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cmstone
Jun 7, 2005, 8:54 AM
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I will be in the Valley the last 2 weeks of June. (Curry Village and Housekeeping Camp.) I am traveling with my wife and 3 kids (12, 10, 4 and all climb). The original plan was 1 week in the Valley, and 1 in the Meadows, but the Tioga Pass issue changed those plans.
Any help would be great...
1. I have hired a guide for a couple of days from YMS to climb sans family. If I only did one day of multi-pitch, should it be Royal Arches or Snake Dike?
2. What are the safer places to boulder with kids in tow, but at the same time, being considerate to climbers without kids?
3. If, by some stroke of luck, the Pass opens to the Meadows while I am there where can I find bouldering beta for area?
4. I climb 5.10c (not much crack) out east. How humbled should I expect to be by Yos ratings / crack climbing?
5. We had planned on spending a weekend out at Mammoth before we found out the pass would not be open. Any suggestions for an alternative on the west side of the park? We have to leave the park for a few days, thanks to the policy on consecutive days.
Trying my best not to be a Touron.
Chris
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epic_ed
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Jun 7, 2005, 9:53 AM
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I think you'd enjoy climbing Royal Arches more than Snake Dike, but I'll qualify that comment by stating I've never climbed Snake Dike. Approach to RA -- a few minutes from the Awhannee Hotel. Approach to Snake Dike -- 4 or five miles and a loooong slab of 4th class hiking to get to the summit of Half Dome after the technical climbing is finished. That said, RA has it's down sides, too (crowds -- though you'll find those on Snake Dike, as well), and most trip reports I've read about Snake Dike indicate they parties had a lot of fun.
Not sure about the bouldering.
As for the ratings, the climbs have felt right on for the grade for most of the routes I've done. Royal Arches only has a couple of 5.7 pitches and none of them were very difficult.
Hope you have fun!
Ed
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karlbaba
Jun 7, 2005, 9:53 AM
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Do Royal Arches, more climbing and less hiking then Snake Dike and cheaper with YMS too.
Boulder at Swan Slab, forget about bouldering in the High Country this June.
Peace and have fun
Karl
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azrockclimber
Jun 7, 2005, 10:10 AM
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I am not quite sure why royal arches and snake dike are at the top of your list when you can climb .10's....Is there a particular reason for this? Especially if you hired a guide..I mean...east buttress of el cap(13 pitches 5.10b for one move basically)..middle cathedral east buttress(11 pitches5.10a-5.10c for only 1 short pitch), commitment into salaginella( 5.9 8 pitches)....
Just some friendly advice...If you hired a guide please try to hit something else...I think it will be totally worth it. Not to say that those climbs aren't great ...I just think you will be much more satisfied with something a little harder...those climbs are VERY easy. I think you should do east buttress of middle cathedral and you will love it and I bet you don't have any trouble with it whatsoever.
good luck and enjoy the valley.
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dingus
Jun 7, 2005, 10:13 AM
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A lot of 5.10 cracks in Yosemite will feel humbling. But don't dispair, they feel that way to a lot of people! Just don't assume you can jump on a 10c crack and float it. Maybe you will, just don't assume it.
Outside the park? How about Kings Canyon/Sequoia, a couple/three hours drive to the south.
Or drive north to Lake Tahoe area. There is good cragging and bouldering around the lake. Don't expect a wilderness setting though.
RA is a great route and quite easy. Snake Dike would be mind blowing though. But a helluva lot more work and time, with the emphasis on work. Think like you'll be doing a 1000 foot rock climb with a 20 mile hike thrown in for good measure. It isn't 20 miles, but it will feel that way. The trade off is that granite astronaut feeling you would get. The summit of Half Dome is almost a mile above the Valley floor and words like 'stunning' won't do that feeling justice.
But you could hike up there with your older kids too, if the cable are up (thought I saw a blurb on the forums about cable maintenance this summer, best check that out, the cable route is not for timid when the cables are laying down).
DMT
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cmstone
Jun 7, 2005, 10:16 AM
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The reason I suggested those is because I am not sure how I would do with sustained crack climbing. I will email my guide ahead of time...
Thanks,
Chris
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dingus
Jun 7, 2005, 10:16 AM
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E Butt of Middle is a worthy climb, and you can batman up a bolt ladder if the slippery 50 feet of 5.10 face climbing troubles you. There is another 5.9 move on that same pitch and the rest of the route is 5.8 and 5.7 cracks mostly. Awesome views of the Captain. Not a huge approach either. Not a bad suggestion.
E Butt of El Cap gets 'rain' from Ribbon Falls this time of year. It is best done after Ribbon Falls dries up really.
DMT
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mrtristan
Jun 7, 2005, 10:34 AM
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In reply to: E Butt of El Cap gets 'rain' from Ribbon Falls this time of year. It is best done after Ribbon Falls dries up really.
Isn't Ribbon Falls on the *other* side of El Cap from the East Buttress?
-Tristan
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dingus
Jun 7, 2005, 10:37 AM
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In reply to: In reply to: E Butt of El Cap gets 'rain' from Ribbon Falls this time of year. It is best done after Ribbon Falls dries up really. Isn't Ribbon Falls on the *other* side of El Cap from the East Buttress? -Tristan
Oops! My bad! You are quite correct, it'd take one helluva wind for that to happen.
HORSE TAIL FALLS, I meant to say.
Sorry.
DMT
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takeme
Jun 7, 2005, 10:54 AM
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In reply to: E Butt of Middle is a worthy climb, and you can batman up a bolt ladder if the slippery 50 feet of 5.10 face climbing troubles you. There is another 5.9 move on that same pitch and the rest of the route is 5.8 and 5.7 cracks mostly. Awesome views of the Captain. Not a huge approach either. Not a bad suggestion. DMT
I second this suggestion. This route is not sandbagged at all and has no "sustained crack climbing" on it, and no offwidths or chimneys at all. It would be a good route for someone who is more of a 5.10 face climber. You can also do the '50 crowded' variation, which is good climbing and with one 10a move, easier than the standard crux. Other than that as Dingus mentioned, all the climbing on route is 5.7 or 5.8, with lots of liebacking and face climbing, and the occasional hand or finger jam.
Although the approach is very short, the descent takes a long time (but with a guide you won't get hopelessly lost like we did).
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karlbaba
Jun 7, 2005, 11:35 AM
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I think it's true, East Butt of Middle would be a better choice. Did it yesterday myself. Crowded, but so are many of the classics
peace
karl
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golsen
Jun 7, 2005, 1:53 PM
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I was there with the family a few years ago...There was a rope swing set up over the Merced by El Cap Meadow....Highlight of the kids trip, mine too that time! I will try and post a pic....
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=55584
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texscala
Jun 9, 2005, 1:00 PM
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I've never done either but I scouted both pretty well. Snake dike is not supposed to be hard (like a 5.7 with a patch of .9 moves in the begining. The approach is hell and the route is super runout
Bouldering on Swan slab is really fun, also head over to camp and play on the lightning rock thingy. It is cool just to attempt it and know you have been there. Yos ratings are a lot harder than ratings outside the area. I don't know if it is just getting used to the granit or the intimidation but Yosimite climbs have always scared me. It is amazing country though.
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azrockclimber
Jun 9, 2005, 1:07 PM
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guides are expensive..get your moneys worth and hit up east buttress of middle cathedral...you'll love it...get there early!!!!!!
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sfclimbergirl
Jun 9, 2005, 2:01 PM
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East Buttress of Middle is awesome! I did it last weekend. The view of the Nose and the Valley are incredible. Keep in mind though that it's 11 pitches of climbing! Then, there's a really long walk-off and the scree sucks - but it's still worth it.
Another option that people haven't presented is Serenity to Sons. Serenity is rated 5.10d, but that's really only one pitch and the 10d section is only two moves or something like that. If you are following, I don't think it should be too much of a problem for you. Serenity is 3 pitches, followed by 5 pitches on Sons of Yesterday (5.10a). The climbing is stellar!
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