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btg
Apr 30, 2009, 7:41 PM
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Me and the GF are finally headed to Yosemite/Tuolumne and in reading about routes on supertopo and other sites they place an emphasis on how slabby and runout many climbs are. How different is the Y/T slab vs Red Rocks? If I have led 5.8/5.9 multi-pitch in RR will I be ok in general on similar grades? Or will my skin be sacrificed to a knobby cheese grater?
-ben
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csproul
Apr 30, 2009, 8:04 PM
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I have climbed at both places a fair amount, although there are many here who know better. I can't really think of many real slab climbs at RR. My opinion (and it may just be my personal climbing style) is that ratings in Yos/Tuolumne are harder than those of RR. If I comfortably climb 5.10 in RR, I generally shoot for 5.9 in Yos. Just my opinion.
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climbingaggie03
Apr 30, 2009, 8:23 PM
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I agree with csproul about the ratings, I spent a couple weeks in yos climbing 5.8-5.9 I drove to RR and redpointed 5.11. I remember slabby sections at RR but not really slab climbs. I think start off a couple of grades below what you're comfortable with at RR and work your way up, take a little time to figure out the rock and technique and you'll be fine.
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marc801
Apr 30, 2009, 9:13 PM
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Slab routes in TM mean friction - little to no positive holds. Run outs mean at least 20' and up to 40' or more between bolts on a 5.8. A slab pitch below 5.7 often means no pro, esp. so on a 5.9 or above. Take the year of the FA into account - an old school route will tend to be more run-out.
Some memorable pitches come to mind - Dike Route; merely 5.8, but you'll be doing the insecure 5.8 crux moves on slippery knobs a little more than 15' out from the last bolts. On the Medlicot route "The Coming", the pitch after the crux 9+ pitch is 5.6 knobs for 160'. The only pro is the single bolt at 80'.
The 5.9 crux of Aqua Knobby is well protected, but you'll be doing some 5.8 moves about 12' above your last pro. On Cryin' Time Again, the crux section is well protected by the old aid bolt ladder, but the second will be facing a 30' pendulum if they blow the 5.8 moves at the start of the traverse to the belay on that pitch (they get to unclip the bolt prior to doing the moves. The last time I did it, that bolt was at least 1/3 pulled out and bent down - that may have changed; it's been a while). Even the noob trade route South Crack has 30' runouts on 5.7 friction.
The rack for many, many TM routes is shockingly small. Literally 6-8 QDs, a small handfull of stoppers, a few slings, and 2 or 3 Friends. And like the OP implied, falls on TM slabs mean sliding on a cheese grater, not taking to the air.
Things aren't that much different in the Valley. But the routes on the GPA are much more slippery. The Grack Marginal (5.9) rack is 4 QDs plus the anchor. Misty Beethoven (10c) is 50' of 5.8+ friction to the first bolt.
The 5.9 crux of Angelica (only three steps or so, with an out of reach bolt above) is done 40' above your last pro (marginal #1 Friend IIRC; the last pro is a bolt 20' below that).
There are literally hundreds more examples.
YMMV. You decide.
(This post was edited by marc801 on Apr 30, 2009, 10:11 PM)
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quiteatingmysteak
Apr 30, 2009, 10:24 PM
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each place has wildly different rock.
If you're a 5.8 climber, I would recommend the boltway on stately pleasure and zee tree on pywiak for tuolumne. Cruxes are well enough protected, you will have some distance between bolts on 5.5 ground but its nothing you shouldn't be able to handle.
As far as Yosemite goes, not a lot in that rating that I can think of off the top of my head that are well protect, but snake dike is an absolute must.
Lots of beta available on those routes, they are definitely safer than many others you may come across and great quality.
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csproul
May 1, 2009, 6:17 AM
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BTW, if you are in Tuolumne and want a classic 5.8, I highly recommend Hobbit Book. And it's not a slab climb!
(This post was edited by csproul on May 1, 2009, 9:25 AM)
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jt512
May 1, 2009, 9:19 AM
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btg wrote: Me and the GF are finally headed to Yosemite/Tuolumne and in reading about routes on supertopo and other sites they place an emphasis on how slabby and runout many climbs are. How different is the Y/T slab vs Red Rocks? If I have led 5.8/5.9 multi-pitch in RR will I be ok in general on similar grades? Or will my skin be sacrificed to a knobby cheese grater? -ben
The slabs I've climbed in TM had stiff ratings—I'd say a number grade stiffer than those at J Tree, which themselves are stiff compared with RR. If you're climbing 5.8/9 at RR, and you go to TM, I suggest you start out on 5.6, and if it goes well, gradually bump it up.
Jay
(This post was edited by jt512 on May 1, 2009, 9:22 AM)
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cracklover
May 1, 2009, 9:46 AM
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The short answer to your question is that RR sandstone typically has lots of lovely edges. Yosemite granite typically does not.
Cheers,
GO
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kennoyce
May 1, 2009, 11:00 AM
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In reply to: How different is the Y/T slab vs Red Rocks?
The main difference is that Red Rocks doesn't have any slab climbing in the yosemite slab climbing sense. If you are going to be doing slab climbing in yosemite, I would start with trying a few that are at least 3 grades below what you would do in red rocks and see how that goes. If you feel comfortable then try something a little bit harder.
Yosemite is awesome, but even the bolted climbs are trad (meaning they were put in on lead). To me Red Rocks feels like even the trad climbs are sport. Just keep this in mind and have an awesome time.
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desertwanderer81
May 1, 2009, 11:10 AM
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I'm a RR climber and about to hit up my first Yosemite trip too! I'm super excited :)
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aerili
May 1, 2009, 11:56 AM
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A lot of the granite slabs in Yos/the Meadows are pretty polished--a very different experience from most sandstone slab. (Like others have said, I can't think of hardly any slab I've done in RR, either.) As others also said, the grades are not really comparable for the most part.
Someone suggested The Boltway in the Meadows--I agree! One of the only safely bolted slab routes there and totally fun. Climb Hermaphrodite Flake to start and link to the Boltway to finish.
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chumbawumba
May 1, 2009, 12:54 PM
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The climbing is much different. Its best to start on really easy routes and work your way up. The supertopo is a good book which will help you avoid some of the nastier routes. There are also some newer routes on Medilicot and Dozier dome that aren't in the supertopo. These routes arein the 5.7-5.9 range and aren't so runout that you'll crap your shorts. THe new reid guide has routes on medlicot. I think you can get the dozier dome topos from the Toulumne site.
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