Good evening, This October my friend and I are planning to go to yosemite to do are first big wall climb. We are thinking of either climbing triple direct VI 5.9 A2, or South Face V 5.10 A2 on washington Column. If anyone could help us out with a gear list of either and tell us if these routes would be a good choice for are first adventure. Thanks again, Robert

-- Robert Hecker (heckerr@post.uwstout.edu), March 04, 1999

Answers

Response to Big Walls

Since you found Tuan's page, look around. You will find a lot of good information on the South Face. Not so much on the Triple Direct, but as it is merely an amalgam of the Salathe/Muir/Nose, look at those individual reports for details.

The South Face is likely the most popular wall in the Valley. Very straightforward and fun. Getting ON the route amongst all the other people will likely be the crux. Triple Direct will be less busy than the Nose, but finishes on that route, so has the potential for a bottleneck very far from the ground. Both routes go clean and you will need a standard wall rack. i.e., double nuts, double cams, maybe a hook or two.

Have a great time. Dave

-- Dave Hill (dfhill@engr.psu.edu), March 04, 1999.

Response to Big Walls

I did the south face for my first wall (as many do), and I am glad I chose this. It is a straightforward route and requires minimal gear. Dinner ledge is HUGE, so the bivy is good. easy retreat if needed, and if you and your partner do not get along, than it is only two days instead of five that you have to spend with each other. This wall still challanged me the first time i did it. It goes clean easily, so a basic rack of about 2 sets of cams, a set and a half of nuts, and a few random hooks is about all you will need. The descent is tricky, but just keep traversing, and if something does not look right, it probably isn't. Feel free to e-mail me with any more questions.

spawn

-- Spawn (slickspawn@hotmail.com), March 12, 1999.