Tricky start, tricky stances, one really good rest, tricky upper section. A really sustained route taking you up two different cracks. A great climb with a variety of moves on good rock. It is in the shade in the afternoon, and can be climbed on when it's blistering hot in the basin. Cooler temps are preffered though.
Location
It's the first route to the right of Hebe. Traverse right to the larger crack for the 5.12+, stay left for a 5.12+/5.13- variation.
Protection
With the invent of some fancy and small gear, it can all be protected with gear. There are two bolts on the route, you can decide what works for you.
TCU's, (or 00-2 C3), a .3 & .4 C4, some tiny stoppers, maybe a tri cam here or there, and lots of determination to not fall.
Why should we try to avoid using the fixed gear when that is how the route was originally free climbed. Getting that pro is difficult if you know what to put in let alone from the ground up. Climb it any way you want. Do it on gear alone or clip the thing, whatever makes you happy. But to say it "we should try" to do it on gear is silly. For most people leading it with the three pieces of fixed gear will be challenge enough. Please don't should on me or anyone else.
Well Eric, if you don't want to do ground up on gear, don't. Simple as that.
The "should", is in my opinion. If people never told me I should try and do something, I'm sure I would have missed out on some pretty special moments. I'm sure we have different views on bolting ethics, which is fine. But as I see it, if it can be done clean, why not do it clean? If the two bolts and piton were never there, would the route warrant putting them in now seeing as it is completely protectable with gear? Again, everyone will have there own opinion, which is good.
Again, if you don't want to do it on gear, then don't. I'm not trying to make people do anything. I'm just suggesting a different approach.
I think the issue is word choice... Few people can climb 5.12+ period, much less sustained, all gear, 5.12+ trad. You did say those moves are tougher to protect, and it's my understanding that the FA himself placed the fixed gear, not some later party who couldn't pull the moves. It seems like simply replacing the word "should" with the word "could" would make all the difference and make this way less contentious.
That said, if you can send this thing clean, that's awesome, man. Not many people are pushing the envelope on hard trad anymore.
Hey Brent, I am all for people doing things in better style if they want to. I talked to Chris about this climb and he said the pro is hard to get and tricky and he will have it racked in order when he tries not to break his neck. It will be a great accomplishment when he gets it but it just seemed like you were suggesting that it should be lead on gear which makes me think it is pretty doable. I would guess that it is if you climb 5.14 but not for the average guy. Now if the bolts were totally unnecessary because there is great pro (See Solar Flare Forum) then okay it maybe should be done all gear but that is not the case with this route. I do appreciate your ideal and support your striving to reach it. Good Luck.
I think, had you said, the gear is really hard to get and no one has ever done it this way but it would be bad ass for you to do it this way, I probably wouldn't have commented at all.
I never said anything about not breaking my neck. So far from the few times I've been on this I do know that the pro on this route is good although will require precision placing it. I don't have all of the gear placements memorized, or even fully worked out, but I'm probably not going to TR it anymore. Many whippers will be taken, but the gear will keep me off the ground so that should be good enough.
I feel strongly that a route such as this, even with tricky gear could, and will get onsighted someday. Please keep something in mind: there will be better climbers than us some day. Sorry if I bruised anyone's ego. Progression is part of climbing.
The reason this route can be free-climbed using natural protection placed on lead is a direct result of how the FA decided to put the route up. At the time there wasn't anything that could protect the seams and thin cracks, so some pins were placed. Eventually those were removed and replaced with others and finally some bolts were placed instead. As we all know pins scars can make pretty good gear placements. I find it ironic that an older way of protecting will allow this route to be part of a new way of climbing.
By using the fixed gear on these routes they can be more feasibly climbed by more people. More than likely these people will forget about a route like this after they've led it. Placing gear on a route like this would make for a truly classic experience.
So I'm with Brent, you SHOULD go try to do this thing only on gear! Try to onsight it if you've got the stones, and if not at least work it out on TR first. Either way RESIST the urge to use the bolts for any reason. Hold yourself to a higher standard. You'll be glad you did. You'll be surprised with what you can do.
I was wondering if anyone would want to go to Yosemite and to aid The Nose with me. I'm planning on taking several weeks and placing pitons all over the place, 'cuz hey, that's how the first ascensionist did it. And what's with all these people trying to free-climb El Cap anyway? Don't they know they can get up the thing much easier if they stand in aiders?
Hey Chris, if you can find one person that has lead that thing as it is and doesn't remember it I will buy you a six pack. Reread my post. Don't should on me at least in the description. I am sure people can lead it ground up but they are the rare exception. If you add a comment after as Brent did that's fine.
My main point here is that telling people they should do it on gear only instead of as my post suggested, (it would be bad ass for someone to do it ground up on gear) as it gave me the impression that people were generally doing it this way.
If you read my post I applaud your effort and anyone else that wants to do something in a better style.
Your thing about the nose is interesting Chris. I doubt anyone on a site like this says you should try to free the Nose because it will be a better experience for you. Doing the nose is a great experience if it is done free climbing or with aiders.
As far as the progression comment goes it is a bit hollow to me. You have TR'd it to figure out some of the gear and the moves. But maybe you SHOULD have lead it ground up and lowered to the ground after every fall. That is what we used to do. We didn't hang all over things working out moves and getting pro dialed in. We went to the ground and started again. So please don't lecture me on progression.
Now before we get into any more of a pissing match let me say again I think it is great that you think it should be done ground up. As long as it is down here in the comments not in the description and includes the facts about how you are trying to do it. Call me if you want to talk more. Could be the typewritten word is not that clear. My number is in chapter one of SQ II under corrections.
I bet you thought it was dead, but i'm bringing it back. I was up on it, placing gear and getting scared (way past those two bolts). While up there I realized that the bolts are where you get some of the best gear, two solid TCU's go there, but where the crap gear goes, no bolts. Weird. I suppose the piton is justified, but the bolts are pointless, in my opinion.
Glad to see you are trying to do it in a better style. I hope you redpoint it that would be cool. If you do then you will have raised the bar and folks will have to make a choice. True trad guys will skip the bolts and others might not. I should try to get that thing lead before you raise the bar! On the other hand if the gear is good I would rather do it without the bolts but I certainly understand folks wanting to clip them too.
After getting on it yet again, I have to bump it up another star. This is one of the best 12's I have been on since I moved here. Get your small gear together and get on it.
Yes, December and January would be excellent times of the year to spend by the beaver wall. Maybe not when it is windy though. A good rule of thumb is that it's usually 15-20 degrees cooler at windy point than in the basin. So if it's 60 in town, you can expect it to be around 40 degrees.
Since this appears to still be an issue, I will post this to hopefully clarify, and resolve the situation.
I can understand everyone's attachment to the bolts, and seeing as it's not my FA (and the FA, as I understand it, climbed that section with pins), I'm not gonna do anything but climb the route on gear, and be happy that Mother Nature set this wonderful route. Weather there are bolts there or not, it is still an amazing line. I think, in my opinion, that the route doesn't need those bolts, as I can place gear right next to them, but it's not my route to make any final decisions. I've realized that I can bitch and moan about ethics to people, but in the end, everyone will climb their own way, in their own style. And I suppose that is why this sport appeals to such a diverse group of people, which is pretty cool.
So everyone out there still worried that one day those two bolts will be missing on the Golden Beaver can rest assured that they'll be there. As for that dodgy anchor half way up the route . . . I make no promises about that. It's ugly, pointless, and appears to be outdated.
This route was lead this past Sunday May 3 of 2009 by David Merin who placed all the gear on lead while skipping the bolts. He described the gear as good since he and friends fell on all the pieces he placed at one time or another while attempting it. Others describe the gear as bad to sketchy but they did hold real falls. To date it is the proudest ascent of this climb. Way to go David. Kudos to Brent and Chris for getting him interested in the endeavor!
I'd also like moderators to add credit where due as Mark Axen did the right FA in 1971 (aid), Axen and Dave Baker the left FA (aid) in 1973 and Bob Murray did the FFA via top rope in 1983. Steiger wrote there were "some bolts" from the aid ascent. I have not been on this thing since 1990 so I don't remember squat except I hung like 6 or 7 times on it.
Any by the way during the dark ages of climbing 1986 we had: TCU's down to .4, HB's, RP's, Chouinard Steel nuts, tri cams (including the ground down .3 thanks to Mark Wilford), and Ball Nuts by the end of the year. Remember, Steve Byrne in Flagstaff made TCU's/Ball Nuts (Jingus Things) at his shop Wired Bliss. We also had the rotten Metolius "Sliders", Rock n Rollers, CCH's Seismos (not good for this route), and all those other aborted gear experiments! Suzuki had access to all those but just ignored them (as did others on the Beaver- see '87 Grossman chopping episode WHICH included Mr. Ayers on that team).
On October 13, 2008 I asked for the bolts on this route to remain. After spending some more time on route, it is clear that those bolts are not necessary. Therefore, I revoke my comment (will leave it on for record) and feel they should be chopped away...
Currently David and I are working Golden Beaver Left which is definitely 13- and should have a separate entry. Having used the bolts to back up some of the placements while testing them(Whipping hard) I say leave them. It is also nice when others are running it on TR or for those wish to lead it without having a single nut between you and the ground. You have worked it hard and we have put a lot of time finding pro that I am just willing to lead it on and those bolts were helpful in that process. Besides removing the bolts just means people will TR it more. Leave them til they rust away.
Although this climb was originally rated 12d/13a there is no doubt in my mind it is 13a or possibly b. I would give it 13a even if you use the bolts. This climb was originally done in 1986 when people were hesitant to rate things 5.13 because there were not that many 13s around. That is why many + or d routes get bumped up a letter grade after they have had more ascents.
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