Zion Big Walls - first timer

hey all! i'm heading down to zion in early march with my girlfriend and we're planning on giving spaceshot a go, i have climbed the south face of washington column but with someone who knew what they were doing. but as my first big wall, it seems like a reasonable idea. i just want others opinions on my idea here, or other suggestions of first big wall to try in zion, besides moonlight. thanks in advance!

cheers
Alex

Fix to the top of 4 with 2 ropes and blast the next day. Aid climbing is straight forward and free climbing on the 1st 4 is easy.

thats exactly what my plan was, ive heard rumors about missing fixed pieces too, but from the sounds of it you can easily get around this. anyone climbed it recently?

Great route! Straight forward aid and earth orbit is a great place to have lunch! I would go to the back country desk after you fix the first day and tell them you want to drive in the canyon the next day they will give you a pass. That way on the second day you can get an earlier start then the buses allow. Jug in the dark you want to make sure you do the descent with daylight your first time..

Prodigal Sun would be another option if it's not too cold in March. Lots of fixed gear and with the exception of one aid move on last aid pitch the aid climbing is all straight forward.

It's easy to do the first 2 or 3 pitches on the first day, fix, and then finish the second day.

The rock around the crux is blown out. Every placement for 4 placements is blown out.

i saw something on the SSpage that said to continue up the crack to the left then pengi to the bottom of pitch 6 and that would clear the crux section. has anyone had experience doing this?

Ya the placements around the crux when we did it 1.5yr ago were super blown out. Def harder than the C2 cruxes on touchstone, sheer lunacy, and tricks of the trade. I sketched my way through on a completely open orange/red offset metolius.

I was going to ask Ron O for permission to fix a pin or two on the crux to keep it c2. It's a clean fall but huge. It could be really bad. A friend bealives the placements to be in the c3 range of bad, minus the potential to die. It's still not fitting to the original grade and Ron put lots of pins on other routes to protect features.

Is the crux really that bad these days? I haven't been up this dude in probably 5 years, but I don't remember the crux being too terrible. I remember the gear was small for a handful of moves (my notes say #4 and #5 hb's), but I never felt like any placements were going to pop.

Too bad if it got beat out that fast. Perhaps Rob is right and a little maintenance is necessary.

It's bad... every nut will pull through if you stand in it long enough

Does the free variation go at clean if aiding?

i appreciate all the help with the beta! i'm getting stoked for the climb!

For what its worth I would do touchstone first. If you really want the experience you could haul the portaledge up the first 4 pitches or so and camp. The rest is 5.9 crack climbing. Bring two ropes and you can rap the whole route, not gully(also leave camp at end of steep climbing!). This wall is much less steep and intimidating. Once you can fire this route in a day I would try space shot. FWIW I thought spaceshot was a step up or two from moonlight buttress. P.S. bring the butt bag your girlfriend will be much happier!!! Your gonna take years on the aid pitches if its your first time....

#1 BETA PINK AND RED TRICAMS!