|
|
|
|
defibrilator
Apr 22, 2004, 3:36 AM
Post #1 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 20, 2004
Posts: 3
|
Why is it that no one knows jack about the ribbon falls amphitheater? is it a an aid climbing beta vacuum??? I have always believed that such a vacuum never existed, but, alas, it does. can we allow this to happen in out Information Age???
Anyhow, I was looking keel haul and some of the others in the area and wanted to know which climb is the best, up to A3. Climbing in the amphitheater looks intriquing, secluded. Do the routes in the amphitheater stay relatively sheltered from the sun? It would be nice to have an updated gear beta, 'cause i bet most of em can go clean. If they dont go clean, thats fine too.
Hopefully the lack of beta is not attributed to poor quality routes. The routes are short and seem to be mixed bags (hard trad, a bit of nailing, mostly clean). The lengths are perfect for a couple days/a Leisure Weekend. But even if the routes are of lesser quality, I am a person who would sacrifice a bit of "quality" for lack of crowds and adventure.
anyone? anyone?
|
|
|
|
|
johnhenry
Apr 22, 2004, 11:15 AM
Post #2 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 28, 2002
Posts: 202
|
I know what you mean amigo... :?
I have sought beta for this area as well. It does look sweet back there.
The new Supertopo book is going to include Gold Wall which is like A2 (C2?).
There is also a topo in the Big Wall Obscurities link:
http://www.supertopo.com/topos/yosemite/obscurities.html
Rock On...
john
|
|
|
|
|
brutusofwyde
Apr 22, 2004, 6:33 PM
Post #3 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 3, 2002
Posts: 1473
|
I've done Golden Bough and Silent Line. Both were sweet routes. The amphitheater routes get a lot of spray from the falls until later in the summer. Good, out-of-the-way stuff back there.
Brutus
|
|
|
|
|
iamthewallress
Apr 22, 2004, 7:13 PM
Post #4 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 2, 2003
Posts: 2463
|
My sample of the climbing at the RFA is typical of obscure (low-beta-availability) climbing in the valley...which is to say that it's sandbagged and logistically more involved than most of the popular stuff. Be ready to do some wide mandatory free moves (run it out up the chimneys) on some of the older climbs anyway. I couldn't have touched any of it without a ropegun.
The approach isn't too bad (better than it would appear from the road), but the descent (from the left side) is kind of monumental. I'd have been scared rapping off some of those little trees with a haul bag. Bring butt loads of bail sling and rap rings. The book says 3 raps. We did 8 or 9 following someone else's route. You're like 1000+ feet up there, so 3 raps seems very unlikely to me by any route. Perhaps there is another route down though. The right side descent looks involved too, but I haven't done it.
The rock is an interesting gold color that gets pretty hot in the sun. There's probably a fine balance between when it's too hot and too wet up there. The right side has water up to the base of much of it right now.
|
|
|
|
|
defibrilator
Apr 22, 2004, 8:32 PM
Post #5 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 20, 2004
Posts: 3
|
Golden Bough? Silent Line? What are the approximate ratings for these routes? I dont want to turn this into a trip report, but a general description would help. Pins?
Golden rock huh? Hopefully more sound than the typical Butterfinger-quality.
Now, are GB and SL actually in the amphitheater? Or are they on the walls to the right and left of the buttresses that makes the amphitheater constriction?
So it sounds like the interior of the amphitheater doesnt stay too sheltered from the sun. Well hell, i'll just plug the drain hole in my el cap and fill it with ice and beverages, gazpatcho.
Iamthewallress: did you rap off the left side? which climbs did you do?
Brutus: how did you rap off?
|
|
|
|
|
boltdude
Apr 22, 2004, 8:56 PM
Post #6 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 30, 2002
Posts: 685
|
Golden Bough (5.10a) & Silent Line (5.10 A1) are topoed in Don Reid's free climbs book. Silent Line has a three and a half pitch A3 variation.
|
|
|
|
|
iamthewallress
Apr 22, 2004, 9:23 PM
Post #7 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 2, 2003
Posts: 2463
|
Silent Line (on the left wall facing the road) and Fools Gold (begins on the left wall and heads into the ampitheatre. Bring radios or work out your rope signals. It's very loud and misty inside the ampitheatere right now.
|
|
|
|
|
brutusofwyde
Apr 22, 2004, 9:36 PM
Post #8 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 3, 2002
Posts: 1473
|
Silent Line is about C2.
It was a clean variation to Gold Wall.
Gold Wall has also been done clean.
Brutus
|
|
|
|
|
iamthewallress
Apr 22, 2004, 9:38 PM
Post #9 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 2, 2003
Posts: 2463
|
In reply to: Silent Line is about C2.
And 5.11+ R where the topo says 10c, although you can probably aid it at C2 (or A0 batman in my case)
|
|
|
|
|
brutusofwyde
Apr 22, 2004, 11:36 PM
Post #10 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 3, 2002
Posts: 1473
|
In reply to: In reply to: Silent Line is about C2. And 5.11+ R where the topo says 10c, although you can probably aid it at C2 (or A0 batman in my case)
Glad I'm not the only one who thought that pitch was heavily sandbagged.
|
|
|
|
|
flamer
Apr 23, 2004, 12:11 AM
Post #11 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 22, 2002
Posts: 2955
|
Rumor has it that the upper 3/4 of the gold wall hold some of the best hand cracks in the valley. Can anyone confirm this?
I've heard another rumor about a certain valley local. Apparently this person solo's the gold wall all the time. They aid up the the first few pitch's then drop their gear back to the deck and free solo the rest.
This is all unproven...but I heard it....
so can anyone confirm of deny?
josh
|
|
|
|
|
strider
Apr 23, 2004, 12:24 AM
Post #12 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 9, 2003
Posts: 173
|
I don't have anything better to do so here's the basics...
There are 18 routes in the Ribbon Falls Amipitheater that I can find. 4 are unrated and 9 are rated A3+ or below. Silent line is a variation of Gold Wall and I don't know about Fools Gold, although it might be a variation as well. The others are :
West Buttress 5.8, A3
Gold Wall 5.10, A3
Laughing at the Void 5.9, A2
Hole in the Sky 5.10b, A3
West Portal 5.8, A3
Keel Haul 5.10, A3
The Ecstacy of Gold 5.10, A3
Solar Power Arete 5.10, A3+
Gold Ribbon 5.10, A3
Vain Hope 5.7, A3
Chockstone Chimeny 5.6, A2
Topo's for these wall are available from the Supertopo obscurities compilation or from the Meyer's '87 guide or Reid's in '93. Good luck, climb safe.
-n
|
|
|
|
|
iamthewallress
Apr 23, 2004, 12:33 AM
Post #13 of 13
(1423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 2, 2003
Posts: 2463
|
In reply to: Silent line is a variation of Gold Wall and I don't know about Fools Gold, although it might be a variation as well.
Fools Gold is a free climb (10aMA?) that starts a ways to the right of Silent Line and joins another route, if desired (11+R?, forget the route name and didn't try it) which meets up with Silent Line eventually for the summit scramble only. I would not remotely consider hauling this route. It's mostly chimney except when it's traversing across ledges covered in loose rock.
Also, I think the Chockstone Chimney is a 5.9 or 10 free climb...might be a lame haul too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
