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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 29, 2017 - 04:56pm PT
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On May 27, 2017, Jon Cardwell and Sasha DiGiulian completed the first continuous free ascent of the Misty Wall, Yosemite Valley, an iconic, 1,700-foot big wall first climbed by Royal Robbins and Dick McCracken in 1964. Cardwell and Marcus Garcia had freed all the pitches last September, adding a direct finish that busts dynamic moves out a big roof, followed by 5.12 face climbing to an exposed hanging belay. The next pitch (12) tracks a spectacular 5.12 splitter crack up the 95 degree headwall.
However winter came before the pair could tic the whole shebang in one go. The climbing - which largely follows the steep, sickle-shaped corner several hundred feet right of Yosemite Falls - is stout, at solid 5.13; but the bigger challenge is linking all the pitches in a mega-endurance push.
Cardwell (one of the few climbers worldwide who boulders V15 and leads 5.15) and DiGiulian (recently returned to 5.14 form) were both coming off strong seasons sport climbing and training in Spain. But during their two days of sessioning the route prior to the send, Sasha could only manage short sections of the thuggish roof pitch, and was never close to linking the whole business. Yet on the push, she went for the lead and powered through the roof on her first try - that's a champion rising to the occasion, right there. They only had an hour of light left by then, and Sasha was gassed, so she only had one go in her.
By the time they reached the 5.12 splitter crack, 1,600 feet and a dozen leads up the wall, Cardwell's arms were cramping and his hands were curling into claws. And Sasha (after flashing the crux roof pitch) fizzled out not once but twice trying to follow the splitter, and twice had to lower to the bolts, guzzle a Red Bull, then have at it again before she got the pitch in one go. No quit in that climber.
Yosemite Falls - a few hundred feet to the left - is gushing like the Euphrates in flood, so the adventure had a wildness to it. The pair needed most every ray of daylight to complete the push, topping out 14.5 hours after starting at the base that morning. The long hike down the falls trail, which they managed in the dark with headlamps, is all swirling mist and spray from the gusher, roaring like Kingdom Come.
For a cranker, airball thriller, the Misty Wall might be hard to beat.
Here's a couple pics from the send:
Climbing photos by John Evans and Marcus Garcia
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Trad climber
Will know soon
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May 29, 2017 - 05:04pm PT
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Enjoying this on a beautiful Holiday weekend. John Long, you do know how to capture it. Cheers, L.
Edit: Saw the photo credits at first read. Your words capture it.
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Topic Author's Reply - May 29, 2017 - 05:05pm PT
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On-cliff photos by John Evans ("Jevans") and Marcus Garcia. Wide shots of the wall and the route by Ted Distel.
I can't shoot a pig with a shotgun.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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May 29, 2017 - 05:05pm PT
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very cool!
great story about another Golden Age wall that that has gone free in these modern times.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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May 29, 2017 - 05:06pm PT
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Short pitches seem the best option on a wall like this. Else trying to overcome the noise of a the Falls on a big water year would be deafening.
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WBraun
climber
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May 29, 2017 - 05:14pm PT
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Whoa !!! Bad ass
The new Freestone2 ......
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
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May 29, 2017 - 06:25pm PT
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That's got to be one of the most awesome, adventurous
looking roofs I've ever seen. Cool!
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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May 29, 2017 - 08:40pm PT
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Spectacular! The Falls is an entity up there.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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May 29, 2017 - 08:48pm PT
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Proud and sensational effort from all involved especially the pair of dreamweavers that put it all together in a push!
The classic lines of yesteryear become the iconic testpieces of modern free climbing and this one is impressive. Well done!
Fantastic photos and splendid reporting!
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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May 29, 2017 - 08:56pm PT
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Wild!
Thanks Largo.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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May 29, 2017 - 08:57pm PT
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from Roper's 1971 guide:
Upper Yosemite Fall-East Side
VI, 5.9, A4. Dick McCracken and Royal Robbins, June 1963.
Starting near the base of the Arrow Chimney route, walk out a prominent ledge toward the nearby waterfall. Traverse on the highest possible horizontal crack (using several aid pins) and turn a corner left to gain entrance to a left-facing corner. Mixed free and aid climbing (5.9, A1) leads upward for three pitches to huge ledges. Follow the Giant's Staircase up and right for several hundred feet. Two 5.9 pitches up a trough end at a sling belay. Two more pitches, involving aid, jamming and sling belays, lead to the top of the trough. The next pitch (5.8 except for a short A1 roof) leads to a stance with a bolt. Next, climb a difficult crack to an excellent ledge on the right. Three pitches, consisting mainly of strenuous nailing, lead to a sling belay below the summit roofs. Nail straight left under a roof, then pendulum left to a ledge. The next lead is much the same: left, then up, then a pendulum left. This pitch ends on a small ledge just right of a large roof. Nail left under the roof (A4) to a belay ledge. An easy nailing pitch leads left under yet another roof and ends at a cave. From here climb around a corner onto slabs at the brink of the Upper Fall.
Hardware: 40-45 pitons, from rurps to 3" bongs (2).
from Meyers and Reid's 1986 guide (the "blue" guide)
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Topic Author's Reply - May 29, 2017 - 09:22pm PT
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from Roper's 1971 guide:
Upper Yosemite Fall-East Side
VI, 5.9, A4. Dick McCracken and Royal Robbins, June 1963.
Starting near the base of the Arrow Chimney route, walk out a prominent ledge toward the nearby waterfall. Traverse on the highest possible horizontal crack (using several aid pins) and turn a corner left to gain entrance to a left-facing corner. Mixed free and aid climbing (5.9, A1) leads upward for three pitches to huge ledges. Follow the Giant's Staircase up and right for several hundred feet. Two 5.9 pitches up a trough end at a sling belay. Two more pitches, involving aid, jamming and sling belays, lead to the top of the trough. The next pitch (5.8 except for a short A1 roof) leads to a stance with a bolt. Next, climb a difficult crack to an excellent ledge on the right. Three pitches, consisting mainly of strenuous nailing, lead to a sling belay below the summit roofs. Nail straight left under a roof, then pendulum left to a ledge. The next lead is much the same: left, then up, then a pendulum left. This pitch ends on a small ledge just right of a large roof. Nail left under the roof (A4) to a belay ledge. An easy nailing pitch leads left under yet another roof and ends at a cave. From here climb around a corner onto slabs at the brink of the Upper Fall.
Hardware: 40-45 pitons, from rurps to 3" bongs (2).
The original route, described above, traverses left at the roof beneath the headwall. The free line busts straight over the roof (5.13) then up a 5.12 splitter to the Party Ledge, with only a short 5.7 chimney beneath up to the rim.
The interesting note here is this bit from the Roper guide: "Next, climb a difficult crack to an excellent ledge on the right." That "difficult crack" (rated a "5.8 squeeze" on the topo) is an unprotected 5.10 squeeze and flare that gave the team fits. And almost did Sasha in. Marcus Garcia, who's done stacks of grim valley off width climbs, said the squeezes was "real".
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 29, 2017 - 09:25pm PT
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Sweet....congrats!
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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May 29, 2017 - 10:51pm PT
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Sweet! Thanks for sharing.
I met Jon last fall, really down to earth dude. Helped teach a bouldering clinic to a bunch of newbies out in the buttermilks for the AAC fall highball event. Great guy.
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i-b-goB
Social climber
Wise Acres
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May 29, 2017 - 11:16pm PT
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Move over Astroman that's one Galactic Lady!
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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May 30, 2017 - 02:57am PT
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One of the best-looking lines ever.
Fourth photo down does it justice.
Awe-inspiring effort.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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May 30, 2017 - 06:51am PT
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Holy buckets Madge!
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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May 30, 2017 - 07:07am PT
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Thanks, John
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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May 30, 2017 - 08:31am PT
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simply amazing! i just spilled thrill all over the place ...
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aspendougy
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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May 30, 2017 - 11:40am PT
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Thank you for the nice post. It's too bad Royal Robbins is no longer around to comment on the "5.8" squeeze now rated "5.10". Does anyone have access to any comments he made about the route?
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