Beginner big wall

Nolan Huther wrote:

Is the "pink one in the corner", etc., the latest Mountain Project inside joke? We need to keep a list

Recycled nonsense, but I love it all. 

Jake W wrote:

Yeah, I've done up to 17 pitches on Sport, and 10 on Trad. I do know how to aid climb, but only up to a C2 (I'm not great at it). And I actually am the climbing TA at my university, and actually help to teach others how to eat, poop, and manage gear on multi pitch   . I did a dry run a couple weeks ago just on a 2 pitch climb, hauling the gear, setting up the portaledge and cooking lunch, etc. 

https://style.mla.org/dont-bury-the-lede/ 

So what is your geographic max range that you're looking for since your profile states Provo UT and as you can see people are starting to suggest Yosemite. 

im just here to clear the "jake w" part of my name

Jake W wrote: I actually was considering doing Moonlight. Aiding it of course   

Dont...bother... you will learn NOTHING.

George Perkins wrote: Are there any "entry-level" "big-wall" aid climbs that are anywhere other than Yosemite, Zion, or maybe Squamish, in the west?  

Season and closeness to where you live basically determine the most suitable choice, I'd think.

There's stuff at Smith Rock that will give him his aid and portaledge thrills, Red Rocks (I lol even thinking about it) has some stuff that isn't deadly except for the approach, I would imagine Tahquitz could work as well. 

But it depends upon what OP means by "Bigwall" since apparently he's experienced but doesn't like to show it in his initial posts. 

This isn't that complicated. Go thrash up the S. Face of the Column. Go thrash up Leaning Tower and the Prow. By then you'll have a spent a good amount of time thrashing, sorting through unbelievable clusters  and will  figure out aid climbing.  Wall climbing has been described by a friend of mine as laying on hot asphalt and whipping yourself with a bike chain.  

s.price wrote: The Black.

And I can't believe I forgot The Diamond

kevin deweese wrote:

There's stuff at Smith Rock that will give him his aid and portaledge thrills, Red Rocks (I lol even thinking about it) has some stuff that isn't deadly except for the approach, I would imagine Tahquitz could work as well. 

But it depends upon what OP means by "Bigwall" since apparently he's experienced but doesn't like to show it in his initial posts. 

Lol I wanna here about what kind of big walls you think that smith has to offer. I mean yea you could set up a portalege on a 400' route, but you could do that in a lot of places if you wanted to.

Moonlight would be a good first big wall. The rock is questionable, so make sure to bounce test every placement. Cam hooks are especially useful. It’ll be hot this time or year, so right after a rain storm is ideal. 

Andrew Child wrote:

Lol I wanna here about what kind of big walls you think that smith has to offer. I mean yea you could set up a portalege on a 400' route, but you could do that in a lot of places if you wanted to.

He could set up a portaledge on a 400' route. 

Check the context of my response, obviously Tahquitz doesn't have bigwall routes and more than Smith does, but for the OP's desire "get a feel" for what it's like on multi-day climbs, these two places are a possibility. 

I brought up Smith Rock because if he's considering something aid-intensive, Monkey Face has more than a couple aid routes that would probably take a noob "getting a feel for it", hauling, and setting up a portaledge, more than a single day to complete.

kevin deweese wrote:

There's stuff at Smith Rock that will give him his aid and portaledge thrills, Red Rocks (I lol even thinking about it) has some stuff that isn't deadly except for the approach, I would imagine Tahquitz could work as well. 

But it depends upon what OP means by "Bigwall" since apparently he's experienced but doesn't like to show it in his initial posts. 

Is there a reasonable (and available) source of Red Rocks wall info? Other than a topo here or there, I haven't even been able to find enough info to know if it's lolable.

I feel like the BLM list of permits has provided me more information than I can find otherwise.

C Archibolt wrote: Moonlight would be a good first big wall. The rock is questionable, so make sure to bounce test every placement. Cam hooks are especially useful. It’ll be hot this time or year, so right after a rain storm is ideal. 

Wet sandstone has been known to be so slippery that haul bags will slide all over the face causing a hazard to you and other climbers, so it's standard operating procedure to wrap your haul bag in barbed wire at the base of the climb in order to make sure it stays on the hauling path while you bring it up to your belays. 

(Once should NOT wrap the haulbag before the approach... learned that one the hard way)

kevin deweese wrote:

He could set up a portaledge on a 400' route. 

Check the context of my response, obviously Tahquitz doesn't have bigwall routes and more than Smith does, but for the OP's desire "get a feel" for what it's like on multi-day climbs, these two places are a possibility. 

I brought up Smith Rock because if he's considering something aid-intensive, Monkey Face has more than a couple aid routes that would probably take a noob "getting a feel for it", hauling, and setting up a portaledge, more than a single day to complete.

Fair. Its also worth noting that overnight camping is illegal in the park. I guess you could ask if they'ed make an exception for portaledges. There are definitely better options though.

Right around the corner from you:

Less Than or Equal To
Stratosphere

They're steep enough and just big enough you can spend a day or two learning how to fix, haul, jug, and manage all that crap you're not used to doing.

Has anyone mentioned Leaning Wall climbs in Zion?

Cosmic Trauma &/or  Space Shot

You got it. Read a book on the subject and practice a bit. Its only Aid...

Moonlight buttress is a great beginner aid climb.  Don't let the free climbing punters bring you down. 

Sorry, I misread.  The black is a great place for beginners to get into big walls.  haha

C Archibolt wrote: Moonlight would be a good first big wall. The rock is questionable, so make sure to bounce test every placement. Cam hooks are especially useful. It’ll be hot this time or year, so right after a rain storm is ideal. 

Don’t ferget yer hammer!!