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El Capitan Base Routes

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Ahab 
Freeblast 
Gollum 
La Cosita, Left 
La Cosita, Right 
Little John, Right 
Mark of Art 
Masquerade/Call Me Ishmael 
Moby Dick 
Moby Dick, Left 
Pine Line 
Pterodactyl Terrace, Left 
Sacherer Cracker 
Salathe (pitch 1) 
Short But Thin 
Slack ( center), The 
Sparkling Give-away 


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El Capitan Base Routes

Submitted By: Sketchy Sam on Jul 13, 2006
Administrator: Greg Opland
Latitude: 37.7286  Longitude: -119.6371 
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  Print a Mini-Guide - Includes Routes!

Frank Brown on "Moby Dick Center".
Photo by Blitzo...


Description 

The base of El Capitan is home to numerous dreamy classic climbs to cut your teeth on while gazing up at the Big Stone.


Getting There 

Park in El Cap Meadows area and hike the trail up to the base. Figure on about 10 minutes for the approach.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for El Capitan Base Routes:
La Cosita, Left   5.7     Trad, 1 pitch   
Pine Line   5.7     Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet   
Little John, Right   5.8     Trad   
La Cosita, Right   5.10a     Trad, 1 pitch   
Moby Dick   5.10a     Trad, 1 pitch, 150 feet   
Sacherer Cracker   5.10a     Trad, 1 pitch, 150 feet   
Ahab   5.10a     Trad, 1 pitch, 155 feet   
Salathe (pitch 1)   5.10c     Trad, 1 pitch, 160 feet   
Mark of Art   5.10d     Trad, 1 pitch, 110 feet   
Freeblast   5.11 R     Trad, 10 pitches   
Browse More Classics in El Capitan Base Routes

Featured Route For El Capitan Base Routes
Finished with the freeblast and on to bigger things. Photo: Diamond Dave<br />Sept. 2001

Freeblast 5.11 R  CA : Yosemite National Park : ... : El Capitan Base Routes
Totally CLASSIC route in its own right! Will get you ready for typical El Cap weirdness. All the hardest pitches rely on good bolts and some questionable fixed gear.P1. Start from the pedestal and aim for the double cracks. Cool opposing crack moves and lots of good pro tapers to a hand size crack with some loose flakes and then a 2-bolt anchor on the right. (5.10)P2. Jam or lieback (better) the unassumingly awkward flake/crack to a hanging 3-bol...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA


Photos of El Capitan Base Routes Slideshow Add Photo
After a day of cragging at the base, go around the corner and have a swing on the rope in the Cave... 5/09.

After a day of cragging at the base, go around the...


Comments on El Capitan Base Routes Add Comment
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By Greg Smith
From: Canon City, CO
Aug 3, 2007

Can anyone tell me how to add a route on this page? One of my favorite climbs "The Mark of Art" branches off this climb right before the offwidth and continues straight up for another 70 ft. It is awesome!
Greg

By Mike Morley
Administrator
From: Oakland, CA
Aug 3, 2007

Greg, just click the "Add Route" button above.