All Locations > California > Yosemite NP > Yosemite Valley > Valley N Side > B. El Capitan > 2. Southwest Face

Aquarian Wall

Name: Aquarian Wall
Rating: 1.5

5.7 YDS 5a French 15 Ewbanks V+ UIAA 13 ZA MVS 4b British C2+

Routes in 2. Southwest Face

L › R R › L A › Z

	Aquarian Wall T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b C2+
	Controlled Burn T A4
	Dihedral Wall T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c C3-
	El Corazon T 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c R
	Excalibur T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A3
	Flight of the Albatross T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b A4
	Free Rider T 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c PG13
	Freeblast T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Golden Gate T 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Grape Race T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A2+
	Heart Route (Free) T 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c V10 7C+
	Jolly Roger T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b A4+ R
	Lurking Fear T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b C2
	Magic Mushroom T 5.14a 8b+ 32 X+ 32 E8 7a A3
	Mirage T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A4
	Mr. Midwest T 5.13 8a 29 X- 30 E7 6c PG13
	Muir Wall T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b C3-
	Never Never Land 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A3
	Nose, The T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a C2
	Quo Vadis T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a A4+
	Ready to Go T A5+ X
	Salathé Wall T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a C2
	Shield, The T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c A3 PG13
	Squeeze Play 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A3
	Sunkist T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c A3+
	Triple Direct T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a C2
	West Buttress T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A3
	West Face T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Wings of Steel T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b A3+ R

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Type:	Trad, Aid, 2000 ft (606 m), 20 pitches, Grade VI
FA:	Jim Bridwell, Kim Schmitz, June 1971
Page Views:	857 total · 32/month
Shared By:	Cody H on Nov 1, 2022
Admins:	Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Latest updates on closures, permits, and regulations. Details

Please visit climbingyosemite.com/ and nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/… for the latest information on visiting Yosemite, including permits, regulations, and closure information.

Yosemite National Park has yearly closures for Peregrine Falcon Protection March 1- July 15. Always check the NPS website at nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/… for the most current details and park alerts, and to learn more about the peregrine falcon, and how closures help it survive. This page also shares closures and warnings due to current fires, smoke, etc.

Description

An interesting route on the west face of El Cap featuring excellent ledges (Timbuktu, Kahuna Kahuna) and moderate climbing. However the climbing between the ledges is steep and slow, so most will want to bring a portaledge. Never Never land and Aquarian follow the same start for the first 9 pitches, then deviate at Timbuktu. These pitches involve lots of reachy bolt/rivet ladders.

Two easy pitches above Timbuktu then the route gets harder, steeper and grassy. The roof pitch is steep but good cams/offsets the whole way. Above that each pitch is steep, most are long (140+ ft) and all have hanging belays until you reach pitch 15. The grass and dirt in some of these pitches can be be difficult to deal with but as more people climb it hopefully it gets better? The climbing is extremely varied from small cracks to OW's sometimes on the same pitch...

Kahuna Kahuna is a plush bivy. It makes for an excellent last bivy. Have a relaxing morning before the final two pitches to Thanksgiving. Finish on West Buttress/Lurking Fear. Or Dihedral wall? No one cares there are no rules.

Location

The start is located near the base of Lurking Fear. With haul bags it will take 45 min-1 hour to get there.

Follow the well defined climbers trail (it's El Cap after all) up hill till you reach a flat spot and the trail deadends. Leave your haul bags here, be very mindful of leaving food in your packs. It's 110m from the top of P2 to the ground with an intermediate anchor to haul from. Most parties do not haul the first two pitches.

The trail then descends through the bushes to the Lurking Fear fixed lines. Follow the fixed lines for ~200ft till you have to squeeze past a tree. At which point do the small mantle move with the help of the rope then take a hard right. The climb begins at the base of the corner system on the far right of the pedestal.