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peroxide
Jun 9, 2004, 11:58 AM
Post #1 of 8
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Registered: May 3, 2004
Posts: 117
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So the time for the first SORTA BIG wall has come. Will be in the valley late September and have practiced my hauling, aided the longest lines I can find in Portugal, and organized and reorganized my systems.
My partner, who is a strong free climber but less rehearsed in aid, will be coming with me to do our first big wall as well. We need to make the most of our trip in training for Half Dome next year. We are young fit bucks but not crack climbers by trade. We are just collectively a very tight team and damn stubborn when it comes to a challenge.
So one idea of the plan is below. Any and all recommendations are appreciated even if I need to wade through the flames.
A proposed game plan:
Day 1) 3 practice aid pitches at the base of El Cap and then El Cap Tree
Day 2) Approach SFWC and fix to pitch 5
Day 3) Top out, rappel the route, take advil
Day 4) Do Skull Queen, Top Out, Rappel down
Day 5) Rest, look up at El Cap, dream, BS, drink, and BS some more
Day 6,7,8) dependent on success/failure of above.
Open to any thoughts...also there are hundreds of untouched nailing routes here in Portugal waiting for a rack of steel and Thor's hammer.
Rock on
Peroxide
ps how do I change my thing from "boulderer" to something else...bloody hell...i dont even own a pad...
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socalclimber
Jun 9, 2004, 12:52 PM
Post #2 of 8
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Registered: Nov 27, 2001
Posts: 2437
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Maybe a tad ambitious, you don't seem to have accounted for the very real possibility of lines on the SFWC, or Skull Queen. You may have some down time waiting. I've only done SQ, so all's I can say is that there ain't much free climbing on it. Also, watch the top of both those routes, they end at the same place and there is a TON of loose rock just waiting to be knocked loose. Said rocks will rain down on SFWC and Dinner Ledge. Sounds like fun, have a party!
Robert
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chitlinsconcarne
Jun 9, 2004, 4:09 PM
Post #3 of 8
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Registered: Jun 16, 2003
Posts: 199
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Late Sept. would be a great time to just go ahead and hop on Half Dome. The regular route is easy and straight forward with fun climbing in a great location. Do the classic half dome route this trip and use that as your warm up for an El Cap route. Skull Queen is o.k. but I wouldn't make it a destination route for a first valley trip.
Have a blast whatever you do!
I'd love to climb in Portugal, spent some time climbing in Spain and touristed around in Portugal but never got a chance to climb there... maybe next year.
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iamthewallress
Jun 9, 2004, 6:01 PM
Post #4 of 8
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Registered: Jan 2, 2003
Posts: 2463
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My two cents on link-ups...It's easier to do a 22 pitch route than it is to do a 10 and a 12 pitch route. It's just too easy to be satisfied enough with route #1 that getting the gumption up for #2 can feel impossible. Best of luck to you, if you do the link-up though. Dinner Ledge is sweet. Hauling a few days worth of rations up there will be the longest 3 pitches of your life, though. ;-)
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stizrizzo
Jun 9, 2004, 8:35 PM
Post #5 of 8
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Registered: Nov 10, 2002
Posts: 72
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Good luck,
but remember that getting behind one slow party can sap hours from your days. Might be better served avoiding the "Playschool - My first wall" routes, in order to maximixe your time in the valley. Just go for the goods.
Cheers.
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addiroids
Jun 9, 2004, 8:45 PM
Post #6 of 8
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Registered: Oct 11, 2001
Posts: 1046
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Skull queen was fun, but there was no one on the S Face when we did it. My suggestion would be to approach in the afternoon, go to bed early, get up at like 5am, fire SF, then SQ and bivy on top and walk down in the morning. There is a nice ledge at the top of SQ to bivy on, and the last pitch is beautiful!!!
TRADitionally yours,
Cali Dirtbag
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lambone
Jun 9, 2004, 11:47 PM
Post #7 of 8
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Registered: May 1, 2003
Posts: 1399
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I had a similar plan/pipe dream this spring. I was going to do Ten Days After upto where it meets the Prow, leave my bivi, rap down the Prow and climb back up the Prow and finish to the top. Solo.
HA!
I can only wish I was that tough...I was totaly worked just from the Prow alone.
So it might work for you, but train hard, cause it ain't gunna be easy.
One important point I would make is don't take rapping the route(s) lightly. This is a serious endeavor in itself...and stats show that most accidents that happen in Yos are on Rappel. Potential for stuck ropes and rapping through other parties, and all that could make this more chalanging then it sounds.
Good luck!
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elcapinyoazz
Jun 10, 2004, 7:38 PM
Post #8 of 8
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Registered: Nov 8, 2003
Posts: 93
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Two things to consider:
1. Skip the last pitch on S. Face and start rapping from the top of the next to last pitch. The final pitch is loose, lame free climbing. You won't miss anything by skipping it, and you won't be making four trips (you and partner climbing through then rapping) through the choss. There almost certainly will be climbers on the route. At least one person has been killed by rockfall dislodged from the final pitch. Rapping through other parties can create it's own problems.
2. If you are the experienced aid climber, and your partner is not, it might be better for you to FOLLOW instead of lead the Kor roof. I've seen at least three teams get shut down because the second couldn't clean the roof or got too worked trying to do it. (WTF? You gotta laugh I guess).
Skull Queen (aka Rivet Queen) is a sh!tty route anyway, do the Prow, Wet Denim, or Ten Days After instead.
If your ultimate goal is training for Half Dome, long free routes would be better training. You shouldn't have to aid more than 3 pitches and parts of another one or two if you are even a mediocre free climber. Go climb like the E Butt trifecta (E Butt El Cap, E Butt Middle, NE Butt Higher Cathedral) on consecutive days....that would be good training.
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