Yosemite bivy ledges

Hello Guys and Gals,

Going to be in Yosemite next month and interested in doing some longer climbs that may take more than a day to finish. We won't have a portaledge but still looking to have a night on the wall. I have done some searching and it seems like the South Face on Washington Column is a popular route for such tactics, but can also be crowded. Does anyone have any other route suggestions that have suitable bivy ledges for 4 people? Easy clean aid is fine, probably free climbing 5.10 and below. Thanks for

Four people? Leaning Tower would be tight unless no other parties are on it. (not likely) Lost Arrow Spire Direct should have enough space as well. Other than that? Nothing other than Lay Lady Ledge on New Dawn but that's not EASY clean aid and you'd need to move quickly to make it to the ledge in a day (from what sounds like not-a-lot levels of aiding experience) 

Maybe don't try to climb with 4 people? A party of 4 on a trade route is ridiculous and you will surely piss people off. 

Edit: Do Royal Arches in two days. Its 15 pitches so on the long side, 5.7, and PLENTY of sweet bivy spots. You can climb a few pitches in the afternoon, hang out, then finish the next day and get your bivy gear on the way down (make sure to research the logistic because the rap route doesn't intersect the actual route until near the bottom. 

Andy Novak wrote:

Maybe don't try to climb with 4 people? A party of 4 on a trade route is ridiculous and you will surely piss people off. 

Edit: Do Royal Arches in two days. Its 15 pitches so on the long side, 5.7, and PLENTY of sweet bivy spots. You can climb a few pitches in the afternoon, hang out, then finish the next day and get your bivy gear on the way down (make sure to research the logistic because the rap route doesn't intersect the actual route until near the bottom. 

I've done this before. Good times. Don't do the alt start though as you'll need to haul up your bivy gear and the first chimney pitch is easier to do a makeshift haul than the alt start is. Second pitch is literally just a 3rd/4th class hike so it'll be easy with four people to move the gear and get it out of the way

kevin deweese wrote:

I've done this before. Good times. Don't do the alt start though as you'll need to haul up your bivy gear and the first chimney pitch is easier to do a makeshift haul than the alt start is. Second pitch is literally just a 3rd/4th class hike so it'll be easy with four people to move the gear and get it out of the way.

I've done it, too, in a party of 3. Find a way to do it with minimal bivy gear and find a way to not haul. We did it with two 30L - 40L packs carried by the two followers on each pitch. And we did indeed do the alternate start around the corner to the right.

Your best bet is South face of Washington column. That ledge can sleep like 8 people

Marc801 wrote:

I've done it, too, in a party of 3. Find a way to do it with minimal bivy gear and find a way to not haul. We did it with two 30L - 40L packs carried by the two followers on each pitch. And we did indeed do the alternate start around the corner to the right.

As long as you're not hauling the alt start is awesome

Nick_Cov wrote:

Your best bet is South face of Washington column. That ledge can sleep like 8 people

Just sleep with a helmet on 

Are you looking for a good Grade V to do that has a bivy (SF of Column), or are you looking for a bivy with some climbing (RA, Grade III)?

kevin deweese wrote:

Just sleep with a helmet on 

And even then...... Recall the climber killed in the 80's on that ledge from a rock to the abdomen - knocked off by a party doing an unplanned bivi in the upper chimneys.