The Definitive Guide To Yosemite Big Wall Climbing - SuperTopo

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Clean Aid Tricks One of the main goals of this book is to inspire more clean ascents. Below are the top 11 ways to do that. Go to this page to see photos: www.supertopo.com/gear/cleanaid/ Carry too many small cams It's impossible to carry too many small cams (sizes .33-1"), just try. They weigh nothing and are the most used pieces on any aid climb. If you have too few, you have to backclean, which means you are more likely to get scared and reach for the hammer. Offset cams In the last edition, offset cams were "recommended" in the racks. Now we list most racks as requiring 1-2 sets. Yes, you can get up most walls without them. But offset cams are usually the most bomber clean placement in a pin scar. The difference between a tipped out regular cam or a bomber offset cam is often the difference between C1 and C2 or C3. Offset micro nuts These little guys get in pin scars where nothing else can. Non-offset micro nuts often won't stick at all or are more likely to get fixed. Cam hooks Cam hooks not only save time, they are often the only clean placement that works in a thin crack. They are scary at first, but if you "aid boulder practice" enough with them, you will cruise C2 as fast as you free climb. Top step Increasing your reach is usually the best way to find an elusive clean placement. Getting into that top step gives you another foot or more. There are top-stepping tips and other tips at the online How To Big Wall Page here: www.supertopo.com/gear/how-to-big-wall 22 Free climb YOSEMITE BIG WALLS SUPERTOPOS Many low-angle A2 sections can be easily free climbed. Sometimes a move or two of 5.8 or 5.9 saves ten minutes of trying to get a shallow pin scar placement to hold. Even pasting one foot on an edge and one foot in your top step can help you reach a bomber clean placement. Wearing comfortable free shoes on a low-angle aid pitch is a good idea. Leave the hammer in the bag On a route that you might be able to do clean, leave the hammer in the haul bag. Just by having to tag it up, you are more likely to push your clean climbing as far as possible. Intertwine stoppers You can make a two-foot mini cheat stick by intertwining three stoppers to snag distant rivets. Hooks and beak hooking Often you can hook a crack or fixed head either with a regular hook or with a beak. Medium and large sized Black Diamond Peckers work especially well. A BAT hook can also sometimes get in the eye of a RURP with a broken cable. If you are going to nail, it is much better to use a beak, Pecker or Tomahawk as they are much less destructive than Lost Arrows, knifeblades, and angles. Hand place pitons Many pin scars take a hand-placed piton. For extra security, give it a few pounds with your palm (leather gloves recommended). Sawedoff pitons often work the best if a hand-placed beak or Pecker won't work. Cheat sticks We don't use em. But if it keeps you from reaching for the hammer, go for it.
Free Climbing Grades Compared USA (YDS) UIAA France UK Australia Yosemite Decimal System 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10a 5.10b 5.10c 5.10d 5.11a 5.11b 5.11c 5.11d 5.12a 5.12b 5.12c 5.12d 5.13a 5.13b 5.13c 5.13d 5.14a 5.14b 5.14c 5.14d 5.15a 5.15b 5.15c I II III III+ IV IV+ V- V V+ VI- VI VI+ VII- VII VII+ VIII- VIII VIII+ IX- IX IX+ X- X X+ XI- XI XI+ 1 2 2+ 3- 3 3+ 4 4+ 5 5+ 6a 6a+ 6b 6b+ 6c 6c+ 7a 7a+ 7b 7b+ 7c 7c+ 8a 8a+ 8b 8b+ 8c 8c+ 9a 9a+ 9b M 3b 3c HVD 4a 4c VS 5b 6a E2 6a 6c E5 6c 7a E8 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 FOR CURRENT ROUTE INFORMATION, VISIT SUPERTOPO.COM D 3c 4a S 4c 5b HVS 5c 6a E3 6b 6c E6 7a 7b E9 3a 3b VD 4a 4b HS 5a 5c E1 6a 6b E4 6c 7a E7 7a 7b E10 7c 8a E11 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 V-Scale VB V0- V0 V0+ V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 23
Page 1: The Definitive Guide To Yosemite Bi
Page 4 and 5: Published by SuperTopo 2 Bradford W
Page 6 and 7: Warning Climbing is an inherently d
Page 8 and 9: What's new? Every year the climbers
Page 11 and 12: Facing page: John Middendorf leadin
Page 13 and 14: Facing page: Half Dome. Photo by Gr
Page 15 and 16: Hungry bear at the base of Zodiac.
Page 17 and 18: Rockfalls The passage of large glac
Page 19 and 20: A5 or C5 Extreme aid: More than nin
Page 21: Understanding the Maps Right facing
Page 25 and 26: FOR CURRENT ROUTE INFORMATION, VISI
Page 27 and 28: Low Impact Climbing in Vertical Wil
Page 29 and 30: Abandoned/Unattended Property Prope
Page 31 and 32: History What is YOSAR? By Butch Far

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