Fixing and hauling to Dolt instead of Sickle

Can anyone share beta for fixing and hauling to Dolt tower instead of the Sickle? How many raps are there from the Dolt to the ground? Thanks

I think the issue you may run into is what to do with your ropes. Chucking a single 60m from 60m up and having your buddy grab it is pretty simple. Throwing multiple ropes from even higher gets hazardous and risky (both for people below and the ropes). Plus you have to bring all that rope on your initial push! 

8 double rope raps from Dolt to the ground. So, you're bringing 8 ropes and tossing 6? Probably not a good idea. 

It would be rude to fix ropes up the Stove Legs that everyone would have to climb past. 

Fixing to Dolt would be very antisocial. Have you considered fixing to the base of the Stovelegs? 

You can then take your time over some of the most complex climbing on the route and (assuming you're hauling) avoid some of the worst of the hauling. 

It's five rappels to the ground (if I remember correctly, which I frequently don't) from the base of the Stovelegs. You'll be unlikely to be getting in anyone's way going down or back up to here. 

The reason why I'm asking is because last year we met a party that did that. Climbed to Dolt with a long ass line, fixed, haul the bags in the afternoon and spent the night on the dolt. It seemed like a good plan considering it's a pretty straight rappel. Isn't it? Tossing such a long line down is a good point. I believe they left it there and came to retrieve it in two days /which you're not suppose to do, right/. One of the guys was part of the valley SAR team.

I believe (just going off Solan's book, never done it myself) the rap line is to the right of the Stove Legs, so you won't necessarily be in anyone's way. You asked for beta, which isn't exactly advice on if you should do something, but how. Still, there's a reason experienced people have been voicing their opinions.

Do you have a long-ass line? or eight 60m ropes? Do you want to deal with that much line? Do you want to climb back up to Dolt when you get off the wall? Do you honestly think it would be better than fixing at Sickle?

If it was a good idea, I think it would be done more. There's a reason most people just wake up, jug their lines, and take off from Sickle.

I meant no disrespect. Appreciate all the input from all the legends.

Fixing to the base of the Stovelegs instead of Sickle is not much higher vertically, two pitches farther up the route giving you a jump start on anyone starting at Sickle, and keeps the ropes out of the way of pretty much everything.  

If you are trying to do some unusual project then yes it could be done. If you’re just a normal climber trying to climb the nose over a few days then pack your bags, wake up early, hike to pine line, and climb the route. My 2 cents is that the whole fixing, going back to camp, jugging, dropping ropes, and blah blah is such a buzz kill for newer wall climbers. The psych of being up on the wall is part of what gets you through the experience! I think less parties would bail if “Fixing-to-Sickle” wasn’t considered the “normal” way to climb the route. It’s funny people haul and bivy on the column and leaning tower “just for the experience” but somehow try to get out of a night on the wall when they finally climb el cap itself!

Michael Vaill wrote:

If you are trying to do some unusual project then yes it could be done. If you’re just a normal climber trying to climb the nose over a few days then pack your bags, wake up early, hike to pine line, and climb the route. My 2 cents is that the whole fixing, going back to camp, jugging, dropping ropes, and blah blah is such a buzz kill for newer wall climbers. The psych of being up on the wall is part of what gets you through the experience! I think less parties would bail if “Fixing-to-Sickle” wasn’t considered the “normal” way to climb the route. It’s funny people haul and bivy on the column and leaning tower “just for the experience” but somehow try to get out of a night on the wall when they finally climb el cap itself!

Fully concur. 

Put another way: Where would you rather camp than on El Cap??? 

Well Michael most parties need to fix to Sickle because the climbing to Sickle is really slow, and they are newbies so they forgot like four things in the car and need to buy two things at the mtn shop, so fixing just solves that issue and let's you 'try out' the mountain and see if this is the time.......but yes you make a good point that not fixing can be fun too, and certainly even if you fix to Sickle I recommend camping there so you can get an early start and hopefully make El Cap Tower, or just have a smoother Stovelegs experience.

Go For It! Woot Woot! E

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