UKC

Hi, the topo gives a couple of traversing pitches from the shield to below camp IV. Question, how much of a pain / dangerous are these if soloing, plus do any link and which anchors am I best hauling off?

Plus, once at heart ledges how hard is any of the compulsory free climbing for a soloist?

Just trying to work out how long it will take, and if I'll die.

Thanks for your help.

In reply to David Coley:

Yeeeeeer gonna....!

Have fun, the 3D looks amazing!

In reply to David Coley:

The bag management on the second traverse (i.e. to Camp 4) is quite tricky and definitely needs a controlled lower-out. Perhaps rig a far end hauler and lower out/haul the bag as you clean next to it (gri-gri on a pull through lower out). The rope can hang up on the odd flake.

There are a couple of wide pitches off grey ledges, I've aided them (solo) and freed them (belayed). They are a pretty grim place to be aid soloing! Doable though, I had one 5 and one 6 Camalot.

I don't remember linking much, am I right in thinking you can run the 4 pitches off grey ledges as 2? Don't think I did though, they are fairly tiring if you're aiding!

In reply to Peter Rhodes:

Peter, just in case you might have soloed zodiac, was triple direct easier to solo or harder. Thanks

In reply to David Coley:

I soloed Muir (middle of TD) but have climbed TD, Nose and Salathe with partners, I've soloed most of Zodiac (long story). The aid on Zodiac is a little trickier but it's half as long and you can justifiably climb 3 pitches a day as opposed to 6-8 on TD. I'd say that unless your systems are super dialled and you're free climbing a lot Zodiac is going to be much easier than TD. Tangerine Trip is easier than Zodiac too, though they are both pretty busy!

Could always rope solo the Freeblast without bags as a warm up, you'll need to do this for TD anyway, hopefully the Heart ropes are there and you can just go up with a lead line and rack. If you can knock that out in 10 hours or so no reason you won't send TD, if you're slower I think a more aid based wall might be ideal.

Have you soloed many walls? Why not go for something cool and slightly off-beat like Dihedral/Horse Chute or New Dawn/WoEML? No traffic there so you can take your time!

Just musings! Take them or leave them.

In reply to Peter Rhodes:

Thanks Pete. Yep I've soloed other walls. Doing free blast a few days before was exactly my thought. I've been on zodiac, so fancied a change. I didn't know Tangerine was easier than zodiac, the lists in guide books say the opposite I thought. The other thing about triple direct is it would be hammerless. I thick Muir would be too long for me.

If I'm getting the hammer out, I pondered doing Mescalito. The shield would be the dream, but I'd take many, many days, a pain to fail on high up and I think it has too much hammering for my old elbows.

In reply to David Coley:
There are no hammering on the routes you've listed!!! Climb clean. TT goes clean with only 1 cam hook move, we didn't have any offset cams etc. It has a lot of very simple pitches. We did Zodiac clean but it is a touch more spicy, not much though. Shield is mostly hand placed sawn angles but I suppose the new offset cams have made that a whole bunch safer. I can't recommend soloing Muir, it's probably my crowning glory and I can only look back on the C4 pitches with terror, maybe I'm just getting old.

Where is the nailing on Mescalito, I haven't done it but don't think I'd dare hammer on it, cam hooks for the seagull and the rest should be steady? Maybe take a couple of beaks for resting onto blown heads.

IMHO nailing in the valley is only on the really hard stuff, and even then it's mostly heads. Shortest Straw has been climbed clean so anything easier should go. We did an early clean ascent of the NA and it wasn't too scary. Keep the hammer in the bag, means your rack is lighter too!!

In reply to Peter Rhodes:

Thanks for that, the shield was the only one I thought I'd have to nail on - I was looking at the suggested rack, ditto Mescalito. My elbows are so shot, even 6 hammered placements over 6 days is too much. I wasn't thinking about putting pegs all over the place. I think I'd find the shield too hard to do clean solo. Sounds like TT, unless I can get a few more days in the valley to do a longer route.

Thanks again.

In reply to David Coley:
I think on TD you could aid every move. So no compulsory free. Maybe single 5.8 moves?

I'd not recommend TT unless you've done zodiac, top 1/3 is a bit monotonous and follows no real line

Rivet, rivet, rivet, rivet

Ps if you are soloing maybe consider 3 #5s on the pitch to camp 4, I thought it was a terrifying pitch due to the how far right it is of the belay. But you could prob belay at the base of the corner, I think there is a bolt at least

In reply to ashtond6:

Thanks!