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soyshadymilkman
Feb 16, 2009, 6:57 PM
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So I'm hitting up the nose this May in Yosemite. I have been trad climbing for 2 year, feel comfortable leading 5.10's on gear and slightly worried but good enough leading 5.11a on gear (feel fine up to 5.13 on Sport, but what's that worth in this case).
I haven't done any Aid yet...that's the problem. I plan on doing at least some, hopefully "glass managerie" in NC before then, but given that I've looked into all the gear necessary, totally understand and have many times used haul systems, and have pitched out the nose and really looked into what I would be getting into. I have also done a ton of shorter multipitch, from two to twenty-two pitch routes, so my feelings for that are solid (minus the haul bag).
Given all this my partner and I (who has done pretty much no aid either) plan on doing it in 5 days (hoping for 4 but giving a floating day just in case). With all that, anyone have an opinion of how screwed/fine we'll be? Just trying to get a feeling from other people who've done something similar.
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bandycoot
Feb 16, 2009, 8:26 PM
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Go get a lot of aid experience, preferably on a shorter easier wall.
Josh
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sspssp
Feb 16, 2009, 10:42 PM
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While I am sure that there are climbers out there with a comparable level of experience who topped out on the first attempt, it has got to be rare.
The problem is not that is conceptually hard to understand the system, the problem is making fast enough progress. A clusterf**k here and a clusterf**k there and you have lost a couple hours out of the day and then there are the real time wasters like dealing with the haul bag on the pendulumns.
The good news is the approach to the nose is really short and the rap anchors make it really easy to bail, so you can learn on it as easily as anything else. The bad news is slowing all the other parties down. But there tends to be a lot of newbie wall parties crawling around the bottom few pitches of the nose.
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summerprophet
Feb 16, 2009, 11:25 PM
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Is this your first trip to the valley?
If so I would not jump directly on the nose. You aren't really going to get yourself in trouble, rather you are going to F*%K things up during the first four pitches, that you may sour the experience and never return.
Jump on the NE buttress of El Cap and the NE buttress of middle Cathedral and see how the free climbing feels. Do a couple IV's and get your big wall systems dialed in (Washington Column and Leaning Tower are a great place to start).
The free climbing is such an incredibly small part of the nose, that you may be surprised just how unprepared you are. The rigging and hauling are the majority of the time and work on the wall, and you really need to get these systems dialed in before you commit to a grade V.
If you are chasing classics, and free climbing quite strong, Half Dome would be a better option in my opinion. (less Aid, less rigging, less crowds, and very little hauling.
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majid_sabet
Feb 16, 2009, 11:54 PM
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soyshadymilkman wrote: So I'm hitting up the nose this May in Yosemite. I have been trad climbing for 2 year, feel comfortable leading 5.10's on gear and slightly worried but good enough leading 5.11a on gear (feel fine up to 5.13 on Sport, but what's that worth in this case). I haven't done any Aid yet...that's the problem. I plan on doing at least some, hopefully "glass managerie" in NC before then, but given that I've looked into all the gear necessary, totally understand and have many times used haul systems, and have pitched out the nose and really looked into what I would be getting into. I have also done a ton of shorter multipitch, from two to twenty-two pitch routes, so my feelings for that are solid (minus the haul bag). Given all this my partner and I (who has done pretty much no aid either) plan on doing it in 5 days (hoping for 4 but giving a floating day just in case). With all that, anyone have an opinion of how screwed/fine we'll be? Just trying to get a feeling from other people who've done something similar.
how good does your partner climbs?
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fjclimbsrocks
Feb 17, 2009, 1:33 AM
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soyshadymilkman wrote: So I'm hitting up the nose this May in Yosemite....I haven't done any Aid yet...
Hehehehehehe.
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altelis
Feb 17, 2009, 5:25 PM
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^^^^That link is the bees knees, yo!
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graniteboy
Feb 18, 2009, 8:44 PM
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Chris Mac's training hitlist for doing the nose is probably excessive, to say the least....I wonder if any of the members of the first ascent of the Nose could have pulled off that regimen?
But while we're heading down that road, (seriously)may I suggest that, before you do the nose, you first take a lap on a grade V in the spring, like the same old south face column route, or even the prow, and then do a lap on the 1/2 dome regular....there are SO many slow parties on the nose....and most of em bail out before Dolt....it's worth the time investment....
And if you REALLY wanna be sure you're ready, take a lap on Trango Tower..... I think it's a bit much....but Chris would approve...
(This post was edited by graniteboy on Feb 19, 2009, 9:06 PM)
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glowering
Feb 19, 2009, 8:56 PM
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Being the most famous and perhaps best rock climb in the world the Nose attracts more people that are not ready for it than most climbs as well. The bail ratio is very high. I can't remember exactly but probably over 50% of first timers on it bail.
Mucho good advice above. Learn to aid / haul / clean, pendulum, etc. locally. Then visit the valley and do a couple grade IVs and Vs. Then you might make it up the nose.
The most rewarding climbs are the ones right at the limit of your ability, but you still end up making it. Bailing usually sucks.
The faster you make it up the nose the more fun it is. You can spend 4/5 days killing yourself hauling a bunch of food and water, or wait until you are ready and do in in 1-3 days enjoying it.
(This post was edited by glowering on Feb 19, 2009, 8:59 PM)
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CMTomasetti
Feb 20, 2009, 2:29 PM
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My partner and I tried/ did the identical thing last october. We were at the same climbing level as you and your partner. Reading you post actually sounds like i could have written it last year.
We jumped on teh nose first thing when we got to the valley. and made it to dolt tower the first day....then bailed after bivying for the night. We forgot a shit tube and/or anything else to crap in....
Here's what i learned and my advice for you....
1)don't forget a poop tube...
2)plan exactly how long it will take and do it in that time....we wanted to do it in 3 days but packed for 5. Well, it would have taken 5 days b/c the haul bag was so fucking heavy. If you're gonna pack for 5 its gonna take 5. if you pack for 3 you have to do it and 3. thats how it works...
3)Get goo at hauling.... we had almost no experience hauling and shit was it hard. Practice get a system down and then maybe hauling will be bearable rather then absolutely horrible.
4) I climb 5.11a/b on gear pretty easily out east at the new, the looking glass and other east coast crags. The valley isn't "harder" its different. when you're on el cap and there is a "5.11a" traverse, you'll probably be able to free it, if you can find it.... route finding when you're in a sea of granite is 10 time harder then when you're at a crag. Plan on climbing 5.10 pitches free and aiding 5.11 cause you'll get up there and think where the F*** am I going.
5) lastly, if you really, really want it go for it. I have a strong feeling we could have topped out if we had a poop tube. It would have taken for ever and been horrible. But it's doable. If you want a more enjoyable experience maybe try the regular route on half dome first, then do the nose. You'll get a feel for the cllimbing in the valley and you'll get some systems down before getting on the nose.
If you wanna talk more send me a pm and maybe i'll see ya in camp 4 in may. I'm going back cause i can't get enough of teh valley.
Later
Chris
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dingus
Feb 20, 2009, 3:31 PM
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Lots and lots of folks have sent the Nose as their first wall. Far more have failed I'm sure.
That shit isn't magic up there. Yes hauling is hard - physically. It ain't rocket science though.
The classic valley noob wall progression is to do a grade V wall or two, to get some of the basics out of the way.
S Face of Washington Column is considered to be the Noob Wall of Choice (it was mine!). The Prow is a good one, though for many parties a portaledge is a very good idea.
The Harding route on Leaning Tower is almost ALL AID - about 10 pitches of steeply (STEEEEEEEEP) overhanging granite, the underbelly of a giant oil tanker.
As I was getting into it me and a buddy climbed an out of the way 5 pitch free climb (west Face of Rixons in our case) and practiced hauling a pack of rocks. I was glad we did that as the first time I actually led a pitch and set up a haul, on a real wall?
I actually knew what I was doing - BONUS!
Me and about 3 other guys, partnering with each other and other wall noobs, essentially taught outselves aid with the help of some how to manuals.
STUDY THE MANUALS. Memorize the systems. I cound picturing the hauling setup in my mind, step by step, really cemented the process in my memory.
Cheers
DMT
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marc801
Feb 20, 2009, 3:52 PM
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dingus wrote: Lots and lots of folks have sent the Nose as their first wall. Far more have failed I'm sure.
dingus wrote: STUDY THE MANUALS. Memorize the systems.
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xtrmecat
Feb 25, 2009, 10:58 PM
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You can put a lot of what CMTomasetti and Dingus down as good advice. That has also been my experience. I would also add that people think if they can climb 10b then 10c is just a little harder.
The progression from grade IV to grade VI is not nearly this close. The volume of shit it takes to live on grade VI is mega different, the level of commitment isn't even comparable. Chris Mac's advice may seem to be excessive by most, but I have found it a good, even, course. If you have no aid experience, then you will get your butt kicked bad. The is more than just common sense with wallin, especially a route such as this one that traverses and slabs around. If you haven't lowered out the bag, far end hauled, duecy'd, or done all of the maneuvers involved till they are second nature you are going to cuss a lot, take forever, and learn more than you may ever remember.
I also inplore you to take into consideration that it is 32 pitches of nothing your have ever even seen. It might be a bit much just doing 10 pitches of something you have never seen.
Lots of good suggestions in this thread, most of it from experience, some of it from ego. I'd suggest a long look first.
Bob
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summerprophet
Mar 2, 2009, 9:06 PM
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To add to the replies, be aware that I know of many SOLID 5.10 climbers who are aiding the 5.8's on day 5.
If you can lead 5.10 on day one, how will you do on day five, after subsisting on 2.5 quarts of water per day in 100 degree heat.
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soberpete
Mar 20, 2009, 6:07 AM
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Know how to lower out the haul bag.
Peace,
Peter
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bkalaska
Mar 20, 2009, 6:35 AM
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Listen to SummerProphet. I did the Nose on my first trip to the valley two years ago. We did it at the end of a 4 week trip. It was an amazing experience but I am glad we did some long classics and worked out hauling on Washington Column first. We also aided some harder stuff back East the summer before the trip. Good Luck, and like I said listen to everything SummerProphet said.
(This post was edited by bkalaska on Mar 20, 2009, 7:26 AM)
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