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moeman
Dec 22, 2002, 10:14 PM
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Another yosemite question- Of the major routes of El Cap, which still have not seen a free ascent? Also, which ones have and by who?
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passthepitonspete
Dec 23, 2002, 12:36 AM
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Good Grief!
Very few El Cap routes have seen free ascents!
I'll give this a shot from memory, left to right:
West Face - former Grade VI now 5.11 Grade V, I *think* it was Ray Jardine who first free climbed it. It became something of an icon for me after reading Jill Kent's account in Mountain Magazine of her and Ron Fawcett's free ascent in a day. My one and only claim to fame for free climbing on El Cap - I free climbed it in a day [sort] back in '95.
Lurking Fear - sinister name for a trade route, eh? Free climbed by Tommy and Beth recently.
West Buttress - lots of free climbing but awaits a fully free ascent
Dihedral Wall - I saw Todd and/or Paul up there working it this spring
Excalibur - lots of sick offwidths worked by Steve Schneider. Bring your Valley Giant 9" and 12" cams!
Jolly Roger - a truly sick aid route that is notorious for its hundred foot runout on 5.10. Sheesh.
Salathe Wall - goes completely free, including the easier Freerider variation to the headwall. The route has plenty of free climbing down low, even for those of modest free climbing ability, like me! Max Jones and Mark Hudon were the first to pioneer the "free as can be" ethic, and free climbed many walls in the stiff 5.12 range. Todd and Paul fully free climbed it [remember the photo of their North Face tent on El Cap Spire? What a bogus shot - there is NOTHING on top to anchor it to!] The Hubers and Yuji have made some impressive ascents.
Golden Gate - somewhere up there in the area of the Heart Route, fully free by the Hubers.
The Nose - the World's Most Famous Climb! The only person to truly free climb it was a goil! And she freakin' led all the pitches in under 24 hours! The guys haven't even come close. Scotty worked it over two hundred days, but on his final send, he toproped the Great Roof [a mere 5.14 something] because it was wet.
Raspy voice of Scott Burke: "I'm so strong now, Pete, I could rip your head off with one hand...."
North America Wall - free variation known as El Nino. Put up by the Hubers, and nearly on-sighted by Leo and Patch. Leo took a couple falls on the 5.13 crux. [Wait'll you guys see the photos I took of Leo doing his 200' factor-one falls off the summit of El Cap while we were climbing Reticent beneath!]
I'm trying to think. Isn't there something else in this area? There should be....
Scorched Earth - an aid route known for its 5.11 offwidth called the Leavittator. Here I had my Valley Giants all set to go, and damn if I didn't drop 'em off the wall. Sheesh.
Zodiac - LOTS of free climbing. People routinely race up this route in a day.
East Buttress - merely 5.10a, done by Hornbein and/or Unsoeld back in the 50's.
Hmm, I can't help but think I'm missing something by the Hubers somewhere. Am I?
I suppose I could surf the web or look at my back issues of Climbing Mag, but I just don't feel like it.
Besides, I'm a frickin' Aid Climber fer cryin' out loud. What on earth do *I* know about this free climbing stuff??
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bigwalling
Dec 23, 2002, 1:08 AM
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El Corazon(sp?): Alexander free climbed this route at 5.13c.
Leo Houlding freed a variation up to El Cap Tower via New Dawn. I think it has one aid point. 5.13b/c
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moeman
Dec 23, 2002, 3:11 PM
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What about half dome and some of the other famous walls and routes?
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passthepitonspete
Dec 28, 2002, 4:55 AM
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Leo's route has a bolted-on Alpha Romeo hood ornament handhold! There is a wicked dyno, I believe.
Like, I see from the front page that Tommy finally freed Muir Wall. So there's one more.
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flamer
Dec 28, 2002, 6:33 PM
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Which one of the Huber's routes was it where, one of them actually rappelled off the other one's harness? They called this rap something...I can't remmeber what. I think they gave it an A0 rating due to this requirement. El Nino?
josh
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bigwalling
Dec 29, 2002, 4:05 AM
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The Prophet or something like that has 6 pitches so far. Up to 5.13b. I think it is pretty run out. I've seen a few pics of it somewhere. In the area of Bad to the Bone.
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donaldjamesperry
Jun 4, 2012, 1:48 AM
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Registered: Aug 7, 2002
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Concerning El Corazon, can I lead this climb with passive protection on aid? The first ascent party aided it [" Even though we used aid on some sections during the first ascent ..."]?
My question has to do with the rock. Is there some danger to small fakes that might pop off if people aid on it with hooks where holds will be removed.
BTW, if you do not know the route then please don't bother because there is no way you can answer it.
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sungam
Jun 4, 2012, 12:13 PM
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donaldjamesperry wrote: Concerning El Corazon, can I lead this climb with passive protection on aid? The first ascent party aided it [" Even though we used aid on some sections during the first ascent ..."]? My question has to do with the rock. Is there some danger to small fakes that might pop off if people aid on it with hooks where holds will be removed. BTW, if you do not know the route then please don't bother because there is no way you can answer it.
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