UKC

It's a friends birthday this Autumn, and we're thinking of doing a celebratory big wall. Although, the team would comprise of experienced climbers, no one has a significant amount of big wall experience.

Looking for suggestions for a first big wall; climbable Sep/Oct, two day routes with climbing up to 5.8ish inc ledge/porta ledge night out, easy logistics/approach/flights.

So far we've come up with Moonlight Buttress, Zion Nat Park. Other suggestions much appreciated?

In reply to Merlin:

Unless you're faster than most people on their first wall outing, "two day routes" suggests a V rather than a VI; I think the Moonlight fits that rating. The South Face of Washington Column is generally cited as the "easiest" such route in Yosemite - and hence probably the most popular - with several harder options available on that feature and elsewhere in The Valley.

you dont need a ledge for washingon column as there is a massive ledge on route.

Maybe the west face of leaning tower? quite a lot of people do that as their first.. i haven't done it though.

defiantly practice you aid a lot first. we found we where a lot slower than we expected...

In reply to adamki:

That's probably the best option in the valley if you want the whole 'portaledge' experience. A group of five of us went to Yosemite in 2006 and three of the group did it, with it being the first Big Wall for two of them.

In reply to Merlin:


The easiest big wall is probably the Washington Column. Its about 11 pitches and goes at 5.10a/A2. The bivi ledge (no portaledge needed) is after the first 3 or 4 pitches and its normal to leave your overnight gear on the ledge and climb sack free above it and rap the route to pick up your stuff on the way down although fast parties (probably not someone on their first big wall) can do the whole thing in a day.
You will have to do a couple of pitches of aid above the ledge to get past the Kor roof (the main bit of this is a bolt ladder but wildly exposed) after that you can get away with free climbing and a bit of frigging.
Its also normal to climb to the ledge on day 1 and also do the aid pitches above and abseil back to the ledge leaving a rope in situ so you can jumar up it in the morning to save time.

In reply to Merlin:

If you are based in the UK, I'd suggest "Himmelsfinger" at the Poncione d'Alnasca (Ticino, Switzerland) - logistic & flights would be much easier / cheaper than for the US big walls - although it's a three day route at least.
We tried it last year early september as a first big wall (bailed after p5 due to bad weather). October can be quite cold up there and the shorter days won't help either...

Topo says to bring a portaledge, this can be avoided:

day 1: fix p1-3 (possibly p4 if you bring a 3rd rope), go back to the hut
day 2: jumar/climb to the ledges at the start of p8
day 3: top out & descent (or bivy at the summit)

With my very limited big wall experience, I can't really comment on the grades. I've heard that grades are somewhat softer than US new wave aid grades. Guidebook says VI / 5.10 A3.
The pitchess we did were quite safe, even the hook sections on p3 & 4 had just enough bolts to feel "kind of safe".

A (slightly outdated) topo can be found here:
http://www.techno-climbing.ch/Topos_Alnasca.asp

In reply to Merlin:

Moonlight was my second wall. We did Touchstone Wall a few days before which is about as easy as wall climbing gets and is a great warm up / practice route.
Spaceshot is good too - slightly more technical but well out there. You probably wouldn't bivvy on it though as it's easily done in a day push.
Bivvying on Moonlightligh will mean you won't need to fix anything and just have a nice leisurely 2 days.

The beauty of Zion is you can fly into Vegas - drive 2 and a half hours to Zion, do the climbing then bail back to vegas for the birthday celebrations.

E

In reply to Merlin:

Washington Column was my first, but despite heaps of practice jugging up esoteric limestone walls in the Peak (and the tree in my back garden) nothing really prepares you for the full experience.

I was scared witless on the Kor Roof as I started cleaning the gear and hanging further and further out in space, twizzling around in the breeze.

I had to lower off in the end.

Go easy on yourself and assume it will be more epic and palaver than you could possibly imagine. Then you won't be disappointed!

In reply to Enty:

Thinking about the Vegas option. My 3rd wall was The Rainbow Wall. Bit of a hike to get to but amazing scenery. You can have the bivvy experience without a portaledge because there's a big ledge at the top of P9. Drinking Wild Turkey here after the first day whilst watching Vegas light up 20 miles away was a treat.

E

In reply to Merlin:

Washington column for sure, you can free first pitches to get to the roof which is where most people have difficulties. Hauling is a bugger but haul on this and other routes will be easier. You can always opt to go left up the bolt ladder if you don't fancy the roof but there is a C2 section to overcome which is pretty straight forward and less physical than the roof. But the roof is the best bit and the top out is best if you kip on the summit, best bi vie view. Good luck don't underestimate it and the logistical exercise that it is.