CKTRAD
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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I was 17 years old when i led the whole climb except for the first pitch. I had a wonderful time with 3 great friends I will never forget. Thankfully Dave (from Minnesota) kept telling me, "You're going to lead every pitch!" Being young and not used to runouts.... this climb got me addicted to the R. Climbed this route in the summer of '97 with a pair of oversized Boreal Ace's. Lot's of fun... great friction, fantastic setting for a perfect climb.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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It's only a grade harder right? I was scared out of my mind. Glad you lived to tell. This seems sort of an error in the whole freesolo dicipline - using grades at all. I think Bachar himself fell into the trap of mixing roped climbing ideals with soloing. On the Acopa site his bio talks about him as continuing "to free solo in the 5.10 to 5.11 range." implying you can handle anything rated such and such. That strength is all that's needed.
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russellg
Sport climber
Malibu, CA
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The second pitch is a little heady because there is really only one spot to get a large cam in about 40 feet up (a big bro might not work, because of the flaring nature of the crack) but in reality it is all in you head. The insecure moves are when you hip scum up the wall lying back up the dihedral.
Classic route. Very fun. Highly recommended.
R
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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here's a trip report I did with Anders....
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=695121
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That Darn French Guy
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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I lead the whole thing, and I am asking you: Where is the 5.4 slab traverse at?!!
I started the slab traverse around a manky piton: What I traversed was a much scarier runout than the rest of the pitches. It had quite a handfull of thin 5.8 moves, and the rest was at least 5.6. Lucky I was ready for it, from the practice on south Daff dome, and the other climbs on Stately Pleasure. My partner slowly bitched and moaned across that whole traverse. :)
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jhog
climber
south lake tahoe
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After soloing Tenaya with a friend, we decided to solo Great White Book. It's only a grade harder right? It was early July and probably 80 degrees out... I was scared out of my mind. My foot slipped once and my hand also slipped on the awkward layback section. The climbing isn't physically strenuous but it is insecure especially on a hot afternoon.
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426
climber
☬
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TM Herbert said "what in tarnation" when he saw the oversize cam on my harness. feels a little better with at least one...
A great route...
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Duke-
Trad climber
SF, aka: Dirkastan
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Climb this route!
You will not be disappointed.
-D
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harmonydoc
Trad climber
Rohnert Park, CA
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Climbed this yesterday (Labor Day weekend 2006), led the whole book, my partner led the slab at the top ... had an awesome time! Borrowed another friend's #5 and 6 camalots, actually managed to place the #6 and 2 #5's on the 3rd pitch. Great views! Very windy on top. Many thanks to Hope of Yosemite Mountaineering School for helping us out on the descent ... a class act!
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maculated
Trad climber
Rohnert Park, CA
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http://www.rockclimbing.com/articles/index.php?id=2005
Har dee har har. Glad you couldn't get it out either. :)
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cgw
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Climbed Sept. 25. Amazing weather for the four days we were there. Not a cloud in sight.
Led the first pitch to the top of the "4th class blocks," which made belaying both pitches easier.
We found two "fixed" cams on the 4th pitch, a #4 Camalot and a blue Rock Empire Cam, both seriously over-cammed. A mangled pair of cams to whoever who can get them out...
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Jedi
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Ended up climbing this a few weekends ago. Simul climbed the first 3 pitches with my partner. Big runouts - don't fall. Great chimneying experience.
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Scottyb
Trad climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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When super topo says no gear believe it! Very big gear needed to protect third pitch.
Swapping leads I got all the run out. However I did find a nice constriction on the third pitch. If you don't have very large pieces...Two thirds of the way up this amazing flake there is a small stance inside the chimney. With Back to the wall you can stand there all day. Reach in about 6 feet and place a # 4 camalot where the wall tightens just a bit. Granted it is not an A+ placement (it could walk use double runner) but it did add a margin of comfort since I was 100' out with no pro...
Also on the last pitch it is possible to go above the recommended traverse and place gear before committing to the friction. It still leaves the second aired out but you could practically run across it to get to the final ledge...
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Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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The American Safe Climbing Assn. may have replaced anchor bolts on this climb. To find out visit the ASCA Replacement Page
The ASCA is a non-profit organization dedicated to replacing unsafe anchors. To learn about helping the ASCA click here
DONATE NOW
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Rich the Brit
Trad climber
San Ramon, CA
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Climbed Great White Book on Sunday 7/6.
Good news! The belay at the end of the 4th pitch (if climbed as per the topo) has lost the loose, microwave sized block that was lightly attached to the roof. I climbed this route twice last year and it was hanging on by the skin of its teeth. It was so sketchy that I belayed at the old piton in the crack above the roof, rather than hang around that block.
It is possible to run the first two pitches together with 200 ft rope. If 2nd climber is clipping into an anchor at base of route, use slings to attach to the pro. You will be grateful for the extra few feet of rope you will save if you decide to run them together.
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Dominic Eidson
SuperTopo staff member
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Me and my partner did this route, and, for various reasons - ran the first and second pitch together as one. Yes, it's long (~ 200') - but it's doable.
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Ted Judah
Intermediate climber
San Ramon, CA
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First off, I’d just like to say Supertopo.com is a great resource and anyone who climbs in the areas they cover should buy their topos. They are fantastic! I downloaded Tuolumne Meadows Super Topos as soon as I got back from climbing the Great White Book because the Fn guide we had was much too vague.
The story is more of a trip report than pure beta but it may be informative to some of you.
THE GREAT WHITE BOOK
For a beginnermediate climber like myself it looked pretty intimidating. Although it’s not at all, it looks near vertical from the start. Would we be able to climb it? I had top-roped for years and years, never did much ‘clip and go’ sport climbing at all, and moved directly into leading adventure climbs because it seemed more “natural”. I had great fun and success on some classic climbs of the same grade in the Yosemite Valley two months before but, this great book looked somewhat daunting. Yet, I was feeling confidant and ready to climb.
After setting up a top rope for our friends and family to play on while we were gone. Louis and I headed out.
Louis is a great second as he always has instant slack ready when I need it and he’s a good anchor.
The first pitch went smoothly, the rock was clean and well featured around the main crack system. Fun stuff.
It was before noon and we had a small strip of shade on us that would be gone soon. It was going to get hot. Louis forgot his t-shirt at camp and decided to go shirt-less rather than wear the thermal long-sleeve top he had with him.
The second pitch was easier than the first and it put us on top of a boulder pile. We took a breather and assessed the route so far. “Seems pretty do-able. You wanna take the lead for a pitch?” Louis looked up and saw the gaping offwidth above and said. “You’re doing good. Why don’t you keep on going.” So I headed off on pitch three. At this point, the Great White Book seems to close up on you. You have to chimney a bit till it folds over even more then you’re jamming your foot heel to toe.
The shutting dihedral was flowing with refreshing cool air like a granite refrigerator case. I could see into the enormous, downward curving crack maybe 20 feet but I knew it went much further. Louis had tossed a small rock into the fracture and he said it went clattering down into the heart of the mountain until he could hear it no more.
Meanwhile, I was huffing my way up the ever-thinning crack. Louis suggested I grab the over-hanging ‘page’ and walk myself up the wall. I tried that but it felt a little scary to me as I was 40 feet above the boulders and unprotected so far. I tried to place our biggest, (4.5 inch) cam, but it was much too small. I knew a fall would hurt but wouldn’t kill me cause I’d skid down the sloping granite and plow into my belayer. At that time Louis was thinking that he should have anchored himself into the boulders because he imagined me falling, unprotected, right past him and then yanking him off too.
I climber on a route to the west yelled to me, “Pretty tough for a 5.6 huh?” I nodded. “There are some bolts about 15 feet above you!”, he shouted. Good thing, because I could tell we were running out of rope. I managed to slip in a cam just five feet from the next belay station. What a runout! I was happy to be at the shiny, new bolts. “On belay, climb when ready!” I yelled to Louis. He followed using the method he suggested to me and came up much faster than I did.
The forth pitch was relatively easy compared to the previous one and Louis got a workout trying to feed me rope fast enough. I got to a three foot wall (can’t really call it a ceiling at the low angle we were at) and set up a quick, solid anchor. I brought Louis up and from here he belayed me up and to the right then along a small right facing corner to an old piton. It was at this point on the final pitch that I got off route as we did not have a guide book with us. I went up and to the right were I found a triple-bolted belay station (South Crack?). I should have traversed left and then up an easy crack to the final belay. Oh well.
Because we did not have a guide book we had to ask another climber which way go to walk off. I got some serious blisters from walking down the steep slabs in my climbing shoes. Next time I’m bringing some walking shoes in a pack, more water, and my Supertopo.
Cheers,
Ted Judah
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Greg Barnes
climber
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I removed the 4th pitch anchor at the top of the corner. Two old death bolts, only 6' right of a perfect 1/2-1" crack, are now gone. Also, I replaced one of the bolts at the pitch 3 anchor and removed an excess 1/4" bolt, so now there are two bomber bolts at that anchor.
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Stately Pleasure Dome above Tenaya Lake.Photo: Ron Heinsman
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*What is "Route Beta"?
It's climber slang for information or tips on a route as in, "what's
the beta on that route?" As a service to fellow climbers we ask SuperTopo
guidebook users to post tips and updates to this website if they have relevant
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