How many routes are there on El Cap

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Messages 1 - 9 of total 9 in this topic
john hansen

climber
Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 18, 2018 - 06:17pm PT
The thread about who has climbed the most routes on El Cap got me wondering. How many routes are there on El Cap? I know there are a lot of variations that go off on their own for a number of pitches. Some end on the top pitches of previous routes.

What is the criteria of what constitutes a route any way. Does it have to be a certain number of pitches?

Didn't Bridwell say something like " eventually every feature on El Cap will be climbed"

Just throwing it out there
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Apr 18, 2018 - 07:21pm PT
Simplest answer to "partial routes" is to have a separate counts:
A. Routes that are entirely independent.
B. Routes whose majority of pitches (or mapped distance) were new.
C. Routes whose minority of pitches were new.
It would be convenient for A. to define routes on the far left side to end at Thanksgiving Ledge.
But that involves work.

If we don't separate, I agree with Matt's count of 126.
wayne w

Trad climber
the nw
Apr 18, 2018 - 07:35pm PT
There should be 127 soon.
john hansen

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 18, 2018 - 10:12pm PT
I figured Clint would weigh in on this.

Good that he and Matt agree on 126.

I am fairly optimistic that Clint will soon provide a full list.

It would be cool to have all the topo's on El Cap that could be zoomed in on like the giga pans of El Cap. And you could see a picture of the rock and the topo overlaid for each pitch that you could zoom in or out. and the fixed pins and bolts.

Putting the two together would be an interesting job.

And I agree on the Thanksgiving Ledge.
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Apr 19, 2018 - 02:32am PT
Does that 126 count include the stuff that fell off last year?
Yes.

The number is somewhat arbitrary - for example where do you stop on the right side? I stopped just short of the East Buttress, but nearby routes have only 10 pitches. And I included the West Face, which some people don't count.

So, 126 "ballpark".
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Apr 19, 2018 - 09:38am PT
The E Butt, given its nickname, depends upon whether you do the sit start.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 19, 2018 - 10:12am PT
My favorite routes on El Cap in order are...the Salathe Wall, Ahab and the Nose. Ahab didn't make the list. The Captain isn't just about nail ups.
clinker

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
Apr 19, 2018 - 01:12pm PT
One, the Nose. The rest are variations​
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Apr 19, 2018 - 01:55pm PT
Alpinist only showed one of the Dorn Direct's three sections.
Messages 1 - 9 of total 9 in this topic
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