bertdyers
Trad climber
Albany, CA
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On Friday March 27th, I I over-cammed my buddy's #3 Camelot on pitch one before the crux finger crack and he wasn't able to retrieve it from deep in the crack with his huge man hands. If anyone comes up with that puppy, I'll trade you a good bit of beer in return. Thanks!
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D Fred
Trad climber
san francisco, ca
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just wondering if anyone has climbed nutcracker recently... is it soaking since the recent precipitation, or has it dried out?
thanks,
cheers!
 doug
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Sonic
Trad climber
Golden, Co
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Ian,
My buddies were the guys climbing under you on Saturday and they didn't see or find anything. Goodluck
-Wade
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Ian Moore
Trad climber
SF
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I climbed this route on saturday. I thought the 5.9 start variation was a bit harder than other 5.9's I've done in the valley.
Anyone who found a new .5 camalot (purple) with matching biner, can you please let me know. I dropped it when it when it was raining. Thanks.
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Sonic
Trad climber
Golden, Co
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Did it this weekend, before the rain set in and Pitch 3 is still slowly dripping water. There's enough to make that pitch pretty uncomfortable if you're just getting into leading 5.8. Harder climbers wont find it that bad, just really annoying.
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mrbaksh
Trad climber
Fresno, CA
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doughnutnational: Really??
Tell you what, lets rope up and go get it.
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doughnutnational
Gym climber
its nice here in the spring
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If anyone ever happens to find shiny new gear on this route it's probably mine, just pm me and I'll arrange to get it back.
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mrbaksh
Trad climber
Fresno, CA
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The mental crux for me was the friction traverse on P4 . Caught me totally by surprise. I climbed ,right, over the bulge plugged a cam and was like okay, so I can go up or left, went left and found it exhilaratingly scary, but managable. If you are a 5.8 climber and have some experience climbing on Tollhouse Rock, then don't worry about this friction section. The physical crux for me was the whole route b/c for some reason (i wonder), my calves were on fire.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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"Follow the white streak".
Shortest route description in Yosemite.
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jvSF
Trad climber
San Francisco
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We climbed Nutcracker on Saturday May 14. The cracks and lieback on pitch 3 were pretty wet and a little exciting! There was a note at the base that someone had left a quickdraw on the fixed cam through the 5.8 bulge on P4. No sign of the quickdraw or cam though... The rain started in the middle of the night on saturday and we awoke on sunday to 1-2" of snow in the valley.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Royal- (from Ed's post) we scrambled up 20 feet to a tree and climbed a 50-foot jam-crack-squeezechimney to a good stance. Then easy face-climbing and a nut in a corner, a traverse out right and a runner on a flake and I was nose to nose with the hard part. So I fitted a so-so nut and draped a so-so runner on a so-so crystal (be brave, I thought, that’s a good runner on the flake below) and moved up. Then it was fingertips and toes across to the dihedral on the right, and easily up this corner to a good ledge,
Interesting, I always thought the middle 5.8 arching lieback start was the original start. It's much better quality than the left start and traverse.
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DesertRatExpeditions
Trad climber
Flagstaff, Arizona
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Outstanding Climb. Been wanting to do it for a while and finally ticked it off on June 14th. Did the 5.9 variation, which is easy if you keep the crack to your right as you move through the 5.9 section (i.e. keep your feet on the crack and walk up to the right). Pro was bomber on the route from bottom to top and the climbing was sustained all the way as well. Hardest part about the mantle is that it's on the last pitch, so you're tired, at least if you've been stuck waiting behind other groups for hours like we were.
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Simmeron
Trad climber
Reno, NV
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We did this route this past Tuesday and the standard first pitch was wet and the third pitch was a mungy waterfall with some puddles on the ledges. We even saw a little frog hopping out of one water filled crack and into the next. The first lieback section on the third pitch turned out to be the crux for us since the cracks were pumping water. However, the only other people on the rock were on "After Six," so no complaints here.
The money pitch seems to be pitch four. For the roof, if you can hand/foot jam, then it should be no problem. Both hands in crack, left foot jam, stand up, then step out right onto the face. On this pitch, the rock seemed to take on a reddish hue, reminding us more of Colorado granite than Yosemite.
On the last pitch, there is a huge jug right before the mantel, but the problem for me (I'm 6'0") was getting my feet up onto the ledge once the jug was at my waist. I felt a bit like a contortionist, but a little heave-ho and I was up. As others have said, it seemed a little run-out to the horizontal crack, but the climbing was easy enough.
One last thing. I ran into a piton on pitch four and thought, "Strange, isn't this supposed to be the Nutcracker?" Later, my buddy said it must have been the ghost of Warren Harding.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Nutcracker, Manure Pile Buttress, Yosemite. Two years ago Yvon Chouinard discovered the remarkable potential of a 600-foot rock sitting modestly between El Capitan and the Three Brothers, a rock used as a training ground by the Park Service but largely ignored by others. Chouinard returned one evening to Camp 4 voluble about an easy route he had just found on Manure Pile Buttress (named for its proximity to a horse-dung dump). He christened his route “After Six,” for it was climbable in the coolness of a Yosemite summer evening. This pleasant route starts in a dihedral with a little tree 30 feet up, and follows (more or less) the crest of a rounded ridge all the way. The first pitch is F7, the rest easier; and one can take weaker parties around to the left to avoid the first pitch.
Last spring my wife Liz and I did “Nutcracker,” a new route of exciting and varied but never severe free climbing. Two weeks later Chouinard and I found a direct and more logical finish which rounds out the climb nicely. What is unusual about Nutcracker is that it is a 600-foot Yosemite climb and pitons are unnecessary. It can reasonably be done with nuts (artificial chockstones) and natural runners alone. The first ascent went like this: In May, we turned off onto a dirt road halfway between the Lower Brother and the east buttress of El Capitan and drove to the base of the rock. Starting 200 feet east of the dihedral of After Six, we scrambled up 20 feet to a tree and climbed a 50-foot jam-crack-squeezechimney to a good stance. Then easy face-climbing and a nut in a corner, a traverse out right and a runner on a flake and I was nose to nose with the hard part. So I fitted a so-so nut and draped a so-so runner on a so-so crystal (be brave, I thought, that’s a good runner on the flake below) and moved up. Then it was fingertips and toes across to the dihedral on the right, and easily up this corner to a good ledge, but with a belay in the corner because I did not have a 180-foot rope. The next pitch is terrific: jams, laybacks, and face-climbing for 150 feet with 7 nuts and 2 runners along the way. You can fix the stance at the end with belays through holes in the rock. Before the leader takes off on the next pitch, move the belay up 10 feet. He can use the extra rope. A good slotted nut in a little overhang starts the next pitch; 15 feet higher I slipped in a couple of little wedges which would probably hold the sort of sliding, bouncing fall one would take here slipping off the friction on the traverse, I told myself moving carefully left. I next went straight up past an overhang that required first thinking and then resolution; next it was marvelously sustained low-angle face-climbing where I could have placed twice as many nuts as I did. Reaching a small ledge bristling with quartz crystals, I climbed a bit higher to fix some nuts for the belay. Liz had some trouble on the overhang, but the rest went fine and she soon joined me. It was late and cold, and so we traversed off and went up easy rock to the top. When Yvon and I did the direct finish, he cracked the headwall in an open corner on the left--there are a couple of funny moves here--and then went slightly right and straight up. The finish is a bit thin, but if you don’t like it you can end in a bushy gully on the left. A selection of about a dozen nuts plus several runners will do. And a couple of the smallest Clog wedges are useful. Take them. NCCS II, F7.
ROYAL ROBBINS [url="http://www.americanalpineclub.org/AAJO/pdfs/1968/unitedstates1968_117-156.pdf"]AAJ 1968 p141[/url]
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harmonydoc
Trad climber
Rohnert Park, CA
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Followed this last weekend. 5.8 lieback start got me gasping for breath (guess I'm slacking on the cardio) but rest of the route seemed pretty mellow.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Seriously.
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Dapper Dan
Trad climber
Redwood City
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Maybe you should just hold their hand when they climb Brendan
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Brendan
Trad climber
Yosemite, CA
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Great route, lots of fun moves and some decent exposure. Be aware that every anchor is a trad anchor, there are no bolts on this route. If you have the Don Reid book, this includes the belay after pitch 4 near the base of the mantle. There were old 1/4" that got chopped a long time ago.
Rack: micronuts - large nuts
Several TCUs and gear through 3" pieces.
Belay 1: .5"-.75" pieces, med nuts
Belay 2: .5"-.75" pieces, med nuts
Belay 3: .75"-1" pieces, slung rock
Belay 4: NO BOLTS. Shallow placements, .2"- 1", small to med nuts. (On pitch 4: about 10-15 feet above the mantel, look for a small pocket to the left for pro to avoid run out/ankle breaking.)
Belay 5: Sling large rock with cordalette, place 3" piece in crack to back it up
Descent: Hike west and slightly uphill at first. Keep heading west, and down through a few slightly sketchy moves traversing on 4th class stuff. Follow trail, try not to get to far right to base.
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Gorgeous George
Trad climber
Los Angeles, California
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Note the popularity of this route is made evident by the long string of posts, since 2001. I was looking at it thinking of going back for a repeat this spring, and surprised to see a post from a couple of days ago. How was the weather? I went up in February 2 years ago and couldn't find anyone to climb with. Anyway, I love that first pitch and will sometimes go do it as soon as I hit the valley floor just to warm up for all the delicate climbing on polished rock to be found there. Another similar pitch is the first on Pillar of Frenzy. It's all there but polished as hell and makes you think about every move.
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Sketchy John
Trad climber
Bay Shore, NY
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The 5.8 first pitch (climbing the arching left leaning crack) is THE most fantastic pitch on the route and much more memorable than the 5.9 polished pin scarred crack (boring) around the corner to the right. If the belayer starts atop the pile P1 can be linked with the ramp making the first pitch even more fantastic. Am I the only one who got his helmet/head wedged in the crack making the turn left above the tree. Look for booty in the crack before the secure fingers start as this move is intimidating and reason to bail for some.
The rest is a cruise and can be linked with a 70 meter rope. Beware, there is no bailout bolts on this line forcing you to leave gear or downclimb/backclean if the weather turns.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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The 5.9 direct start is sustained, polished, and fun! The pro is good, but you place from delicate stances. Have your small cams ready to plug and go. I found it one of the hardest 5.9 pitches I've done in the Valley.
The moves on the 3rd to 5th pitch aren't hard if you do them the easy way, but it's easy to try them the wrong way and make them harder than they need to be. If something seems hard, back down, rest, then try a new tactic.
On the 4th pitch the "5.8 friction left over bulge" traverse to the left is typical low pro Yosemite traverse, pay attention. The "5.8 roof" is really more of a bulge. A #1 camalot vertical crack goes through it's center so protection is bomber and over your head if wanted. Go up the right side of it.
Karls beta for the mantle is great. To summarize: climb up onto the sloping ledge halfway up the mantle face, then reach down and plug a yellow TCU or yellow Alien (or nut) in the crack in the corner to the left of your knees (if you place there earlier you'll block a good hand hold). Then grab the big jug on top, look for the good nubbin for your left foot high up on the left of the corner. Get your right foot up, then get that nubbin for your left and it's not even a full mantle.
Nutcracker is probably best for a solid 5.8 leader.
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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Don't psych yourself out of the last pitch. The "mantle" is on HUGE buckets and really isn't even a full mantle since there are other small holds up and left. If you're a 5.8 leader who could lead the previous pitches you won't have a problem. Just get that right foot up.
A bomber yellow and green alien protect the corner and with a belay directly under the roof, even with rope stretch an attentive belayer should keep you off the deck. Worst case, just hang down on the HUGE buckets, yell take, and keep yer knees bent...
I found the little 5.6 holdless/proless traverse right after the mantle more heady and that wasn't much either......
Great climb with some definite runout sections. Be solid on 8. Really odd(but bomber with a tug) sideways BD nut placements in those flares. The 5.5 "X" finish isn't X either... There's a small nut placement right and a perfect pink tricam placement a little higher left. PG at worst...
-Fear
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ricardo
Gym climber
San Francisco, CA
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i was waiting for the start of the saturday night slideshow at the lodge, (Royal Robbins show), and link started to talk to robin about nutcracker... he covered the questions being asked..
RE: The last belay .. royal said that the correct belay is the one lambone is talking about -- (i thought it was a good belay)
RE: protecting the mantle move.
royal thought that this was the best part of the climb, because it forced the leader to make a choice. either risk the fall (which is not a fatal fall), or retreat (which he thought is wholly possible from that location).
.. also he pointed out that the fact that you can bypass the move by climbing to the left (which is what they did on the first ascent) makes the concern about the move moot. -- the direct finish with the mantle move was not done until the 2nd time that royal went up the climb.
.. he thought that it was these sort of choices that make climbing great. (He was happy to learn that there are no bolts in nutcracker currently)
.. the show was pretty awesome too .. the finishing slides of the show was pitcures of several of royal's friends climbing nutcracker .. btw .. for those interested in doing an ascent in the style of the 1st ascent, the biggest chock that they carried covered a range of about 1.5"
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Lambone
Big Wall climber
Ashland, Or
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you can aslo belay about 10 feet above closer to the start of the mantel, but I don't think the pro is a whole lot better.
I'm also not a fan of one-crack belays (which is probably why someone placed those bolts) but it takes some good cams and if set properly, is bomber.
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caughtinside
Social climber
Oakland, CA
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Nice beta, Karl.
I have a question about the final belay. I did the route sans topo, and set up our last belay standing on a 5" horizontal rail, with 2 chopped bolts around chest level or so. The only gear was a vertical, heavily flared crack. Was this the proper belay? Because I remember it sucking!
Also, Karl's beta on the mantel is right on. I remember placing the yellow alien in the scar, and the blue alien at my feet after I rocked up onto the mantel. Of course, I thought the mantel was a breeze, and only the 4th hardest move on the climb! I was more challenged by the two bulges, and a friction move. Those all protected well, though.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Since yet another person just broke their ankle on Nutcracker's final mantle, I thought I'd post the complete beta. Don't look if you want more challenge.
So, in the interests of safe climbing for those who might otherwise break their ankle on Nutcracker in the future, here's all the beta.
1. If you know you're not really up to it, it's possible to walk across vague ledges horizontally left from the last belay, until you can use a chockstone to step around the dihedral and climb 5.6 to the top. I've avoided telling folks this in the past since I didn't want them to be too tempted to wimp.
2. Aliens work well in the pin scars (sad for Nutcraker!) The real crux on the mantle pitch is getting in position on some rounded holds to grab the bomber mantle jugs. Place one alien down low so you can leave the biggest pin scar open for the first move which is easiest done by lybacking the big pin scar while you backstep your right leg onto the rounded mini-ledge just above knee level.
3. When you are standing on that ledge, place a yellow alien in that biggest pin scar. It won't save you if you climb too high, but you can grab it if you chicken out on the moves, or fall while backing down if you have an alert belayer. From that "ledge" grab the jugs straight above you while scoping the position of a couple of small pointy nubbins between belly and chest level. They are on the right and left faces. Your feet will use them to augment your arms when you're mantling.
4. Pull up on the jugs and set your feet on the nubbins. Some folks like to move their left hand up and left to a good hold next to the crack above the "shelf" of the mantle. That makes it even easier to throw your right foot on the jugs on top of the mantle.
5. Prearrange a signal for your belayer such that, if you're getting screwed up on the final mantle move, the belayer can expect you to back down to the yellow alien and cry for mama. The only way you need to fall and break your ankle is if you are really out of control.
6. A small alien will fit in the crack on top in the mantle dihedral but above the shelf. It's good as a directional for the second after you've cranked the crux. If you really didn't want to die on Nutcracker you might be able to aid off the Yellow Alien, place a green or blue alien above the crux, clip, and back down and do the whole sequence with over the head pro. (I guessing here)
Too much info I know, but if Nutcracker is a stretch for you, it's better not to mess up your season with an injury
Peace
karl
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wes
Trad climber
Arizona
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Loved it..climbed it last july as my 2nd valley route!!( we did just did after six bout 10 min before this one which was my first) whoo hoo! great times. Can't wait to hit the valley up for 9 days in late may of 05!
My buddy and I did the 5.9 start variation great climbing with good pro. The wide second pitch was very easy and we linked that with the third pitch and belayed about 20' below the traverse @ an old sling and we plugged some nuts/ cams. Our third pich was nice with the cool travese and the fun buldge ( # 2 cam is perfect) madatory fist jam and high step. We then belayed just below the infamous "crux." yeah you could get hurt if you fell here. looks like an ankle buster/ roll fall not a good one. But if you can do a solid pull up into a mantle with some smearage this will be no prob for you...great move! and a very fun climb.
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Erich Krueck
Trad climber
Huntington Beach, CA
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Climbed it last week, third pitch is very wet but not to difficult. The rest of the route is dry. Keep in mind the park is placing new water pipes in the ground and have closed down the road starting at camp 4 and going tell el cap meadows. So to access the Manure Pile Buttress you will need to park in Camp 4 and hike the 1.6 miles down the road. Im not sure when they expect to be done but it looks like they have a ways to go.
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kurtclement
climber
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I just climbed this route about five hours from writing this beta. Me and my climbing partner found a really easy pitch off to the right of the 5-9 crack. It is probably a 5-5 and a really good way to get around a three some that is taking their time on the fist two pitches. when you top out it is at the large ledge at the bottom of pitch three. if u climb the normal route just look off the edge of the ledge at the top of pitch two and you can see a face and a crack system that runs all the way down to solid earth. it is so much faster than the normal route. I have never done the 5-9 crack but it is just another way to get around a slower group. We found it becasue we had to bail from that ledge because of a group that was taking there time above us. to get to a good baelay station you can just free about 50 feet of 5-1 or maybe a 5-2 rock then you can do the pitch with one staion ohter wise you might just run out of rope before the top. you know that you made it to the top because there is some webbing with a baelay ring were some one also had the same fate as we did.
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Nor Cal
Trad climber
San Mateo
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We did the 5.9 start, that would explain why I did not see the cam on pitch one. My bad.
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ricardo
Gym climber
San Francisco, CA
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I think he's talking about the cam's that have been there for ages ..
there are 3 fixed cams on pitch 1 ..
and a fixed tri-cam (pink) on the alternate 4th pitch ..
.. i did this route at the begginning of march (or end of februrary -- can't remember) and the usual suspects were fixed in the usual places.
ricardo
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Nor Cal
Trad climber
San Mateo
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The fixed cams were not there a few months ago. Booty run?
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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There is another 5.9 face variation for the 1st pitch to the right of the 5.9 crack. It's kinda runout but fun.
Start under a small shrub 10' up. About 50 feet to the right of the 5.9 crack.
There's a bolt above that, maybe 20' up.
Then there's a very small roof you head to the right of.
Keep heading right and then there's another bolt. You are about 5 feet from the arete at your right at this point.
Then there's another bolt or two pretty straight up. Then a fixed pin above another slightly larger shrub. Head back left over the top of the shrubery to the second tree above the 5.9 crack start.
There is another face pitch above that but we didn't try it.
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johnhl94563
Trad climber
Orinda
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My partner and I did this route on Friday, 4/2/04. We arrived in the valley and went directly to the climb (9:30am or so) and were the only people on the rock! We did the left start (I believe this is the regular route) and found the moves from the left crack to the right lieback to be a good wakeup for the climb. I belayed just above this near the bottom of "the ramp" (60m rope). A quick run up the ramp lead to a great belay ledge, so we setup another belay there. Our third pitch led up the cracks. There was water running (slightly) down the center of the cracks, but only your fingers got wet. I found the footholds on the outside to be dry.
We belayed again right below a small roof. The party prior to us must have had a bad time since there were nuts, slings, AND caribiners left behind on the corner of the roof. I found the traverse left above the roof to be mental, but not too tough. This led up to the small overhang (the bulge?).
Another wakeup call (need to practice with flaring off widths!), but quickly passed to another belay right below "the mantle". Lucky for me, a young climber free-soloing the route passed us there and I was able to watch him on "the mantle". I noticed another party at the top of pitch 1 while I was getting ready to start up the final pitch (the only other group on the route). Once passed the mantle it was on to the summit.
I thought this was an excellent 5.8 climb. Lots of different types of climbing, plus some interesting route finding (I looked over my topo before climbing, but don't like climbing with a map, so left it at the bottom).
I found it amazing to find numerous pin scars over the entire route. Somehow I had imagined that other parties would have climbed it in the same style as Royal Robbins and his wife had. There were also a few fixed cams along the way. 2 were on the 5.8 lieback start (one near the final move).
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ThomasKeefer
Trad climber
Orinda
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Thanks for the Beta! Climbed the 5.9 start var yesterday. It is a really great pitch and I did not have any probs finding as much really solid gear as you want to keep it perfectly safe. Earlier posts talked of water all over P3.. that is pretty much gone now except for a 20 ft section and there is only some seeping and you can stem out in that area and avoid it all except for maybe one small spot. Route was packed yesterday but luckily we were early! Thanks again!
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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You've got to be careful on the 5.9 start as it is slick... a great crack to follow and get pro in though. I usually just climb up on the little step with no pro and get my first piece in the bottom of the crack, but it is a bit of a ways up.
Mick ("Social Climber from Dutchland") had a bad morning-after, took a slip while placing gear and broke his ankle pretty badly hitting the top of the step on his way past.
I like this start inspite of the history that I know about.
The 5.8 lieback start is a lot of fun and should be done sometime when you go up. I never worry about trees for some reason. The pro in the corner/lieback is good and there are places for your feet as you move up. Tie off the vegetable, grab it and move up on it.. Protect to keep your brain happy as you get up above the tree...
..."Call any vegetable Call it by name
Call one today When you get off the train
Call any vegetable And the chances are good
That the vegatable will respond to you
Call any vegetable Pick up your phone
Think of a vegetable Lonely at home
Call any vegetable And the chances are good
That a vegetable will repsond to you
No one will know
If you don't want to let them know
No one will know
'Less it's you that might tell them so
Call and they'll come to you
Covered with dew
Vegetables dream, Of responding to you
Standing there shiny and proud by your side
Holding your hand while the neighbors decide
Why is a vegetable something to hide?"
FAZ
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Bob Jones
Trad climber
san luis obispo
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never had a problem getting gear on the 5.9 direct start when i needed it. seems the crux sections always have good gear before it gets tough. as for the tree on the 5.8 original start, it doesnt really get hard for a bit after the tree, you can get lots of good peices after the tree to protect from a branch enima. the slippery lieback section starts well above the tree, so plug some gear and go for it.
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WC
Trad climber
Flagstaff, AZ
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Thomas,
The gear is OK. Look for small stoppers and TCUs/Aliens. I liked the 5.9 direct better than the 5.10 face variation to it's left. I have not done the 5.8 LB start.
Have fun.
Will
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ThomasKeefer
Trad climber
Flagstaff, AZ
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Just out of curiosity.. how is the gear on the direct start? (5.9 var?)
Any beta on the lieback after the tree on teh first pitch if doing it the standard way? Four years back I got on this and it seemed pretty gnarly with high consequeces of becoming a skewer if you fall..
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ct
climber
WA
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Climbed this 3/13/04. Did 5.9 start var. Excellent weather, low 70s, no clouds. However, the 3rd pitch was soaking wet from 1/3 of the way to the belay. The best description comes from C. Mac almost exactly two years ago. It commands your full attention, bring lots of chalk. Almost all the rest of the route was dry though, and crowded even this early in the year.
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sfclimber
Trad climber
Redwood City, CA
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Climbed this for the fist time over the weekend. Party of 3, all went well, ample room at belay stations except top of 3rd pitch. Third pitch also suffers from some zig zagging - use runners. Made extensive use of yellow aliens. A bit run out from your last piece to top out at the end of the 5th pitch.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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The secret to the 5.8 lieback pitch on Nutcracker is, when the going get's super thin, to step out to the left on face holds, make a move or two up, and then climb back over and grab the top of the corner.
Peace
Karl
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Karl Lew
Trad climber
ca
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The 5.8 layback was a bit of an EYE-OPENER for this creaky couch potato. Full-on huff 'n puff with uncertain outcome. Fortunately, turning the 5.8 LB was OK because of positive holds. Other cruxes (5.8 mantle & 5.8 roof) were fine. Unintentionally detoured around 5.8 bulge via 5.7 traverse to 5.6 hands diagonal crack variation (fun!). One happy climb.
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August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
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The bolts on the top of the fourth pitch have been chopped. In the daylight, you can tell where they used to be.
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Strider
Big Wall climber
Where the wind blows strange
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Did this climb for the first time in July at about 2 am with a full moon. Let me tell you, this was probably the best climb I have done yet at Yosemite. The moon was bright enough to see without a headlamp until the moon moved behind the Middle Catherdral. As Chris said, if you climb the 5.8 lb variation then you should do the 5.4 ramp, but beware of the 5.4 ramp if you are doing the route at night. As I climbed the ramp I got suckered into a crack that splits off from the ramp. After about 30 feet my partner realized that I was off route do I had to down climb and get back onto the ramp. Also, since it was so dark I could only find one cam placement on the 5.4 ramp and no nut placements so it was pretty run out, even though it was 5.4. After talking to some other climbers I was told that you can get plenty of nut placements, I just couldn't see them. Also, I found the 5.8 bulge to be harder than the 5.8 mantle. When I got to the bulge all I could do was jam my whole arm into the crack that goes up the middle of it. Then I smeared my feet and hauled my fat but up and over. When I got to the 5.8 mantle I was able to find a bomber hand-hold up and to the right when I got on my tip-toes (I am 6' tall) and pulled myself up and over easily. And finally, at the end of the 4th pitch my topo says that there are two bolts at the belay but they were nowhere to be found, at least in the dark. Great route, recommened to everyone, and it's even better in the dark! =)
-n
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Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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DavisGunkie,
if you climb the 5.8 way on the first pitch, you should climb he 5.4 on the second pitch. you would have to go out of your way to do the other variation for the second pitch.
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Christa Whiteman
Trad climber
MD
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This was a nice climb, but I thought some of the other routes of equal rating were better.(ie, Bishop's Terrace. Harry Daley) Less crowded also. It was kind of hard to really enjoy the climb when you had to climb as fast as possible to stay out of people's way...
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