North Face 5.11c

 
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The Rostrum


Yosemite Valley, California USA


Trip Report
Rostrum: Pillar of Awesome

by cultureshock
Wednesday March 9, 2011 2:51pm
A throw back to the Fall of 2010:

I love crack climbing and long routes. The Rostrum is like a wet dream. Pitch after pitch of steep varied jamming.

It's my favorite long route in Yosemite thus far. On part with Positive Vibrations for the best granite 5.11 I've ever done.

top left corner top right corner
Finger Crack Crux!
Finger Crack Crux!
Credit: cultureshock
bottom left corner bottom right corner

With the Raptor closure now in effect I'm counting down the months until I can go back for more. The Alien roof awaits!


Full Trip Report:
http://www.dreaminvertical.com/2010/10/rostrum-pillar-of-awesome/

Enjoy!

 Luke

  Trip Report Views: 7,819
cultureshock 		About the Author
cultureshock is a trad climber from Mountain View, CA.

Comments
murcy

Gym climber
sanfrancisco
  Mar 9, 2011 - 04:37pm PT
Sweet TR, with great pictures. Thanks!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Mar 9, 2011 - 07:49pm PT
Nice Job,
That 20 or 40 footer sounded exciting.
TFPU!
snowhazed

Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
  Mar 10, 2011 - 01:03am PT
I agree- Positive Vibes and El Rostrum are the two finest 5.11 multipitch granite routes ever

When you say on par with pv sounds like youre measuring it up to the pv gold standard. I may agree again...

which one do you like better out there?
cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
Author's Reply  Mar 14, 2011 - 01:08pm PT
PV is great for the remote setting with such a stunning last pitch to the ridge. Rostrum is much shorter (and more accessible) but has harder cruxes as a bigger variety of jamming.

I guess PV is more exciting but it's really hard to choose.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Mar 14, 2011 - 01:21pm PT
Nope, they don't get much better than those two. If you want to try something comparable check out the Elephant's Perch.
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Mar 15, 2011 - 02:09am PT
Proud!
dee ee

Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
  Mar 15, 2011 - 09:45pm PT
Good job you guys. I can't believe you were able to attain that level of crack uber-competence in the gym, remarkable.
I followed every pitch 20 yrs ago with Johnny Woodward leading all. I dogged the finger crack big time, many hangs. The rest went well though.
cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
Author's Reply  Mar 16, 2011 - 05:47pm PT
Offwidth training at PG Sunnyvale really works! They have a crack (hand-stacks) that is slightly harder (IMO) than the Rostrum off-width.

I'd hardly say we only climb in the gym. Earlier in 2010, as a reality check before the Rostrum we did Astro-Hulk. Another great climb but needs to be done more often to clean up the gritty rock.

 Luke
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
  Mar 16, 2011 - 04:44pm PT
Which offwidth at PG sunnyvale? The left one with the handstacks, or the flared chimney offwidth on the right?
scuffy b

climber
heading slowly NNW
  Mar 23, 2011 - 08:23pm PT
Good report, thanks
cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
Author's Reply  Feb 22, 2013 - 12:30pm PT
Last weekend before the bird closure. Some friends were on it last weekend and had a blast. A little chilly in the early AM but perfect by 11.

A long delayed answer to the question above:

The left hand stack crack at PG Sunnyvale is very similar in difficulty to the first offwidth on the Rostrum. I say if you can do two laps (back to back) on the hand stack O/W in PG Sunnyvale then you are ready for the Rostrum O/W. Maybe not to lead it but you will get up the pitch since there are more rests on the Rostrum.
Johnny K.

climber
  Jul 16, 2013 - 07:15pm PT
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10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
  Mar 12, 2014 - 03:51pm PT
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The Rostrum - North Face 5.11c - Yosemite Valley, California USA. Click to Enlarge
One of the finest multi-pitch 5.11 climbs anywhere.
Photo: Mark Kroese
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