Les... you're taking notes... right? Bobby, is the trip our to Braille Book as bad as I have heard?

BobbyS:

Thanks for the info! Your suggestions are interesting because after spending a couple hours flipping through the guidebook, those were almost exactly all the routes I thought might be worth checking out.

So Chazman, yeah, I am taking many notes.

I am also interested in Braille Book and yeah, I would have been thinking twice about the chimney ... but like Chazman was asking, is the approach okay? I've heard it's tough and has potential rock fall.

Also, what do you think of the short climbs at the base of El Cap ... like La Cosita Right, Little John Right, Pine Line, Moby Dick Left?

And just how crowded do you think the Valley will get on the Monday-Tuesday before July 4th weekend?

Thanks again for all your help!

Astroman ... oh sure!

I wish I was in my old climbing shape ... but truth be told I haven't lead anything in a while (just bouldering and TRs) and I have zero experience in the Valley and minimal experience on cracks. Best to start off easy and see how I feel.

>> Best to start off easy and see how I feel. <<

... and carry prussiks, too.

Geeze

I did the Braille Book in 1970. I remember the so-called offwidth pitch as a dihedral with a wide crack in the back. You don't need any fancy base of El Cap offwidth technique, and I remember the rock as relatively featured for Yosemite, more like the Salathe-Steck than the base of El Cap. I remember it as a nice climb but not a great one, certainly doable by Gunks climbers who are comfortable on 5.8 without special Yosemite preparation.

Sorry, just giving you a hard climb. I always like to joke that Astroman is merely a highball V3, and Grand Illusion in Sugarloaf was done by an amputee and his girlfriend, so how bad can they be.

There are several climbs in Yosemite condusive to Gunks climbers who haven't mastered crack techniques yet,

East Buttt of Middle Cathredal (see my previous warning about the descent but it can be rapped) which goes at 5.9 A0 (or 5.10c) but most of it is 5.8,

The Commitment (5.9 one move- mostly 5.7/8)

Nutcracker (5.8/ 5.9/ 5.10a) 5 pitches of mostly 5.8 depending on how you start it, the 5.8 and the 5.10a being the best.

Have fun

Lester:
Notes are good, but make sure you tatoo a big "L" to the back of Chazman's left hand before you let him lead....

Totally uncalled for.

Here's a pretty good (very well written I might add) recent trip report for Snake Dike including the hike in and out, with pictures!

http://www.snwburd.com/bob/trip_reports/half_dome_5.html

Enjoy!

Thanks for the link. That was probably the best report of a Snake Dike climb that I've seen on the web. Good story and good photos.