|
fluffystuff
Mar 19, 2012, 5:20 PM
Post #1 of 4
(3058 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 21, 2006
Posts: 40
|
Hi, I've done a tiny bit of aid. I've read that Moonlight Buttress is the first aid climb for many people. How hard is Moonlight Buttress and how hard is the free climbing on pitch one? Run-outs scare me...
My aid experience is about 20-30 pitches of single pitch screwing around. A bit of the Mordor Wall on Cathedral, the Prow a few times on Cathedral, and the first five pitches of Touchstone at Zion. How much of a stretch would Moonlight Buttress be?
I was thinking about fixing the first four pitches of Moonlight Buttress the first day, and then trying for the top on day two. The C1 on Touchstone went very quickly for me. While the C2 seemed sketch. I hope the C1+ on Moonglight is more like C1 and not like C2.
My partner has experience following trad lines & has jumared rope lengths quickly. He's a smart guy.
(This post was edited by fluffystuff on Mar 20, 2012, 5:56 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
nathan.scherneck
Jun 27, 2012, 1:50 AM
Post #2 of 4
(2745 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 31, 2010
Posts: 4
|
If you've done the first five of Touchstone you've done harder aid than anything you'll experience on Moonlight. The first pitch is not too bad as far as the runout.
|
|
|
|
|
bandycoot
Jun 27, 2012, 4:39 AM
Post #3 of 4
(2726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 25, 2002
Posts: 2028
|
I've never aided Moonlight, but I've been up it 3 times and talked to multiple people who have. I don't remember the first pitch outside of it just being weird. I only did it the first trip, and it was wonky enough that I've done the 10a start the following two trips up the route.
If you want to improve your enjoyment on the route immensely, play around with getting out of your aiders getting into and up through the chimney section. There is good protection, and it'll save you a lot of time, effort, and from what I've heard some miserably awkward aid climbing. Give the chimney a go free before you drop into aid.
Josh
|
|
|
|
|
vinnie83
Jun 27, 2012, 4:46 AM
Post #4 of 4
(2725 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 28, 2004
Posts: 112
|
It's been several years since I've done it, but I remember a lot of leapfrogging orange and yellow tcus. I've done most of the other popular/easy walls in zion and I would say moonlight is straightforward C1.
The first pitch isn't a big deal and I thought it protected fairly well.
I would recommend against taking a partner who can't lead on a wall. He is going to get extremely bored belaying you for hours at a time with only occasional bits of jugging and cleaning gear.
Ever tried rope soloing?
|
|
|
|
|
|
