UKC

In Yosemite with family for a couple of days, staying in L.A, and I'm looking for a route to solo. Anyone offer advice of possible routes, Looking for VS type grade max and not pure plumb hand cracks! More pitches the merrier and preferably an uncomplicated walk off (not much to ask for). I have experience soloing at various multipitch venues so i fully understand the implications.
Alternatively anyone there with kit :O)

In reply to jas wood:

After Six (5.7), if you can find a time when it's not too busy?

In reply to jas wood:
Go check out the partner board in Camp 4, you should be able to track down a partner there without too much trouble. I'd recommend at least getting a few roped pitches in to get used to the rock there if you're dead set on soloing something.

Check out Royal Arches, it goes at 5.7 AO with a fixed rope for the pendulum. But it is one of the more popular multipitch routes in the Valley, so good luck getting on it without parties in front of you.

In reply to jas wood:

Harry Daley is very good and very accessible with a 5.1 bum shuffle to get back down...

In reply to jas wood:

Royal Arches is HVS and could feel rather insecure if you are unaccustomed to Yosemite granite. Same applies to Snake Dike which you might be tempted by. Munginella is a bit crumbly to be a recommendable solo.

Consider Sunnyside Bench regular route 5.5 (a 4a 'boulder problem', mostly easier) 400' and another 200' of scrambling to a climbers path descent. It takes you though some impressive rock scenery and you can check out the lower Yosemite falls from close (likely dry right now).

After Six on Manure Pile is another option. The first pitch is glassy and nudging HVS but you could down-climb from before the crux and it is easier and much better on the upper pitches.

In reply to grubbers:

But doesn't quite fit with the "uncomplicated descent" part of the specification!

Agree with Munginella suggestion. I also think Regular Route at Sunnyside Bench is an appropriate suggestion. There are some comments about the descent but I don't recall it being a problem and I was with my wife who's not a serious or full time climber.

In reply to flaneur:


Maybe VS? I found the descent scarier than the route, but it was in the dark. :S


I think that's a good option, even I managed to solo it, and I don't really solo anything. Just beware of route finding, I got lost and nearly had to reverse most of the route.

In reply to jas wood:

Snake Dike, as the 5.7 is only a couple of moves and the rest is Severe at most. The climbing and the views are superb and it is the best way to get up Half Dome

In reply to IainL:

The crux is 'only 5.7'........ Personally, I think the crux is a little harder, but even at '5.7' it's harder than VS. Add in the usual Brit unfamiliarity with that kind of stuff...... As an onsight VS soloist (which the OP is pitching himself as) I think that scoop would seem much, much harder. I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

It's a lovely route though.

Steve

In reply to jas wood:

I'd go to manure pile as suggested above, nice climbing, good views and good rock. After 6 / after7 having a first pitch crux which feels pretty unsafe when not used to yosemite granite, a good idea might be to just skip the first pitch by walking up the left side to the first terrace and start the route from there. These upper pitches are much easier and have really good easy climbing for another 4-5 pitches.

In reply to alpinist63:


I'm slightly hesitant to suggest it but I suspect that a climber that is happy to solo the first pitches of After 6 or After 7 stands a good chance of being comfortable on Nutcracker if they avoid the polished righthand start.

In reply to jas wood:

Thanks folks, Only really have a day or 2 in Yosemite as we are travelling up from L.A . Appreciate the feedback and I'll take harness in case i can get a partner if not I'll solo after 6 I reckon. Have climbed quite a few routes on Etive upto E2 (roped of course!) surely the rock cannot be MUCH different to that?
p.s. Goes without saying it cannot be as good as Etive ;O)

In reply to jas wood:

Have climbed quite a few routes on Etive upto E2 (roped of course!) surely the rock cannot be MUCH different to that?


Hahaha you shall see

In reply to jas wood:

Consider going to Tuolumne Meadows there are possibly more easy routes that you could solo that fit your criteria