Looking down while climbing the hand/fist crack. You can actually protect it with small cams and pitons on the right, and save the #3s for the widening crack for up higher.

All Locations > California > Yosemite NP > Yosemite Valley > Valley N Side > B. El Capitan > 1. Base Routes > Southwest Base > Moby Dick & Pte… > Moby Dick Center (5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a)

Looking down while climbing the hand/fist crack. You can actually protect it with small cams and pitons on the right, and save the #3s for the widening crack for up higher.

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Nothing but wide crack ahead! Bring extra 4 inch cams if you don't want to run it out!

This is an 80m rope, never trimmed. About 6ft of tail are on the ground on each side, rope is relaxed w/ no stretch. KNOT YOUR ENDS.
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A 70m can be used to swing hard (climbers) L & rap to uphill side, but I would just use an 80. See other pics for 70m bet

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4.7 from 3 votes

Steph Abegg

Jun 23, 2017

“Looking down while climbing the hand/fist crack. You can actually protect it with small cams and pitons on the right, and save the #3s for the widening crack for up higher.”

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Nearby Photos

Don starting the fisty section

Don nearing the top of the wide section

Moby Dick, 1979.

Sam Bennetts romping up Moby Dick. Photo: Will McKay

On the first pitch of Moby Dick, just getting done with the finger crack start

First lead ever. Dave Sessions (14) sewing up Moby Dick Center. (Oct 1978)

Looking up towards El Capitan. Rober is about 12 feet from the start of the climb. <br>
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The crack running on the right is Ahab.

Brenda stackinnnnng

nice shady alcove to hang at the base
<br>
photo by the legendary Dave

Lars Burnham styling Moby Dick Center

Nothing but wide crack ahead! Bring extra 4 inch cams if you don't want to run it out!

Looking down while climbing the hand/fist crack. You can actually protect it with small cams and pitons on the right, and save the #3s for the widening crack for up higher.

This is an 80m rope, never trimmed. About 6ft of tail are on the ground on each side, rope is relaxed w/ no stretch. KNOT YOUR ENDS.
<br>
A 70m can be used to swing hard (climbers) L & rap to uphill side, but I would just use an 80. See other pics for 70m bet

Harpoonin me hwhite hwhale

Ben climbing moby dick in the pouring rain.

Staring down at the splitter fist/off-fist crack that makes up the last 50ft of the route. This section is wide, sustained 5.9 jamming, and super fun! I brought two #4s to protect it comfortably.

#4 terrain.

Looking up at Pitch 2.

Great no hands rests

Eve Cowen working the thin start

Lars moving through the short but oh so sweet hand jams!

Jeff Crow, Moby Dick.

Pitch 1

70m rope, climber swung hard L, rapped around corner from MD start. KNOT YOUR ENDS. This is an untrimmed 70. DO NOT TRY WITH A ROPE THAT HAS BEEN TRIMMED.

View from the top. Look closely and you'll notice that I ran out all of the wide terrain above the second lieback. Not recommended unless you're very comfortable at the size and grade.

Having fun on Moby Dick

Me on Moby Dick with a raven flying past. PC: Laura Hayes

Climbing Moby Dick<br>

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