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Location: CA : Yosemite National Park : Yosemite Valley : The Cookie Cliff : Crack-a-Go-Go (5.11c PG13)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Sep 19, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Really, an amazing route. You can use the tree to place a bomber gray or purple cam in the left crack to protect the opening moves. That gets you to a tricky stance and some hard to place but solid small nuts. Fire the crux. Pretty straight forward from there but save a couple of small nuts for high on the route.
With a 60 m rope I was able to lower off but my belayer had to climb into the tree a few feet for me to reach the ground.
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Location: International : Canada : British Columbia : Squamish : The Chief : ... : The Grand Wall (5.11a A0)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Aug 21, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Just did this for the second time and I'd say Cruel Shoes is the way to approach for a full-value outing. Crowds can be hit or miss. Earlier in the week I watched from Freeway as a conga line snaked up every pitch of the Grand but a couple of days later we were the third party (behind some friends) with a 8:30 start.
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Location: International : Canada : British Columbia : Squamish : The Chief : ... : Freeway (5.11c)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Aug 18, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I think Freeway Lite gives you all the best pitches from the full route (Express Lane version), except maybe the roof pitch.
To rap Freeway Lite, you'll need two ropes.
Also, gear up before climbing the jungle-style 3rd class since the slopping, moss-ledge belay at the start of P2 isn't a great place to do so and you don't want to leave packs there since the rap route doesn't take you back there.
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Location: CA : High Sierra : Incredible Hulk : Positive Vibrations (5.11a)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jul 25, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: One of the absolute best climbs you will ever do. The first 11 section is pretty easy unless you're short--many of the 10 sections are much harder. The second 11 is quite a bit more tricky.
One thing to be aware of: the stemming start to P6 is reasonably technical on small wires and questionable cams (a .75 in a flare and a .4 before moving to the roof and the first bomber gear in 30 feet or so; you can protect the belay by placing a .75 in a horizontal before stepping into the stem)... more >>
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Location: CA : Tahquitz & Suicide Rocks : Tahquitz Rock : West Face Bulge Routes : Upper Bulge Routes : The Vampire (5.11a)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jul 20, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Did the direct start, smelled bat crap but didn't have to do any guano jams; the flakes on P2 collected quite a bit of guano and smelled like it as well.
I tried to figure out the step-across to the P2 belay but couldn't, so I wound up doing the mantle, which worked.
Thought moving up past the bolt on P3 to be the definite crux and quite hard.
Followed Andy's rack suggestion but never used the second set of C3s or the RPs (ran out the P3 thin crack until the bigger flake).
A re... more >>
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Location: CA : Joshua Tree National Park : Split Rocks : Future Games Rock : The Bendix Claws (5.11a)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Apr 29, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I thought the crack was harder (or at least more serious) than the face moves. There's gear but it can be a little tricky and run and the stances aren't great in the middle of the route. There's a Thank God rest at the end of the sustained crack difficulties that I didn't find until after a whip on a small nut.
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Location: CA : Joshua Tree National Park : Lost Horse Area : Hemingway Buttress : Hemingway Buttress (East Fa... : The Importance Of Being Ern... (5.10c/d R)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Apr 6, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: A good selection of thin nuts is what you want on this climb.
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Location: NV : Red Rock : Pine Creek Canyon : Straight Shooter Wall : Orange Clonus (5.10d)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Mar 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: While I placed the #4 I don't think it was really necessary. Wish I could remember which of my ropes we had to cut. A stellar route.
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Location: International : Mexico : El Potrero Chico : La Selva (Jungle Wall) : Black Catillac (5.11-)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jan 16, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: There is no way this route is 5.11, even by EPC standards. Ed's guidebook puts it at 5.10c, which is probably closer to the real grade.
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Location: NV : Red Rock : Cactus Flower Tower : Cactus Flower Tower summit : The Warrior (5.11a)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Oct 28, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: And giving too little beta makes for a virtually useless page.
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Location: CA : Tahoe Vicinity : Lover's Leap : Main Wall : Boot Hill (5.11)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Oct 15, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: And at some places it would be rated easier.
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Location: NV : Red Rock : Pine Creek Canyon : Mescalito : The Next Century (5.10 R)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Oct 14, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: I thought P2 was definitely run-out, albeit on fairly easy climbing. The cruxy moves are early and well-bolted, so if you get past those the rest of the pitch should be a cruise. Contra John, I didn't think this was really a slab climb, more like thin face. Suptertopo puts it at 10d. Real good, whatever it is.
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Location: CA : Yosemite National Park : Yosemite Valley : Higher Cathedral Rock : Northeast Buttress (5.9+ PG13)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Oct 7, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: One of the few climbs I can honestly say I onsighted--since I thought I was climbing Braille Book. It was my partner's third or so multi-pitch climb and her second day in the Valley. We caught up to another party at the half-way point and they told us what we were on. I got to lead every pitch. No topo, just followed what looked like the obvious line. Topped out at dusk with no headlights. Finding our way down in the dark was a bit of an epic and since the car keys were in the pack at the base ... more >>
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Location: International : Canada : British Columbia : Squamish : The Chief : ... : The Grand Wall (5.11a A0)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Sep 14, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: I linked P2 and 3 for a long traverse. There's some rope drag but as you're constantly moving right it's not bad, almost like a tension traverse.
John's right about the Apron Stings start being a great way to go; it makes for a more much striking journey up the wall.
I thought doubles to BD #3 were fine for the Split Pillar. I don't think anything bigger is needed unless you're shaky on crack climbing or maybe if you have really tiny hands.
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Location: International : Canada : British Columbia : Squamish : The Chief : ... : Sunblessed (5.10c PG13)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Aug 25, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: I really liked this climb, which has a terrific amount of variety.
The p1 dike moves weren't hard but because of the way the dike angles left almost every move felt off-balanced.
P2 was a textbook thin crack.
On p3, we took the left finish, which I thought was the best pitch: a couple of interesting face moves, some delicate stemming, and an interesting, hard-to-read exit move, with bolts and a little thin gear wherever you needed it. You could easily do both finishes, which I would have ... more >>
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Location: Amy Denicke : Tuolomne Meadows August 06 : Photo
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jul 25, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: It's Tenaya.
More beta than you probably need: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenaya_Lake
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Location: CA : Tahquitz & Suicide Rocks : Tahquitz Rock : West Face : West Face - Center (Flintst... : Blankety Blank (5.10c)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jul 20, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: I agree that the second bolt on p2 should be replaced. The last gear was a micronut 10 feet below it. That manky bolt is the only thing between the crux and the anchors--or you and eternity, depending on how you look at it. P2 is definitely not safe for someone who could possibly fall here.
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Location: CA : SF Bay Area : Beaver Street Wall : The Crack (5.10b R)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jul 8, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Eases the rating? What do you mean? With good footwork it felt like 5.8? To me it just felt like 5.9 for a move or two.
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Location: Rebekah : Addicted to Crack...I mean ... : Photo
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jul 8, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Looks like the Cave Route (5.10+) on Battle of the Bulge. Was the gear five red BDs?
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Location: CA : Tahquitz & Suicide Rocks : Suicide Rock : Buttress of Cracks : Sword of Damocles (5.9)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jul 1, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: I enjoyed this a lot more than Hernia, which I thought had only a single interesting move. Sword had several places where you had to think a bit, which I don't mind doing now and then. Plus the huge belay ledge on top was wonderfully shady and had a great view.
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Location: AZ : Oak Creek Canyon : Slide Rock State Park : The Center of Singularity (5.13b)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jun 10, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Dennis?
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Location: CA : High Sierra : Bear Creek Spire : North Arete (5.8)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Jun 3, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Ice axes? I'm not sure what those would have been used for. I'm not a great climber, but I managed to do this route in a couple of hours in approach shoes wearing a small day pack. I agree with stemming past the supposed OW crux. I thought it was very fun and pretty cruiser if you're not at your limit.
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Location: UT : Moab Area : Potash Road : Wall Street : Big Sky Mud Flaps (5.10d)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Apr 30, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: I was loving this route until I took a whipper trying to get to the last clip and broke an ankle.
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Location: UT : Moab Area : Arches : The Three Penguins : Right Chimney (5.10+)
By: Michael Ybarra When: Apr 30, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Another way to fire the exit moves on P2 is to pinch the rope groves below the chains.
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Location: WY : Devil's Tower
By: Michael Ybarra When: Feb 3, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Any beta on the best months for climbing?
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