Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
M. Volland
Trad climber
Grand Canyon
|
|
Yosemite is the best place in the world for a beginner to go and grow.
|
|
Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
|
|
I learned to trad climb in Yosemite and after that taught many people to climb here over decades.
There's something to be said for it not being Ideal as there are very, very few decent climbs under 5.7 and you wouldn't want to fall on any of them. It's a horrible place for a not very strong leader to go after leading for that reason.
It works if you have a good mentor that gets you strong on 5.8-5.9 before you start leading a bunch of climbs you might have followed before, or you just get ballsy. My first 5.8 lead was Bishops Terrace, followed by leading the First Pitch of Serenity the same day (not even knowing what it was rated and with mostly nuts) I don't remember leading easier stuff in Yosemite before that. My mentors had been sandbagging the crap out of me before that telling me that 10b's were 5.9. I wound up sharing equal leads on the Nose in a year.
But compare that with the gunks where you can climb 5.4 all day long and it's steep enough to fall on...
I take a lot of relatively new people climbing but if they can't follow 5.6 well right off the couch, it's a challenge to find climbs for them and not everyone is young, strong and adventurous.
peace
Karl
|
|
Ricardo Carlos
Ice climber
Off center
|
|
Trad WTF I went to learn to Free Climb and Aid Climb!
Wish someone had told me back in 77 when I only had nuts and hexes on my runner/gear sling. What was I thinking leaving So Cal for dump like the valley?
It must have been all the stories of Curry girls and tent parties.
|
|
Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
Has anyone let Werner know that you can't learn to climb in Yosemite? After 40 years, it will be quite a disappointment to him, but he's mentally strong, and should be OK. And he's bound to enjoy a few road trips to places where he can learn to climb.
|
|
Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
|
|
Werner doesn't have to climb. He is so enlightened that he already knows whats up there.
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
The Valley is a fine place to learn to climb, it's just that it get's old after awhile. Good thing there's so much else out there.
|
|
Studly
Trad climber
WA
|
|
The Valley is humbling. Maybe thats not the best option for a beginner learning to place gear, who can say. I know I get my ass handed to me in one way or another everytime I go to Yosemite.
|
|
okie
Trad climber
San Leandro, Ca
|
|
No wonder I'm so bad at climbing!
|
|
karodrinker
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
|
|
If you learn in the Valley, your gonna rock it most everywhere else. So maybe a good place to learn after all. Not a ton of good stances to place gear on some routes.
|
|
Captain...or Skully
climber
My ready room
|
|
Having learned to climb in The Valley, I think it's an Ideal place to learn.
Or, yer gonna die. Pick any one.
|
|
le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
|
|
In 10,000 lifetimes I don't see how the Valley could get old. I'm also glad there's lots more out there, but my heart will always ache for home if I stay away too long.
|
|
squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
|
|
Lovers Leap is a way better place to learn trad climbing...
|
|
Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
|
|
Lovers Leap is a way better place to learn trad climbing...
I think the leap would be the best place if you are learning alone. If one has a good mentor Yosemite might be ideal because you will learn legit crack/OW/chimney climbing there, along with getting good at gear placement (if someone can check it). Can't really beat Yosemite around here. Leap doesn't have nearly as many cracks/OW, and allows you to use other stuff on the outside. Leap would offer several easy climbs to practice on, and usually has very good pro. Really waiting for that snow at the leap to melt : (
|
|
j-tree
Big Wall climber
bay area, ca
|
|
Lovers Leap is a way better place to learn trad climbing...
I think the leap would be the best place if you are learning alone. If one has a good mentor Yosemite might be ideal because you will learn legit crack/OW/chimney climbing there, along with getting good at gear placement (if someone can check it). Can't really beat Yosemite around here. Leap doesn't have nearly as many cracks/OW, and allows you to use other stuff on the outside. Leap would offer several easy climbs to practice on, and usually has very good pro. Really waiting for that snow at the leap to melt
I've become weary of beginning trad at the leap. The dikes make for perfect ledges to hyper-extend your foot/ankle on a lead fall (done it myself and have had other beginning leaders do it)
 That said, the climb - rest stance - place gear - climb - rest stance - place gear style for Lover's Leap tends to do wonders for a new lead climber as opposed to some of the climbs in yosemite where a climber might get scared mid-sequence and have to try to place from a jam, pump out and take a ride because of that.
After all, I remember reading a quote from someone to the effect of "fear is nothing more than exhaustion."
|
|
August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
|
|
The Leap is a nasty place for a fall, but outside of the Gunks, how many 5.7 or under routes would you really want to fall on.
The Leap is also a mixed blessing. For gym climbers, even many of the natural pro lines have dykes that can be faced climbed. The upside is they are not pushing themselves with both the climbing and the placements at the same time. The downside is not having to learn to jam.
|
|
Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
|
|
Basically if one has the desire, drive and will to climb he can learn it anywhere. Especially if one has some good partners/mentors to follow around and learn from. However location will affect the style at least a bit (if you climb goldwall overhangs you will not do great with handjams/finger locks you would learn in the valley, and toulomne might surprise you with some intimidating run out slab climbs etc).
|
|
the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
|
|
It's not "ideal". Ideal would have a lot of single and multiple pitch 5.easies. And easy to find approaches and descents. The valley gets crowds on the few good easy climbs.
But it's still great. I had a single pitch of trad leading under my belt when I went to the valley. 1st day Munginella (a little lost on the approach), then After Six in the afternoon (took a little time to find the descent). 2nd day a loonngg one on Royal Arches. At the end of that weekend I had 23 pitches under my belt, so maybe it IS an ideal place to learn.
|
|
cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
|
|
Easy Valley stuff from Clint/Ed's database:
name rating pitches
Ahwiyah Point - Northeast Gully 3rd 1
Diving Board - From Mirror Lake 3rd 1
Diving Board - From Little Yosemite 3rd 1
Grizzly Peak - From its Notch 3rd 1
Grizzly Peak - South Arete 3rd 1
Mt. Broderick - NE Slope 3rd 1
El Capitan Gully 4th 1
Lower Brother - Michael's Ledge 4th 1
Middle Brother - West Face 4th 1
Middle Brother - from Michael's Ledge 4th 1
Castle Cliffs 4th 1
Middle Watkins Pinnacle 4th 1
Diving Board - West Side 4th 1
LeConte Gully 4th 1
Grizzly Peak - Southwest Arete 4th 1
Illilouette Fall - West Side 4th 1
Mr. Natural approach 4th 1
The Nail 4th 1
Pohono Pinnacle - West Slope 4th 1
Lost Brother - Southwest Side 4th 1
Kat Walk 4th 1
Gunsight 4th 1
Leaning Tower - Northeast Slopes 4th 1
Sunnyside Bench - Regular Route 5.0 . 3
Monday Morning Slab - Right Side 5.1 * 2
Swan Slab West Gully 5.1 . 1
K-P Pinnacle 5.2 . 1
Sunnyside Bench - Waterfall Route 5.2 . 1
Monday Morning Slab - Left Side 5.2 . 3
Glacier Point Terrace 5.2 . 1
Delectable Pinnacle - Left Side 5.3 * 1
Lower Brother - West Face - North Corner 5.3 . 1
Lower Arch Traverse 5.3 . 1
Aunt Fanny's Pantry 5.4 * 2
The Rostrum - From the Notch 5.4 ** 2
Gilligan's Chicken p1 5.4 . 1
The Iota 5.4 . 1
Lunatic chimney 5.4 . 1
J.M. Barrie - Left 5.4 . 1
Start Me Up 5.4 . 1
Panorama Cliff 5.4 . 1
Mt. Starr King - Northeast Face 5.4 . 4
The Goblet - Left 5.4 . 1
The Goblet - Right 5.4 . 1
Potato Masher 5.4 . 1
Leaning Tower - East Face 5.4 . 1
Leaning Chimney 5.4 . 1
The Footstool - Right Side 5.4 R * 1
Arch Rock Pinnacle - Original Route 5.5 . 1
Sloppy Seconds 5.5 . 1
Lower Brother - Southwest Arete - Right 5.5 . 6
Betsy Pinnacle - Right 5.5 . 1
Swan Slab Chimney 5.5 . 1
Arrowhead Spire - South Arete 5.5 . 2
Arrowhead Spire - East Face 5.5 . 1
Cloud's Rest - Northwest Ledges 5.5 . 1
Grizzly Peak - West Face 5.5 . 1
Mt. Starr King - Southeast Face 5.5 . 3
The Block 5.5 . 1
Sentinel Spire 5.5 . 1
Sentinel Rock - East Arete 5.5 . 1
Church Tower - SWEA Var. 5.5 . 1
Church Tower - East Arete 5.5 . 1
Penny Pinnacle - South Face 5.5 . 1
Leaning Tower - Traverse 5.5 . 1
Half Dome - Cables Route 5.5 ? 1
Cow - Center 5.5 R * 2
Oak Tree Flake 5.6 * 1
Swan Slab Gully 5.6 * 3
Hanging Flake 5.6 * 1
Church Bowl Chimney 5.6 * 1
Munginella 5.6 ** 3
Grack - Center 5.6 *** 3
Too High 5.6 . 1
Formic Corner 5.6 . 1
Chimney for Two 5.6 . 1
Tail End 5.6 . 1
Reed's Pinnacle - flake chimney start 5.6 . 1
Broketoe Corner 5.6 . 1
El Capitan - West Buttress p1 5.6 . 1
Nutcracker Left Corner 5.6 . 1
Lower Brother - West Face - Middle 5.6 . 1
Lower Brother - Southwest Arete - Left 5.6 . 1
Sunday Tree 5.6 . 2
Aquamist 5.6 . 1
un SS a 5.6 . 1
Bay Tree Crack 5.6 . 1
un SS j 5.6 . 1
un SS k 5.6 . 1
Gorge Traverse 5.6 . 1
Sacrilege p1 5.6 . 1
Lost Flake 5.6 . 1
Lunch Ledge 5.6 . 1
Sierra Point - Southeast Farce 5.6 . 1
Tennis Shoe Crack 5.6 . 1
Glacier Point - East Face 5.6 . 1
The Goblet - Center 5.6 . 1
The Bay Bush 5.6 . 1
Pohono Pinnacle - North Face 5.6 . 6
Pohono Pinnacle - Northwest Corner 5.6 . 1
Lost Brother - Regular Route 5.6 . 1
Spireview Point 5.6 . 1
Church Tower - Southwest Notch 5.6 . 1
Middle Cathedral Rock - Northwest Buttress 5.6 . 1
C.S. Concerto p1 5.6 R * 1
Guide's Route 5.6 R/X 1
Carribean Cruise 5.7 * 1
The Enigma p1 5.7 * 1
Pot Belly 5.7 * 2
Sloth Wall 5.7 * 2
Anti-Ego Crack 5.7 * 2
Turkey Pie 5.7 * 1
The RORP 5.7 * 8
Birds of a Feather 5.7 * 1
He Can't Shout, Don't Hear You 5.7 * 1
La Cosita - Left 5.7 * 1
Penelope's Problem 5.7 * 1
Claude's Delight 5.7 * 1
Uncle Fanny 5.7 * 1
North Dome - South Face 5.7 * 8
Chouinard Crack 5.7 * 2
Secret Agent Dward 5.7 ** 1
Pine Line 5.7 ** 1
After Six 5.7 ** 6
Via Aqua 5.7 ** 1
Boundary Condition 5.7 . 1
Hummock World 5.7 . 1
Farm Alarm 5.7 . 1
Parkline Pinnacle - Right Side 5.7 . 3
Short Circuit backside 5.7 . 1
Fun in the Sun 5.7 . 3
Capital Punishment 5.7 . 3
Slob Knob 5.7 . 4
Sweet Miracle 5.7 . 1
Completion Backward Principle 5.7 . 1
Dark Side 5.7 . 2
High Technu 5.7 . 2
John's First Bolt 5.7 . 1
Wump World 5.7 . 2
Emm Too 5.7 . 2
Afterword 5.7 . 1
Five Second Rule 5.7 . 1
Pat Pinnacle 5.7 . 1
Jack Pinnacle - Right 5.7 . 1
Gilligan's Chicken 5.7 . 1
un PJ a 5.7 . 1
Psuedo Desperation 5.7 . 1
Electric Gully 5.7 . 1
Sloth Wall - Left 5.7 . 1
Jorge of the Jungle 5.7 . 1
Chimney Sweep 5.7 . 1
One Size Fits All 5.7 . 1
Andy's Inferno 5.7 . 1
The Remnant - Right Side 5.7 . 1
RPR p1 right ramp var. 5.7 . 1
Lunatic Fringe p1 5.7 . 1
Independence Center p1 5.7 . 1
Inner Reaches 5.7 . 2
Mojo chimney flake 5.7 . 1
Yuk 5.7 . 1
Hard on the Beaver 5.7 . 1
Stinkbuggin' 5.7 . 4
Mercy Street 5.7 . 2
Duncan right side 5.7 . 1
Scuz Ball 5.7 . 1
Andy DeVine 5.7 . 1
Tinkerbell - Left 5.7 . 1
Delectable Pinnacle - Right Side 5.7 . 1
Supertoe Left 5.7 . 1
Schultz's Ridge 5.7 . 1
Loggerhead Ledge Route 5.7 . 3
After Five 5.7 . 3
Middle Brother - Southwest Arete - Right 5.7 . 1
Swan Slab West Slab 5.7 . 1
un SS b 5.7 . 1
un SS d 5.7 . 1
Swan Slab Squeeze 5.7 . 1
un SS m 5.7 . 1
Lower Yosemite Falls - West Corner 5.7 . 1
Pygmy Pillar 5.7 . 2
Yosemite Point Buttress - Pedestal right side 5.7 . 1
Yosemite Point Couloir 5.7 . 1
East Arrowhead Buttress - Overhang Bypass 5.7 . 1
The Trowel 5.7 . 1
Royal Arches alt. start 5.7 . 1
Cornball 5.7 . 1
The Kids are All Right 5.7 . 1
Washington Column - Direct Route 5.7 . 1
Piton Traverse 5.7 . 1
ND zigzag 5.7 . 1
ND diagonal crack I 5.7 . 3
ND diagonal crack II 5.7 . 3
Snow Creek Slabs 5.7 . 1
Nevada Flake - Right Side 5.7 . 1
Mt. Starr King - East Face 5.7 . 4
Tsunami 5.7 . 3
Cow - Right 5.7 . 2
Grack - Left 5.7 . 3
Cosmic Comedy 5.7 . 1
Scimitar Right 5.7 . 1
Apron - Harding Route 5.7 . 1
Wild Wild West 5.7 . 1
Icons of Filth 5.7 . 1
Taft Point Arete 5.7 . 8
The Ski Jump 5.7 . 1
Cathedral Chimney 5.7 . 4
Penny Pinnacle - North Face 5.7 . 1
un MCA a 5.7 . 1
Middle Cathedral Rock - Northwest Face 5.7 . 1
Rycrisp 5.7 . 1
The Cracker - Right Side 5.7 . 1
Improbable Traverse 5.7 . 1
Lost on Venus 5.7 . 3
Colliver Pinnacle 5.7 . 1
Real Error 5.7 . 2
Antique 5.7 R 1
Snake Dike 5.7 R *** 8
Tiny Tim 5.7 X * 5
Captain Hook - Left 5.7+ 1
|
|
ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
bouldering
|
|
Technically, Chris is right - cuz how many people can stay in the valley for months/ years on end anymore to truly learn?
|
|
paul roehl
Boulder climber
california
|
|
Cragnshag, what a great list of summer fun,,,, do that list and see what you've learned!
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!