PRINT: Rock Climb Nutcracker 5.9 Start Variation, Yosemite National Park

Nutcracker 5.9 Start Variation

5.9, Trad, 200 ft (61 m), 2 pitches,

Avg: 3.4 from 395 votes
FA: unknown
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Description

Twenty feet to the right of the standard start for Nutcracker is a beautiful finger crack that ascends the blank wall to a tree (110'). After the tree ascend another 80 feet to join the original route at the start of the third pitch.

The start of the variation takes you up 15 feet of an unprotected slab. Then sink a couple small cams and climb up the smooth 5.9 face. After 20 feet the climbing eases.

Location

Twenty feet to the right of the original Nutcracker start.

Protection

Cams from .25 to 2 inches.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Morning solo. Photo by Jason Hudson

my dad following the 5.9 variation...

Beta for the 5.5 right side of Nutcracker 5.9 Variation

on top of Nutcracker

5.9 start

Marc just after the crux.

At the top of Pitch 1

Great pitch

Jenn cruising

First pitch butt shot.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Will S
Joshua Tree

If using this start, you can do the route in 4 pitches with a 70m rope.
P1. Go to the second large tree for the first belay (shade, and a nice perch) ~ 60m.
P2. Go to a gear belay just below the roof. Be mindful of ropedrag. 70m rope stretcher.
P3. Go to a gear belay about 20' below the mantle, at a stance on a dike where there used to be bolts.
P4. Over the top.

The first pitch is very slick, especially the first couple of moves, and a little reachy. May 26, 2007

Lee Hansche
Allenstown, NH... and a van…

i managed to do it in 4 pitches with a 60m rope but i had a pretty uncomfortable belay above the bulge on the slab....

great route... this start is so clean and nice, just do it... Oct 25, 2007

Marc H
Longmont, CO

It's my understanding most people start this variation on the low-angle face directly below the crack. To suggest another variation: Start on the left of the face and follow the seam (that eventually turns into the crack) in from the left. It's probably goes at about 5.9, no protection. It's aesthetic and enjoyable, IMO. Nov 24, 2007

TBlom

Beware that if you take this alternate (and polished) start to Nutcracker, you may be passed by parties on the real (and much easier) 1st pitch. This is what has kept me from climbing the rest of the route, got to the first belay to find that some Frenchies had already nabbed the belay, we bailed off because we didn't want to wait behind them (after they obviously scrambled to beat us to the belay). May 25, 2008

Jeff Mekolites
Atlanta, GA

This is a great single pitch to do on its own... Oct 17, 2011

Mark Thomas
Broomfield, CO

5.9

The easiest way to get to the base of the crack is to go up some ledges on the right (5.5). Dec 12, 2011

Mark Thomas
Broomfield, CO

5.9

According to the Reid guide this variation is actually a route called "Dynamic Doubles" with FA credit given to Dan & Sue McDevitt in 1991. Dec 24, 2011

Topher42

description. ends at start of third pitch not 4th. Feb 26, 2012

Randy in Ridgecrest
Inyokern, CA

5.9

Dynamic Doubles is the bolted line right of the 5.9 crack, touches the crack line at the second tree (in the 1994 Reid/Meyers topo) then heads out right again.

The 5.9 crack var is shown on the 1982 Meyers guide (the future Dynamics Duo line is shown as a dotted TR line). Linda and I did this crack var in 1983, passed a couple parties on the first pitches and a line at the bottom! I remember it to be kind of like the slammer parts of Senrenity Crack, just a tick easier. Jan 28, 2013

BrianWS

5.9

Took the direct start and got stuck behind a party of three, who kept taking and setting intermediate belays.
This route COOKS in the summer. My partner and I had blisters on our toes from the heat absorbed by the rock. Jan 28, 2013

Jonathan Dull
Boone, NC

If just doing the first pitch you can rappel with a 70m. Nov 7, 2013

Mike Holley
Boone, NC

Rope Solo'd with a 70m rope and a single rack! Went Splendidly! A Total must dooo!! Sep 12, 2014

JJ Foley
San Francisco, California

Big fan of this one.

Good variation from finger to wide hands at the top.

You can rap from tree to ground with a single 70 Apr 22, 2015

Hunky Tony

Hah! I always believed the start was to follow the seam.... regardless, starting off on the variation (seam OR slab) is the way to go. This variation is pretty damn slippery...but that's nothing new in the Valley.

You end on the 3rd pitch. Jun 12, 2019

Bill Lundeen
Fort Bragg, CA

5.10 PG13

Good. Hard for the grade, for sure. Hard to protect in the first third. 5.9? Is Super Slide 5.9? Either it's not, or this is easily 5.10. Especially when you follow the seam from the start, which is my tendency... Mar 2, 2020

Chile Dog

Indeed this is NOT dynamic duo.
Climbed this in 1987 and it had clearly been done many times prior.
Its just Nutcracker direct start Dec 26, 2020

Daniel Shahrin
San Jose

The pro description is a little confusing to me, does this climb actually require 0.25" cams, or is it referring to a #0.25 cam (between a #0.2 and #0.3 Z4?) ? I reckon most 5.9 climbers dont have a #0 and #0.1 cam. Wondering if there will be any unsafe runouts if my smallest piece is a black totem (0.46" minimum). Sep 8, 2023