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DJW
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 7, 2007 - 12:49pm PT
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I am interested in finding out about some great Yosemite Valley 4th class scrambles. Obviously, there tons of technical climbs. But are there any real cool scrambles, i.e. relatively clean, not major brushy bushwacks, not trail hikes, a couple hundred feet off the valley floor would be sufficient and spectacular view/setting. Can anyone pin point a couple of goodies for me??? Will be much appreciated.
DJW
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WBraun
climber
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Scrambling is great and there is tons of it in Yosemite.
But please, if you are going to scramble alone tell someone where you plan on going and returning.
That way "if" something does happen to you we don't have to waste our time scouring the whole Park or speculating where the fuk did this guy go?
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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That sounds like a classic idea. It might give me the inspiration I need to hike to the Diving Board for a shot of the HD face I want. Then solo the Hike and down the death cables.
Here the view of the Warbler's warblings. Ya know enough photoshop to trace the route on this?
peace
karl
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WBraun
climber
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99% casual.
What's the one percent? 5.12D?
:-)
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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That's a fine contribution Kevin. Looks like a good conditioning day excited, thinking and routefinding out in nature.
What do you know/see of those silver platter routes? Is there stuff worth doing in those parts?
Peace
karl
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WBraun
climber
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Yeah I know Kevin
That area has had a history of the yellow shirts responding to failed scrambles.
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JOEY.F
Social climber
sebastopol
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1/ Sierra Point...easy
2/ The Ledge trail...Stout!!!
Joe.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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I don't know about "great", but the approach to Absolutely Free on the Three Brothers was 3rd/4th, and led up to a great crack.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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the approach to Steck-Salathe is 3rd class with a few 4th class moves... and it's a great place
Pick up the Roper Green Guide (Sierra Club) and thumb through it... lots of good ideas there.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
the greasewood ghetto
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May 11, 2009 - 03:35am PT
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" The wall between the switchbacks has some nice long crack systems that are pretty grassy for stretches, but have great potential. "
True , Looks like there's face , dihedrals and splitters west of the Porcelain wall . Something in there would be an obvious link to directly climb from the valley floor to top of half dome and avoid the long approach to Snake dike in the process . http://gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=14652
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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May 11, 2009 - 09:38am PT
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A very cool scramble: 3rd class up the extreme right side of Sunnyside Bench (“climbers approach”) and via obvious terraces cross over towards the top of Lower Yosemite Falls. Behind the exact edge of the Falls is a huge pool hidden at the bottom of the cataract leading from Upper Falls. You can swim to the very edge of this pool and look down Lower Falls (just as you can with Bridalveil mentioned above) and into the Falls amphitheater. It is of course totally out of view from all vantages so you can be completely naked. Wonderful place to spend a whole day or plan a romantic rendezvous!! Of course only in summer and fall. You can exit either by reversing the route or continue up to the bottom of Upper Falls and crossing over to the Falls trail.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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May 11, 2009 - 10:19am PT
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I guess another cool experience to mention is the azalea forest on the top of El Cap above the North American Wall area. There is this seepage up there and right up to the edge of the wall, are zillions of really big California Azaleas hanging out in what must be heaven for them. They bloom a whitish-yellow large flower and a wonderful odor.
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Wack
climber
Dazevue
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May 11, 2009 - 10:27am PT
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The old green or red Roper guide contains 4th class climbs ignored by the new guides.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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May 11, 2009 - 10:54am PT
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Wack, You have that right. Here on Supertopo, there has been a lot of attention paid to this problem and ST contains much information about such "forgotten" or legacy routes. It is basically crappy how all kinds of historic and fun climbing has dropped out of the last four guides for the popular lamo overly traveled lines of current fashion. Of course the guide writers had an increasingly challenging time keeping the guides down to a reasonable size and profitable of course. Today there are thousands of routes in the Valley. I think that there really needs to be a definitive two volume edition (containing all climbs) put up and another "popular climbs" edition also (like we have currently) to satisfy the climbers new to the Valley. If a two volume guide can't be published profitably, how about looking in to getting it sponsored by AAC or other benevolent entity?
It is actually damaging to climbing to let many of these classic older climbs disappear. Many newer climbers end up with a very shallow understanding of climbing and lack the resources that the previous generation has. And there really are "fashions" in climbing. Finger cracks were really big for about 10 years and anything that was thin was popular. Pulleeze. Lame as I said above. This extends to all forms of rockclimbing.
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Nomad_Andrew
Trad climber
West Coast (usually)
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May 11, 2009 - 12:41pm PT
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I would not hesitate to pay some $$$ for a nice Yos book. Coffee table style or not. Right on.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Just stumbled into this thread
Great idea about a comprehensive book while so many of the "old timers" are still around.
With routes sketched on photos rather than topo maps and brief written descriptions a-la Roper's guides. Perhaps 1 or 2 "glamour" pics of each route for inspiration.
Warbler's descriptions are just the stuff.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
bouldering
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.. . a couple hundred feet off the valley floor would be sufficient and spectacular view/setting. Gunsight to the top of Bridalviel Falls, ignoring any slings or batman lines, and climbing it as God intended.
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Adamame
climber
Santa Cruz
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Ive heard the old Indian Creek Canyon trail is pretty cool.
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SuperTopo on the Web
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Let us know!