in the AAJ maybe 5-10 years back. Seriously.
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dirtbagaaron
Trad climber
el cap dreamin'
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 2, 2005 - 07:01pm PT
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so i guess i should start training huh? about the fingers, i have girl hands for sure. and i will definitely train for the ledge walk.
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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damn that ledge walk looks scary as hell.
so which is the best method, belly in or belly out?
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bobmarley
Trad climber
auburn, california
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Jun 30, 2005 - 06:11pm PT
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dirtbagaaron, just did the regular route yesterday! excellent route man and i highly recommend it. to big sandy is pretty much all free 5.8/5.9 except the 2 bolt ladders and that 10c first pitch. some of the 5.9's were demanding for the grade, but pretty much valley 5.9. my partner led all that in 1 block. i led the next block from big sandy to the top. i free climbed, french freed, and aided thru the zig zags, but never actually broke out the aiders. there's alot of fixed gear to clip for sure. thank god ledge was a bit intimidating but fun and easy and easy to protect. i walked across until it got weird and hard, then just hand traversed across which was easy. i agree with JL about the quality being high sierra granite-ish. but i did not think too chossy. that last 5.11 was the heady-est to me. it's not a straightforward bolt ladder so be prepared for some hard face moves or a little aiding (which i did). not to carry on here, but we went with a fairly light rack 11 cams, 10 stoppers. biggest cam was BD #3. the rack turned out perfect i thought and was ample for every pitch. good luck and have fun on it!
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Chatsworth
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Jun 30, 2005 - 07:37pm PT
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I did thank god and took one look at the 5.9 and headed out to the left. I then free climbed up to a belay. Long runnout but I avoided the OW. Looking at the topo it says A2. But I free climbed it.
Felt the zig zags where easy for 5.11.
Juan
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Shack
Trad climber
So. Cal.
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Jun 30, 2005 - 08:09pm PT
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That's why your the "rockstar", Juan.
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Impaler
Trad climber
Munich
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Feb 22, 2010 - 08:48am PT
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So which is the preferred variation: the Higbee or the Huber dihedral for most people who free the route? Squeeze chimney or the 11c crack that is often wet? What's safer gear-wise?
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pyrosis
Trad climber
Flagstaff, AZ
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Feb 22, 2010 - 10:22am PT
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>>Yeah, if anybody out there's walked Thank God, they best spray about it now.
Five years too late, but..
I walked it, the whole thing. Toetips way out on the edge to keep from tipping over backwards. Even squatted down in the middle to place a piece of gear. I guess I didn't realize it would be easier to hand traverse. Probably took me like ten minutes, inch by inch. And.. I was scared shitless the whole time. Partner hand traversed on the second, took him less than a minute. Doh! :)
-Tavis
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NA_Kid
Big Wall climber
The Bear State
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Feb 22, 2010 - 01:04pm PT
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Last clip of Lichen Lunch
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Feb 22, 2010 - 01:08pm PT
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Awesome shot.
The Void beckons, huh?
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Feb 22, 2010 - 01:25pm PT
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seriously good photo
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jsj
climber
Boulder
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Feb 22, 2010 - 01:32pm PT
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Regarding free climbing, here's some of my opinions:
First, I haven't done the Huber Hedral, and almost everyone I know does the Higbee Hedral. Like Largo said, it's a short boulder problem in a corner. Stemming to a mantle basically, right off the belay. If you blow it you can lower to the belay and try it again no problem. I'll note that the pitch leading up to it involves a kinda scary move protected by (currently) a really awful 1/4 inch bolt. This is probably an 11a/b balance move. Replacing this bolt would be really nice. After this move there is a section of burly wideness... we didn't have a big cam (#4 Camalot), and because of this the section was scary. Prolly no more than Valley 5.9 but still. That said, I wouldn't bring a big cam on the route.
Second, don't do the circuitous 5.10 free variation. What a pile! Seriously, WHAT A PILE. Do the 5.12 Wilder variation, or, if that's over your head, dog it, french free it, or just do the standard bolt ladder.
Third, yes, only one of the zig-zags is really that hard. Unfortunately when I did it I accidentally went up the 5.12c way instead of the 5.11d/5.12a way for the crux zig-zag and actually found it not too bad. I thought it was 12a. So I'm speculating the 11d/12a is even easier.
Fourth, the slab is pretty hard at the end of the day. But definitely 5.11 no worse.
Finally, on gear: We brought a single set from blue alien to blue camalot, with doubles in 0.75, #1, #2 Camalots. Wires. Lots of draws. This rack worked pretty well - I wouldn't add anything, probably could skip some of the doubles next time. Don't skimp on draws though - the route is heavily fixed with various aid paraphernalia.
I think the route is great and to call it chossy or a pile is only relative to, say, the Cookie Cliff. Compared to typical Rocky Mountain National Park alpine routes, stuff like that, it is a classic, beautiful rock climb. Everything from the chimneys on up is great.
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Impaler
Trad climber
Munich
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Feb 23, 2010 - 03:31am PT
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JSJ, thanks a lot for the beta! That's exactly what I wanted to see!
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altieboo
Boulder climber
Livermore, Ca
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Feb 23, 2010 - 03:54am PT
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Thanks JsJ for getting the psyche on more!
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squatch
Boulder climber
santa cruz, CA
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Feb 23, 2010 - 09:51pm PT
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funny to see the timeline on this thread.
and that last video... yeah pretty much mindblowing.
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Mimi
climber
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Feb 23, 2010 - 10:21pm PT
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Travis, but now you are one of the few that have walked it. Yeehaw!
I had to drop and hand traverse. Still spectacular though as the pic above shows.
The zigs were coated with dust and grit and would've been sketch freeing them. Do the rains up there usually wash that much sand down? Never did ask anyone that BITD.
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jsj
climber
Boulder
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Feb 24, 2010 - 03:48am PT
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I think I'll also use this opportunity for some unsolicited ranting:
If you're one of the pathetic aid climbers who thinks you're doing someone a favor by leaving a 2 liter bottle of water wedged down in the chimney by Big Sandy, or by pissing or shitting on that ledge... You suck. I mean talk about lazy. You're hauling anyway... Can't you dump your nasty water and carry an empty bottle 6 more pitches to the top? Don't piss down cracks or on ledges, piss over the face. Carry your sh#t out. Carry your TP out. If you forgot your TP and decided to use your boxer shorts, carry them out. If you can't manage this, then wear a diaper when you climb and don't take it off until you're back at camp.
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Impaler
Trad climber
Munich
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Feb 24, 2010 - 08:42am PT
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jsj, unfortunately, the people who would read your rant probably don't do that kind of stuff anyway. I can imagine that euros come to do this route and the ethics are completely different for them. These people don't respect their own rocks and you can tell that from all the cigarette butts stuck all over the crack in the Dolomites.
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Last clip of Lichen Lunch
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Feb 24, 2010 - 08:48am PT
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Word. I'm a pathetic aid climber(Haha!), & I don't sheet or pizz on yer ledges, nor stick butts in cracks. Yeah, I don't leave a jug, either, unless there's a following party suckin' hind tit behind me.
Haulin' it out over here, boss.
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TomKimbrough
Social climber
Salt Lake City
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Feb 24, 2010 - 10:30am PT
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Barb Eastman walked TGL when she and Molly Higgins did HD in '76 (?)(maybe 1st all female ascent? Bev J and someone may have done it before them.)
Barb said she didn't know to crawl but got out there on her feet and couldn't get back or down. She considered jumping but kept edging along and finally it got better.
She said it was one of the dumbest things she ever did.
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