11.a Yosemite cracks

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Alexey

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 9, 2007 - 03:37pm PT
I found very interesting recent tread about 5.10d cracks ( most of them in Yosemite park )
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=442592&tn=0&mr=0
It is like sitting at campfire and listening clibmbing stories.
Would you like to share your memory and impression about stelar Yosemitie 11.a cracks?
Not much from me, but
Hardd (pithch1)
Tideline in TM

I did not climbed "Overdrive", but it looks attractive from Reid book description: 10 feet hands roof
Melissa

Gym climber
berkeley, ca
Oct 9, 2007 - 03:41pm PT
New D.
Dagger
Tube
The alternate p1 to Beggar's B. (name?)

Most seem to go from 10d to something much harder. :-(
Russ Walling

Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
Oct 9, 2007 - 03:47pm PT
Wack and Dangle: easy, sort of..... traversing underclingy for a move or two. Cool.

Butterfingers: seems pretty hard to me. Butterballs might be easier!

Overdrive: way cool, exposed, not too bad. Turn the lip and you are almost done, if you don't freak out. Bring a solid second, or she might be doing the James Bond shoestring prussik routine after pitching out of the roof.

Cream: one patella jam and you are golden. Easier than the Zone, Steppin Out and some others that are rated easier.

Controlled Burn: tree at start is gone! Opening moves are now PDH, the rest is good and gets a bit wide about half way up, but undercling it and you just might get to the anchor bolts.

Catchy Corner: soft for the grade? Grease is a factor.

Enema: 11b, but if you squint it is just like 11a, only a bit harder.
Alexey

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 9, 2007 - 04:00pm PT
Melissa wrote: The alternate p1 to Beggar's B. (name?)
Tilbit?

Dagger - is it feel like 11.a? It rated 10d by Russ at mountainproject.com
wildone

climber
Where you want to be
Oct 9, 2007 - 04:30pm PT
Oh Man! I loved tideline! Big props to Yerian and Mary Braun!
Nefarius

Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
Oct 9, 2007 - 04:46pm PT
"Controlled Burn: tree at start is gone! Opening moves are now PDH, the rest is good and gets a bit wide about half way up, but undercling it and you just might get to the anchor bolts."

There is a log leaned against the wall folks are using to start this now (I'm sure Russ knows this already). It seemed that the start from the top of the log is height dependent. I was able to reach up to a better starting jam than my partner and walked my feet up, then reached a bit higher to a great jam to get my feet in the crack. Wasn't too bad for a 6' tall guy.

Russ is right about underclinging too, for sure.

"Dagger" - this is up next to "10 Years After", in the amphitheater, Mel?
lucho

Gym climber
San Franpsycho
Oct 9, 2007 - 04:58pm PT
Windfall 11a
nate

Trad climber
virginia
Oct 9, 2007 - 05:09pm PT
Bircheff-Williams

pitch 27? on the nose

waverly wafer (11a?)

Melissa

Gym climber
berkeley, ca
Oct 9, 2007 - 06:07pm PT
The Dagger is to the left of the popular 5.8 hand crack and 10a thin cracks on the eponymous formation. I think it's Russ' FA, but the Reid guide calls it 11a. Pick your favorite #. Similar in spirit to many of the 11a's and 10d's listed. I saw a guy whip on it last weekend while walking by and my bf quipped about trying not to whip on small formations where you can see daylight on the other side. ;-)

Tidbit was the one I was thinking of. V. nice!
Russ Walling

Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
Oct 9, 2007 - 06:12pm PT
Dagger: Industry standard for 10+

How about Rock Bottom or Christina on the C4 Wall? I'm fuzzy on the details. Tree start? Dirty? Wide?
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
Oct 9, 2007 - 06:37pm PT
Overdrive? I totally forgot about that one. Always wanted to do it, never have.

I followed the second real pitch (11a)on South by Southwest on lower spire. Steep hands in a corner. I remember looking at it wondering what was so hard about it since it was hands, but for some reason its hard. Sweet pitch though and follows a classic 10d.
doughnutnational

Gym climber
hell
Oct 9, 2007 - 11:12pm PT
Knuckle buster is a great thin crack with a long approach.
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Oct 10, 2007 - 01:04pm PT
Funny, there's not a set of single-pitch .11a cracks in Yosemite like there are .10d cracks.

Check out Childhood's End for some fun (I think it's out of the rock-fall zone!).

Tidbit is good, although a bit soft me thinks.

Anybody done the 3* ShortCake, it's rated .11b, but I've heard it's a stiffy.

Or how about Soul Sacrifice, certainly hard for .11a ...
Melissa

Gym climber
berkeley, ca
Oct 10, 2007 - 01:12pm PT
"...although a bit soft me thinks."

That's probably why 10d covers everything from Serenity to Steppin' Out and the next big cluster of classic climbs is around 11c. ;-)
WBraun

climber
Oct 10, 2007 - 01:14pm PT
Soul Sacrifice is not rate 11a

There must be typo somewhere ........
Alexey

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 10, 2007 - 02:32pm PT
Soul Sacrifice rated 11.c in Reid book.
I followed once Butterfingers and found them also very hard for the grade. How about Ladyfingers (right-side start from Monkey island) next to it?
Levy

Big Wall climber
So Cal
Oct 10, 2007 - 02:55pm PT
A few notes:

Catchy Corner- standard 11a for Yos.
Soul Sacrifice - is 11c, not 11a
South By Southwest- easy for 11a. I thought the crux pitch was only 10c & the pitch preceeding it was a bit harder though still 10d
Knucklebuster- a bit of a hike but good
Haard first pitch- hands to a leaning thin crack
Book of Revelations 2nd pitch
Childhoods End is burly and might be 5.11b
Overdrive is excellent! cool hands out a roof to a thin hands crux, uncrowded & shady.
Fatal Mistake - hard to get to but looks good!!
Megaforce- this Reed Bros. route may be more like 5.11c but is excellent and clean! I wish more pitches were like this one!
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - grass filled, low angle, not recommended!
Russ Walling

Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
Oct 10, 2007 - 03:03pm PT
Childhoods End: Industry standard for 10d

Cromagnon Capers: Nice 11a.... overated at 11b. Roadside. wide at the start to a thin crack top out.
scooter

climber
Moss Landing CA
Oct 10, 2007 - 03:45pm PT
Funny how pitches of the same grade can feel night and day diferent. For example, South By South West 2nd pitch VS Bircheif-Willams 1st pitch. I think someone once said "wow, that was easy" about S by SW. Another wise man once said. "holy crap, that was hard" About B-W. Though both are .11a.

P-Dub

aldude

climber
Monument Manor
Oct 10, 2007 - 08:04pm PT
Black Angel

Handbook

Arches Terrace Direct

Meet Your Maker - 3rd pitch
Largo

Sport climber
Venice, Ca
Oct 10, 2007 - 10:34pm PT
New Dimensions is all time 11a.

JL
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Oct 11, 2007 - 12:45am PT
Sorry, Soul Sacrifice is rated .11c, lame attempt at a joke.


Anybody make the hike up to Essence, two pitches of .11b?
Alexey

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 11, 2007 - 12:52am PT
Nobody mentioned "Demon's Delight" at Shultz Ridge - This line looks very cool and intimidating from below. Is It like hard version of Crescent Arch? Can it be well protected for both leader and follower ?
Melissa

Gym climber
berkeley, ca
Oct 11, 2007 - 01:19am PT
IIRC there's one called Free Bong w/ fixed bong at the top at S. Ridge too...but's it's not really in the category of New D. or the 10d fingers circuit.
WBraun

climber
Oct 11, 2007 - 01:22am PT
Essence

I did .....
martygarrison

Trad climber
atlanta
Jan 27, 2008 - 11:29pm PT
My partner stu polack and I hiked up to essence and found it to be a great climb. mind you the trek up was another story.....
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Jan 27, 2008 - 11:38pm PT
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 27, 2008 - 11:42pm PT
Demon's Delight on Schultz's Ridge. An oscure classic!!!

Edit; the gear is reasonable for both climbers. Very short approach too.

Bachar Mood Rating alert!
martygarrison

Trad climber
atlanta
Jan 27, 2008 - 11:47pm PT
while not 11a, what a great pic of fs of butterballs. it looks like kauk but not sure. I led this climb a bunch but would never have the balls to fs the dang thing. thank god I am too old to even think of it now.
Russ Walling

Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
Jan 27, 2008 - 11:49pm PT
while not 11a, what a great pic of fs of butterballs. it looks like kauk but not sure. I led this climb a bunch but would never have the balls to fs the dang thing. thank god I am too old to even think of it now.

I don't think Kauk ever soled that thing. That is a pic of Peter Croft. He did a bit of soloing in his day.
WBraun

climber
Jan 27, 2008 - 11:50pm PT
It's Croft.
martygarrison

Trad climber
atlanta
Jan 27, 2008 - 11:51pm PT
ah, good call. what a pic.
L

climber
A Big Puddle on the Coast of CA
Jan 27, 2008 - 11:55pm PT
Awesome photo...it's making my palms sweat just looking at it...
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Jan 28, 2008 - 12:39am PT
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 28, 2008 - 12:13pm PT
Nice shots JB. New D was my first 11a lead in the Valley long ago and it added an extra dimension to know that it went without a rope. The first Valley 11a that I ever followed was low on the West Face of Sentinel, second or third pitch.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 30, 2008 - 11:41pm PT
The pitch in front of these guys is pretty sweet!

hashbro

Trad climber
Mental Physics........
Feb 2, 2008 - 11:59am PT
Hey JB, I love (and hate) those two soloing images and particularly you on New Dimensions.

They bring back some old nightmare I've had repeatedly, where I suddenly find myself free-soloing an insecure 5.11 finger crack way the hell off the deck. Talk about cold sweats!

I'm sure glad I woke up in my bed (and you and Croft survived the solos).
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Feb 2, 2008 - 01:50pm PT
Walleye, thanks for putting up that link about Schultz - I never saw that one (and I posted Mark's photo as well)...

They used to rate this one 10d for a while...

Photo: Phil Bard
WBraun

climber
Feb 2, 2008 - 02:16pm PT
John Bachar soloing after 6 ?
coondogger

Trad climber
NH
Feb 2, 2008 - 02:25pm PT
:TIdeline, LordCaffeine, Black Angel, Bombs over Tokyo-5stars 10d-11a

Hardd, Little Wing, first 2 on moratorium at 10d, the tube, maddogasscrack(loose)
Ihateplastic

Trad climber
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Feb 2, 2008 - 03:25pm PT
No, not After 6. More like a tilted photo of Harry Daley.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 2, 2008 - 07:31pm PT
Before it became 5.11c for even longer! LOL
don't have one

climber
Feb 2, 2008 - 09:17pm PT
What about THE TUBE?! Did anyone mention The Tube!!!! That thing is sweeeeeeet!!!!!!

Thank you for the soloing photos Mr.Bachar...awesome.
gottanymore?
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 2, 2008 - 09:28pm PT
Who among us has not grooved in The Tube?!?
Karl Baba

Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
Feb 2, 2008 - 10:41pm PT
B-W first pitch is rated 11b and that's real. Hans Florine told me it feels 5.12 to him. Not really a crack climb at all at the crux, and neither is the tube. You can do the crux of the Tube in approach shoes without touching the crack at all.

Peace

Karl
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 2, 2008 - 10:55pm PT
Freaky Stylee Johnny B!


From Mark Kroese's Fifty Favorite Climbs, 2001. Edit: Classic Mark Chapman photo.
bob

climber
Feb 3, 2008 - 09:42am PT
Mindahoonee(sp?) Wall up at the top of the Falls Trail. The 11a pitch is fun, but the whole of the climb (10d, 10bish, 10amunge) makes it a great experience. Really cool place to be climbing and the wall is so gorgeous itself. I think its a Shipley route. Not sure.
Bob J
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 3, 2008 - 11:32am PT
Thanks for the photo correction Walleye.
David Wilson

climber
CA
Apr 10, 2014 - 09:42am PT
This is deep into the Yosemite obscurity category - can anyone identify this 11a splitter ? It is mentioned above

k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Apr 10, 2014 - 11:32am PT
David, your pic looks similar to Controlled Burn, but I don't think it is.

BTW, did anybody mention Controlled Burn?
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
Apr 10, 2014 - 02:37pm PT
David - not Soul Sacrifice, is it? Don't see the starting ledge you traverse off of... Nah.

Snow on the ground, though, ought to be somewhere shady...
David Wilson

climber
CA
Apr 10, 2014 - 03:16pm PT
That's Knucke Buster - amazing splitter with a longggg approach
Messages 1 - 52 of total 52 in this topic
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