Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Prod
Trad climber
A place w/o Avitars apparently
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 2, 2009 - 02:43pm PT
|
I am thinking about soloing my first wall this fall. Either Lurking Fear or Aquarian are both on my list. In researching I have found that hauling from the top out to the East Ledges decent is a pain. Somewhere I have read that rapping Lurking Fear from Thanksgiving Ledge is a good option. Seems like Lurking Fear could have a bit of traffic on it in September? Anyone ever rapped it? Fill me in if you can.
Thanks,
Prod.
|
|
tinker b
Gym climber
my mom
|
|
i didn't rap the route, but my friends did in a snow storm. they said the crux was on pitch 7 (i think) where it traverses. they had to down aid it. because it is way around the corner it shouldn't be too hot in september, and you might beat the crowds of october...but one never knows in yosemite.
|
|
Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
|
|
ptpp is an advocate of rapping from TG. maybe search his name or 'Rapping with pigs'
my friend described LF as a slabby grade IV with a thousand feet of mountaineering on top. why cheat yourself of the most character building 1/3 of the route?
and what ever you decide, please don't rape lurking Fear, it's been through enough already.
cheers
|
|
Prod
Trad climber
A place w/o Avitars apparently
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2009 - 03:05pm PT
|
Wade, My plan would be to leave the pig at Thanksgiving, toping out the heading back down and rapping from there. I was under the impression that the rap route from Thanksgiving ledge was LF?
Prod.
|
|
Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
|
|
Sounds like an ugly scene at the Prod family Thanksgiving to me..
r-a-p-p-i-n-g.
|
|
Prod
Trad climber
A place w/o Avitars apparently
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2009 - 03:36pm PT
|
RR,
You've got some miles to you, what other routes would you recommend as a decent first solo? My wall experience is minimal, I have done 1 wall, Zodiac, with a mutual pal of ours, Dean H. I would be comfortable soloing up to that level of difficulty.
Prod.
|
|
Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
|
|
"I have read that raping Lurking Fear from Thanksgiving Ledge is a good option."
I was mostly ribbing you about 'raping' sorry. I'm a teacher.
Yeah lurking fear is the descent route. I think pete talks about the traversing section. i also heard that it can be rapped with a reasonable swing to avoid the down aiding.
seems like if you make it to TG- you'll be wall fit, lean and strong, you'll be in a work and systems rhythm and the bag will be light enough to jug with on your back -search Tucker Tech-or harness. or failing that, far end haul it-ptpp again.
This is all hearsay and MO. Never been on the route. you'll figure out what's right for you and send, i'm sure. Have Fun.
|
|
Shimanilami
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
|
|
The hauling on that route is horrid. I'd hate to do it all alone. Why not try something steeper?
|
|
Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
|
|
You can link the traverse w/ the pitch before to avoid any down aiding. Watch your ends! Linking them on the way up will simplify your hauling.
|
|
Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
|
|
RE: something you mentioned elsewhere...I haven't done it, but it seems to me that the trip probably gets 1/4 of the traffic of LF. Like...There's usually someone on the trip when the weather is good, but there are usually multiple parties on LF. Parties on the Trip are probably less likely to be on their first wall too. Just my observations from the outside. Others who've done both might have better insight.
|
|
'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
|
|
I have rapped Lurking Fear three times with a partner and with pigs, and it's a lot of work. Emphatically concur with Chris Mac.
It is inconceivable to me how anyone could rappel the route if it were wet or snowy - there are three penjis on it, once of which is really hard. You can't do the penjis with a pig. You can't even do it with a hunk of rope dangling off of you - you have to bag the rope, and wear the bag. We also did some tricks where I went down first on a single rope without pigs, did the penji, put the rope through a crab in the anchor and got on it with my Grigri to weight it, then my partner lowered the pigs down, clipped to the tensioned-diagonalled rope with a quickdraw on top of the pig. Clever, eh?
It is not an easy task to rap Lurking Fear - you have to be pretty skilled in a number of areas. It takes a long time, too. If your pig is not crazy-big [like my big wall camping pigs] you would do far better going over the top and down the East Ledges.
But you don't want to solo a route on the SW Face because of the difficulty in hauling - go do something on the steep-overhanging SE Face and you will be a much happier climber.
You've just stated your intention to go solo El Cap on an internet forum, in full view of all your peers. This can be a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing, too. So go make it good, and keep us posted, eh?
|
|
elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
|
|
"I'll be watching you, every move you make, every claim you stake..."
ECP's
ps listen to PTPP and the others... something else might be better for you...
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
> "I'll be watching you, every move you make, every claim you stake..."
"... every cake you bake ... " :-)
|
|
elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
|
|
"every vow you break"...
|
|
Prod
Trad climber
A place w/o Avitars apparently
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2009 - 10:44am PT
|
I am starting to think Tangering Trip or Mescalito? I appriciate the input, and I sure hope you're watching Elcap pics, watching and clicking. Just last night I was checking out your pics of me on Zodiac. Thank you once again.
Prod.
|
|
Ottawa Doug
Social climber
Ottawa, Canada
|
|
Yah,
Pick something steeper, so you don't get screwed on the hauling. I been up Zodiac, but not the Trip. It seems that the Trip might be your best option.
I have been up Lurking Fear and the hauling on the upper part of the route after pitch 12 is not pretty. As a soloist you'll want the bags in the air.
Cheers,
Doug
|
|
Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
|
|
Prod.-
Listen to the previous chimers-in, they all have eons more wall time than me. Thinking about route choice for soloing I would consider
-steep is good
-mandatory free is [often] bad
-traversing adds value but shouldn't be a huge deal, on the way up at least!
-length is up to you
My solo experience is limited to one wall. It took for fukking ever and I learned a lot. I wanted to be alone, and not "soloing" with parties on either side of me, so that's where I went where I went. Somewhere in the Taco archives is a long discussion or two about the meta-issues of wall soloing, which are at least as important, if not more so, than the technical stuff. I would dig that up.
If that's really what you want to do (and it will have to be), jump in with both feet and don't look back. You won't forget it.
|
|
Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
|
|
Prod,
listen to Mike, for get Lurking Fear and get on the Trip. Mescalito is cool and fun to do clean but it will probably take almost twice as long as T-Trip.
But honestly maybe solo something smaller like Leaning Tower or WC first.
|
|
Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
|
|
Sheeit. Warm-ups are for weenies;-)
J/K. Do whatcha like.
But Mescalito..that thing is looooong. He's probably right. You're gonna have to want a real Ahab-style experience to send that one.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
there are a few big pendulums on the raps. its probably impossible to do the pendulums with your bags. 
Let us know!