Prow C2F 5.6

 
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Washington Column


Yosemite Valley, California USA


Trip Report
Washington Column-Prow (In a Day)
Sunday December 23, 2012 1:22pm
Check out the blog for MORE photos in BIGGER sizes
http://vividrea1ity.blogspot.com/2012/12/hamik-leading-out-on-pitch-8.html

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Hamik leading out on pitch 8
Hamik leading out on pitch 8
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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What makes a great climb? Is it the exposure? Jaw-dropping views? Awesome partner? Surprising yourself with how well you do? To me it is the combination of these. The Prow on Washington Column was climbed and recommended to me by pretty much everyone I knew who climbed walls. From what I understood it is one of the most classic walls in the Yosemite Valley period. There was one little problem- neither me or my partner had a porta-ledge! "Well let's try to do it in a day," I suggested.

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Scorpions in the Valley??
Scorpions in the Valley??
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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Hamik starts up JoJo
Hamik starts up JoJo
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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ready to belay
ready to belay
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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Hamik on pitch 2
Hamik on pitch 2
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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I knew Hamik would say 'yes'- he is one of the few people I climb with who loves to get on climbs that would challenge him in more than one way. Before our attempt both of us had doubts since we had a combined whopping resume of two completed walls (Lost Arrow Spire Direct for me and West Face of Leaning Tower for Hamik)! It took me 4 days to complete the LASD and 2 for Hamik to do the WFoLT. Personally, I had no idea how in the world we would climb 12 pitches in a day after it took me 4 days to climb 15 just a few month prior- ignorance is bliss.

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First moves on pitch 3
First moves on pitch 3
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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Looking down pitch 4 maybe
Looking down pitch 4 maybe
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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Check out those guns!
Check out those guns!
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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Looking down from the top of pitch 7
Looking down from the top of pitch 7
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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We drove to the valley after work on Friday. I managed to get a few hours of sleep before Hamik showed up. It was hot and both of us were to nervous to sleep (well at least I was haha), So we prepared our rack and started hiking from Ahwanee parking lot at 4am. Our cat guide (http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1944930/Anyone-lose-a-cat); did not do the best job navigating us through the night, and we got a bit lost on the approach. I managed to see a scorpion (did not know they were around). When we finally got to the base of the route we were surprised to see the cat running up to join us. On the approach Hamik told me a story about alpinists who caught a marmot and took him up a climb. During the freezing bivouac the marmot died- we decided to leave the cat at the base.

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Half Dome
Half Dome
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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NW Face of Half Dome- what a beautiful wall!
NW Face of Half Dome- what a beautiful wall!
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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Hamik on pitch 9
Hamik on pitch 9
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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Hamik started up his block of pitches (he took first three). I cuddled with the cat who climbed up to the tree, than on to my shoulder, and fell asleep. I would be happy to do the same at the moment- work, rush hour drive to Yosemite, and only 1-2 hours of sleep was catching up. Hamik send JoJo and took his pitch to the top of P1. Jugging past JoJo was lame, so I came back later to lead it (one of the best splitter pitches in Yosemite for sure!). Hamik did a great job with the rest of his pitches and we met Andrew (who wrote his own fabulous report about his adventure). at the top of pitch 3. Unfortunately, I met him only for a few seconds since it was my turn to rise and shine- get on the sharp end. I took the next 4 pitches after which we switched again. Hamik led another 2.5, I did the next 1.5 and he brought us to the top via the last short pitch just as it got dark. Both of us were happy to drink the old water we found on top of the climb. The full moon was rising over Half Dome and multiple little lamps were seen on the North West face route.

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Half Dome at sunset from the top of pitch 11
Half Dome at sunset from the top of pitch 11
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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Neither of us had done the descent via North Dome Gulley. Supertopo description suggests to avoid doing it in the dark. Since we did not have bivy heat we ignored this suggestion and headed down. Aside from the VERY exposed slab traverse (doing this with a haul bag would suck!) the down climbing was not hard, and would be easier during day-light. We managed to get off trail and had to back track a few times, but that was not a surprise. We got back to the car 17 hours after we started our journey. Not bad at all, both of us expected a bigger challenge. Instead of laying around hallucinating in El Cap meadow we had all you can eat for breakfast, and talked about our next climb.

I must admit, the Prow does make a good climb- moderate, scenic, good rock, exposed. In addition, I got to climb it with a great partner in a style that seemed a little too out of our league. I guess it is time to train harder and dream bigger for the things to come in 2013.

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Beautiful spot
Beautiful spot
Credit: Vitaliy M.
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List of things for our IAD ascent:
Rack- per ST with a little less (no cam hooks, no big nuts etc). Metolious offsets worked well. We brough smallest to orange/red.
60 M Rope
Both brought jumars. Maybe bringing one set is a better idea to save weight?
5.5 liters of water (and we drank a bunch at the base- it was a warm autumn day).
Food

  Trip Report Views: 5,757
Vitaliy M.
About the Author
Vitaliy M. is annoying gym climber from San Francisco.

Comments
briham89

Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
  Dec 23, 2012 - 01:29pm PT
Sweet!!! Way to get after it!
Brandon-

climber
The Granite State.
  Dec 23, 2012 - 01:33pm PT
What's up with the cat? Hauled up and eaten on the summit?

You could have caught a ringtail...
msiddens

Trad climber
  Dec 23, 2012 - 02:00pm PT
Way to get some
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
  Dec 23, 2012 - 03:43pm PT
-1 for no hand jammies.
Awesome otherwise.
limpingcrab

Gym climber
Minkler, CA
  Dec 23, 2012 - 04:38pm PT
Sweet! That last picture is great, looks like a painting.

Also, you climb too much. Go watch some TV or something, jeez.
John Duffield

Mountain climber
New York
  Dec 23, 2012 - 05:02pm PT
Wonderful!!!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Dec 23, 2012 - 05:34pm PT
Way to go VM!
Nice Job!!!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Dec 23, 2012 - 08:19pm PT
-1 for no hand jammies.
Awesome otherwise.

hahaha are you hallucinating? Where do you see hand jammies? LOL Even if we did, what difference would they make on an aid route?!?! Most people put on full on gloves! :)
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Dec 23, 2012 - 09:27pm PT
Oh lol, now I see. Sometimes I suck at reading comprehension. Damn ESL! Next time we will have hand jammies, AND GoPro!
SCseagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz
  Dec 23, 2012 - 09:36pm PT
Ummm....really great TR...the scorpion? Wha???????

Great pictures

Susan
Hoots

climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
  Dec 23, 2012 - 09:45pm PT
Dood! You are getting after it in a major way, love it! Give a holler when you come over to the Eastside this winter!
Mighty Hiker

climber
Outside the Asylum
  Dec 24, 2012 - 12:29am PT
For the full story of the heroic cat rescue, see http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1944930/Anyone-lose-a-cat (As Vitaliy mentions.)
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  Dec 24, 2012 - 01:04am PT
Suddenly cat.

Up next in spring? RNWF HD IAD makes sense...

Great TR.
Salamanizer

Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
  Dec 24, 2012 - 01:57am PT
Nice job.

I first tried to climb the Prow in 2004 and bailed after pitch 3. Though it was storming pretty hard all night the next day was good, but we were too skert to continue.

Came back in 05 and spent two days on the wall. You're right, hauling does suck. Probably could have climbed it faster if we hadn't brought so much booze.


RyanD

climber
  Dec 24, 2012 - 03:39am PT
Awesome report as usual Vitaliy. One of the best TRs on here since your last one. Way to go for it & switch up the styles. Do you ever boulder or sport climb or mostly just bigger stuff? I see a RNWFHD or NIAD TR from you in the not so distant future!
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
  Dec 24, 2012 - 11:18am PT
Of course there are scorpions in the valley. Back in the 1970s when we used to camp in the boulders above Camp 4 we always found scorpions under our sleeping pads in the morning.

We did the North Dome gully at night, and I think I lost 3 of my Nine Lives that night. Bad ju-ju.

Good job knocking out the route in a day!
LuckyJack

Trad climber
Novato, CA
  Dec 24, 2012 - 02:09pm PT
Great TR and way to go for it in a day!
wstmrnclmr

Social climber
Air B&B Town, USA
  Dec 24, 2012 - 02:20pm PT
Jay Wood told me they just discovered a blind scorpion only found in Yosemite living deep in the rocks.....
Edit: And great luck no one in front of you to slow you down. Can be a festerment of humanity up there...Great job!
Gunkie

Trad climber
Valles Marineris
  Dec 24, 2012 - 02:22pm PT
Nice pictures. I did this route and don't remember it being so pretty. I remember some joker left a steamer right in the back of Anchorage Ledge and a spicy free move 1/2 way up P6. In-a-day is the way to go on this climb. Well done.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Dec 24, 2012 - 05:19pm PT
Thank you all for positive comments. Any suggestions on climbing walls in a day are welcome. What do you do to SAVE WEIGHT? bring only 2 ascenders? Use a tibloc in your set up? Or just move faster/short fix? I think hat would be a vital skill to learn before doing Nose in a day or something similar...But that would be awesome. Post Lost Arrow I had NO CLUE how people even get up the Nose, now I can actually see how doing it in a day is possible.

What's up with the cat? Hauled up and eaten on the summit?


We wanted to eat it on the next day to celebrate, but some couple took it away :(

Salamanizer, you are bad ass. I was bitching about 5L of water being too much (to save weight)...I guess when you can do things fast you can afford to have more fun.

Do you ever boulder or sport climb or mostly just bigger stuff?
I enjoy all sorts of climbing but usually alpine climbs the most. Cragging in Yosemite/Tahoe area is fun. Went to climb at Owens River gorge for my 2nd time a few weeks ago (it was like 4th time I went sport climbing ever) and bouldered a few times it Bishop. It's fun, but I do not really have a sport climb/bouldering tick list. I should though. Need to get stronger.
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Dec 25, 2012 - 05:24pm PT
Cat? Tfpu!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jan 2, 2013 - 03:36pm PT
Cat? Tfpu!

If you try actually reading the report, OR even the comments bellow, you might learn the whole cat story. There was even a link posted.

Do people actually read the contents of the report before asking questions?
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
  Jan 2, 2013 - 03:42pm PT
Nope. They just look at pretty pictures v. I won't even comment on a report till I've read it! Oops, just did. Looks good though, I'll have to make time for it
Later.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jan 2, 2013 - 03:49pm PT
Click on the blog link. I linked the story there. Have to make you wankers work for it! LOL
climbski2

Mountain climber
The Ocean
  Jan 2, 2013 - 04:15pm PT
Yay for climbing content. And sweet content it was!

So what was up with the cat anyway? Too warm for Cheburashka?

Gotta go do the prow sometime. Looks like a blast.

Andrew Barnes

Ice climber
Albany, NY
  Jan 3, 2013 - 03:16am PT
Vitaly, Hamik,
Great job on the Prow, I'm glad you wrote and posted this TR for the record, and for the benefit of others contemplating this route.
Just so the other readers know, Vitaly and Hamik were blazing fast. By the time I got out of my portaledge on pitch 3 and had breakfast, they were 3 pitches up and passed me. I was really glad for the (very brief) company, chatting with Hamik was fun. You guys really kicked ass.
Andrew.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jan 3, 2013 - 11:07am PT
Andrew, it was great meeting you. Too bad we did not get to chat for longer. That's the negative side of trying to do something in a day. There is still a lot of basic stuff that we can improve to go faster. Learning to short fix would help. Free climbing harder terrain would also be a plus. Less weight too is nice.
Go
Washington Column - Prow C2F 5.6 - Yosemite Valley, California USA. Click to Enlarge
The line follows a series of small features.
Photo: Chris McNamara
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The South Face of Washington Column.
Washington Column - Astroman 5.11c - Yosemite Valley, California USA. Click for details.
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Astroman takes a brilliant steep and clean line.
Washington Column - Skull Queen C2 5.8 - Yosemite Valley, California USA. Click for details.
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Skull Queen.
Washington Column - Ten Day's After A3 5.8 - Yosemite Valley, California USA. Click for details.
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A series of steep corners lead to an exposed face.
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The steepest route on the Column.
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