First wall recommendations for already competent aid climbers?
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So me and buddy have September 1-8 to do a trip. We want to do walls. We are pretty competent aid climbers from our desert tower adventures (A/C3 or so), but have never hauled or spent the night on a wall. We have all the equipment to do so however. We were thinking Zion because its closer to us, but it could very well be too hot to be successful there. Does anyone have any recommendations for walls in the Valley (or elsewhere?) that 1) Will not be to hot to climb 2) Not be incredibly crowded (maybe a trickier route?) and 3) Be somewhat friendly to a party learning to implement the logistics of vertical camping? |
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If you head to Yosemite the SW Face, Prow, or Skull Queen on Washington Column is SOP for learning walls - though a competent party tend to do it in a day. Definitely do it mid week as it can be busy. The NW Face of Half Dome is another std route. |
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Washington Column's right faces (nothing that goes through dinner ledge) will not be too hot (gets shade in the after noon) |
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Do an overnight on the Prow. South Seas as a first wall is a horrible recommendation haha |
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J F wrote: Do an overnight on the Prow. South Seas as a first wall is a horrible recommendation haha It wouldn't be his first wall. They've got A3/C3 aid under their belt on desert towers which is going to make Yosemite walls feel like a cakewalk. The crux for this team is not going to be the difficulty of aid, it's going to be the systems for moving gear up the wall. With over a week on their schedule, figuring out those systems on the wall is not going to be that hard (as anyone competent in desert tower aid climbing is also going to be proficient in researching technique and system ahead of time. Hauling ain't hard to understand and the cluster of Bigwalls is irritating, but each new issue makes the team faster overall. #readingcomprehensionisimportant Tbh, an already competent team is going to be bored on the Prow. |
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I don't see a difference in having a first bivy on the prow or el cap. It's a live and learn either way. If you're comfortable with C3 or A3, there's a big world of walls out there. |
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Thanks for all replies guys! I've been aiding for years, but never really thought I'd try anything in the valley until the last day, so it's awesome to actually think I could make it happen. |
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Zodiac for sure. Time to get on El Cap. |
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Get on the Zod! It was my first el cap route - only fifteen pitches you'll have a blast! |
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“The crux for this team is not going to be the difficulty of aid, it's going to be the systems for moving gear up the wall.” |
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I think it's a good idea to get your logistics dialed (especially traverses) on a grave V (or possibly a shorter VI like Zod). When you are dialed you climb/clean/haul faster, you need less food and water. You spend less time hauling, sitting at hanging belays, etc. and you climb more in the same amount of time. You have more time to relax at the bivy and enjoy where you're at. |
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Mark Hudon wrote: “The crux for this team is not going to be the difficulty of aid, it's going to be the systems for moving gear up the wall.” We practiced your our 2:1 system today using all the components listed in your "latest and greatest" thread (even got a wire draw from Skot). Went really well, so thanks for posting that Mark! I really appreciate all the feedback from this thread, sometimes MP really can be helpful. I think we've decided to go to Zion though (much less driving), and do an obscure wall that would almost surly not be recommend for a first wall where we'll be hauling, but I'll let y'all know how it goes and maybe even do a write up if we are successful. |
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Can we please stop calling it “Zod”? Hauling is a pain, but it’s a necessary evil. If you’ve done multipitch and change overs competently, you can figure out hauling. South Seas would be a stout first Captain route, aid experience notwithstanding. Maybe the Shield would be a better bet? You could figure out your hauling on the fixed lines to Heart. By that time, you’re pretty high off the ground and will benefit from the cooler temps. |
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Mark Hudon wrote: “The crux for this team is not going to be the difficulty of aid, it's going to be the systems for moving gear up the wall.” Well who the hell do you think I learned it from!?! |
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Fat Dad wrote: Can we please stop calling it “Zod”? Hauling is a pain, but it’s a necessary evil. If you’ve done multipitch and change overs competently, you can figure out hauling. South Seas would be a stout first Captain route, aid experience notwithstanding. Maybe the Shield would be a better bet? You could figure out your hauling on the fixed lines to Heart. By that time, you’re pretty high off the ground and will benefit from the cooler temps. Heart ledges lines are a great idea for dialing in the haul. But ima keep calling it Zod (makes me think of superman villains) |
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Systems, baby, systems. Get them dialed and don’t stray from that path. |
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Well we attempted to climb the Thunderbird wall in Kolob canyon in Zion. We didn't send, but we learned a ton. The major factor in retreating was water. Temps were high, and because the approach is pretty heinous we only brought a gallon per person per day, no extra. In retrospect, we should have shuttled a couple more loads. That wall is a lot of work. The hauling went well overall with a 2:1 and after a couple of pitches we had our systems pretty much worked out. Overall still a fun vertical camping trip |