What do you consider a "big wall?"

Let's be honest.  It's all a bit fuzzy nowadays, but it boils down to one thing:

If you have to poop in a bag while climbing.

John Chowrote:

Let's be honest.  It's all a bit fuzzy nowadays, but it boils down to one thing:

If you have to poop in a bag while climbing.

...and packing more than one meal.

John Chowrote:

Let's be honest.  It's all a bit fuzzy nowadays, but it boils down to one thing:

If you have to poop in a bag while climbing.

I guess the nose on El Cap isn't a Big Wall then!

Just based off my intuition I would say 1600'. 

4. The Big Wall Game

This game is practiced not only on the bigger Yosemite walls but in the Dolomites and elsewhere. It is characterized by the prolonged periods of time spent on the walls and by the fact that each member of the party does not have to climb every lead (e.g., different climbers may prusik with loads on different days but are still considered to have done the entire climb). The full technical and logistic equipment range is allowed. In the modern big wall game fixed ropes to the ground and multiple attempts to prepare the route are non longer allowed (see par II), and a rigorous distinction is still made between free and artificial moves and
pitches.

- “Games Climbers Play” by Lito Tejada-Flores, Ascent 1967

https://web.mit.edu/lin/Public/climbing/Games_Climbers_Play.txt

Short Fall Seanwrote: Are we talking about a big wall? Or a bigwall?

Chris Kalous enters the chat

"Mandatory" A1 climbing, over 300m in length.

Mandatory is more for 'normal' climbers, if you're climbing 5.13 it doesn't apply. I think aid is necessary as it seperates big wall from big mountain. There are rock routes in Europe that take over a day but they are most certainly not a bigwall. 

that guy named sebwrote:

"Mandatory" A1 climbing, over 300m in length.

Mandatory is more for 'normal' climbers, if you're climbing 5.13 it doesn't apply. I think aid is necessary as it seperates big wall from big mountain. There are rock routes in Europe that take over a day but they are most certainly not a bigwall. 

That's patently ridiculous.

Marc801 Cwrote:

That's patently ridiculous.

You said more or less the same thing, i just don't think a big wall has to normally take over a day. With half dome regular route and the south face of Washington column being shining examples of where the multiday rule doesn't work, even with normal competent parties. 

Like the riddle of who is the person holding a bee in his hand, a bigwall is only a big wall in the eyes of the beholder.

Nose in 2 hours = athletic mastery.  Nose in 3 days = bigwall.