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franky
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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May 15, 2010 - 08:47pm PT
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Word of advice for 5.8 climbers looking for 5.8 climbs in the supertopo guide. Gollum Right is a sandbag (with bad falls).
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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May 15, 2010 - 11:26pm PT
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The first time I climbed the SF of ND, I had no idea that it was a stroll in from Tuolumne. Imagine my surprise when, after climbing for quite a long time, I found a dozen people w/ tripods and easels on the summit!
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jun 14, 2010 - 01:50am PT
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The Dove, sounds cool. I tried to spot that buttress once, but couldn't see where it was. I'll have another look...
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Jun 14, 2010 - 02:31am PT
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Zeta, here's a big recommendation for Little John Right. A real adventure. Be sure you get good pro at the p.1 crux, it is stout and not that high above the ground. The step-across looks unbelievable as you wobble there looking at it, but is well protected and goes fine. Solid little bit of Yosemite 5.7 hand crack to finish. Then you can TR or lead LJ Left which is seriously slick rock.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jun 14, 2010 - 02:37am PT
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Audobon is easy to spot from up on Fireplace Bluffs....
I haven't climbed on it yet.
Bob was exploring up around Fireplace and thought he had found a new crag!
But I mentioned Audobon, and he realized it matched up to what he had "found"! :-)
The 2+ hour approach will keep the crowds away. :-)
(But the 1 hour and 20 minute approach to Braille Book hasn't kept me away, so who knows...)
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jun 14, 2010 - 11:08am PT
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Granite generally sucks when it comes to the 5.8 range and the Valley is no exception. Best places for 5.8 are the Gunks for single pitch and Red Rocks for multi-pitch. In the Gunks the 5.7's might be more like the 5.8's you're accustomed to.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jun 14, 2010 - 11:16am PT
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a picture of Audubon Buttress, Duncan Imperial 5.11a
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 14, 2010 - 12:35pm PT
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We hiked in to Audubon last summer only to be blasted off the first pitch by lightning!!!
I think we did the wrong first pitch to the dove, there is a chimney and a stem corner, we did the stem corner which felt harder than 5.7, though maybe I was exhausted from the approach. The tree at the belay ledge is gone, there are some decaying roots still there. Splitter looked great.
Approach is 2 hours, which includes extra time for tip-toeing around poison oak. In terms of effort and finding the route, BB is a walk in the park. If you go to this spot on the busiest climbing day of the season, you will be alone. Nice views from a unique location.
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wildone
climber
GHOST TOWN
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Jun 14, 2010 - 01:13pm PT
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Such a nice cliff. I love it, and little wing, and nuts only. Haven't been on fifi buttress though.
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squatch
Boulder climber
santa cruz, CA
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Jun 14, 2010 - 03:39pm PT
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just did Selaginella, it is a great route and when you combine it with a another great route on the cliff below it makes for an awesome day. just watch your rope drag.
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August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
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Jun 16, 2010 - 05:41pm PT
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Bump for my favorite 5.8.
Selaginella's got some tricky lead sections. Pro isn't always where you'd like it. And a strenuous, exposed, spectacular lieback finish.
Being able to lead 5.9 is definitely an asset.
The OW at the base of Selaginella can be bypassed with the steep hand crack to the right. Which might actually be a little harder.
I'm not looking to sew it up, but I don't remember it being runnout. I think it is more intimidating than hard/runnout. For a 5.8~5.9 leader who has not done much OW, is the OW at the base that shutdown? I guess this is a reminder to go do the route again because I can't remember doing any real OW on it.
Why would you want to do a "strenuous lieback finish", when you can grovel up the squeeze chimney? A hand jam, a fist jam and then work your body behind the flake (as a squeeze chimney). The edge of the flake is very thin. You can get a good grip with the left hand simply by pinching the flake. Much less exposed, and you can hang out and enjoy the spectacular view.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jun 16, 2010 - 06:07pm PT
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Hi August West
on Selaginella
I agree with you. Not really runout.
Why lieback when you can grovel the chimney?
Always seemed like a good idea at the time.
And I love liebacks.
One man's fist crack might be another woman's OW.
The right side crack at the base swallows a man's climbing shoe (and won't let go......ask me how I know).
So call it WIDE fist or narrow OW. It's strenuous for 5.8. So 5.8+ or 5.9? Didn't say it would shut a 5.8 climber down, just might make you work a bit harder than you expected.
I'm negotiable.
Anyway you do it, with the Commitment linkup a fine 5.8 day.
donini
There are a few Valley 5.8s that give several pitches of fine climbing at grade.
You're probably too busy putting up routes like Basket Case to pay them any mind. Not that there's ANYTHING wrong with that!
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gonzo chemist
climber
Crane Jackson's Fountain St. Theater
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Jun 16, 2010 - 09:17pm PT
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A bunch of people have mentioned Commitment. But I also think that The Caverns is pretty fun. Its a little wander-y at the top.
All in all, though, I have to agree with donini, that the 5.8s at the Gunks tend to be a little more engaging.
-Nick
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Perseus
Big Wall climber
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Jun 16, 2010 - 09:20pm PT
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My last time in the valley, I did The Caverns - a good amount of choss, but not your typical route. A lot of variable climbing with some really cool features.
The Golden Needle was awesome!! The second pitch has some fantastic jamming and committing liebacking - enjoyed it immensely!
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Bump
and where the Heck is Fireplace Bluffs? Is it the large dome visible above the Old Big Oak Flat Rd west of Audobon Buttress? And how do you find Audobon Buttress?
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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I'll just chime in here (late, as usual) with the valley 5.8's that I enjoyed.
Manure Pile Buttress: After Seven, Nutcracker
Glacier Point Apron: Harry Daley Route, Point Beyond
Church Bowl: Bishop's Terrace
Five Open Books: Try Again ledge (tricky start, and a PG13), Commitment (has a few 5.9 moves).
"On my list" to do sometime: Trial By Fire, Nurdle, Ejesta, Golden Needles, and Church Bowl Lieback.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Via Aqua
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Barbarian
Trad climber
The great white north, eh?
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Thinking about trying to lead Harry Daley this year .. how much do people use offset nuts / cams on the first pitch ?
It goes just fine with plain old Stoppers. Never needed anything else there.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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It goes just fine with plain old Stoppers. Never needed anything else there. For the traverse: small stoppers, at least one opposition stopper placement, IIRC. Excellent practice in protecting a thin, horizontal crack. Don't fall anyway.
Small TCU's C4/C3 Camalots help-a-lot these days.
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wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
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A lot of people have mentioned the Harry Daley route with Point beyond after. Don't mix it up with Point Beyond Direct which is a whole other world. I think Clint Cummins mentioned it up thread as having one bolt on the slab and run out. He's right on and the climbing is 5.9+ to a weird corner move protected by the weirdest home made ring bolt contraption ever seen. NOT for the beginning 5.8 or even 5.9 leader.
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