[Paul B]

+1 on the wedding. Congratulations, hope you had a great time and Vegas met expectations. In hindsight I wish we'd done the same when we were there.

Thanks, the wedding really exceeded all expectations. We'd organised it all very much at arms length and with a lot of other things taking the main portion of our concentration yet it all worked flawlessly.

We've got a space in north pines until the weekend and then we'll see from there. Currently the weather is pretty unsettled in the valley but we managed to nip up royal arches yesterday for a fun day out.

[chillax]

Unsettled weather = perfect fixing weather. Congrats on the wedding and good luck in the valley!

[Paul B]

Unsettled weather = perfect fixing weather. Congrats on the wedding and good luck in the valley!

we need a few more 'day' walls under our belt first, that, and a tube to shit in.

[Bubba]

 Glad the wedding went well Paul and congratulations to you both 

[Nibile]

Congrats to you both!!!
All the best from Italy!
Rock and roll.

[SA Chris]

a tube to shit in.

If the honeymoonn romance survives you both having to do that in close proxility to each other, it's survive anything.

[Paul B]

I know... 

Would anyone (preferably someone with some experience, not Dobbin) care to offer an opinion on whether it would be best (i.e. sensible) to do the Reg. NW Face of Half Dome before or after the Nose (we'll probably jump on the leaning tower or S. Face of Washington Column to brush up on our aid shortly).

There was a tragedy on El Cap the other day and it's left us both a little bit nervy about getting up on the big stone.

[T_B]

Congrats on wedding Paul.

I haven't done Half Dome but have done the nose. I would have thought they're both quite different with own set of challenges i.e. half dome more like an alpine route - moving quickly/french freeing/being fit. Whereas the nose is more physical/skin trashing and requires more ropework/aiding techniques? Plus the exposure from the Great Roof upwards is pretty crazy..

What about the W Face of El Cap in a day as a warm up for Half dome? It's 20 odd pitches I think, with the harder stuff low down and you have to move reasonably quickly to get it done and back down in a day.

I'd prefer to do Half Dome, but then maybe that's cos I've done the nose (and I don't like aiding).

Have fun!

[Johnny Brown]

Taking a slightly mercenary view, a route like the nose might be as quiet as its ever likely to get at the moment. Tragic as it was, it doesn't sound to me like that accident was due to anything specific to El Cap.

[chillax]

Saw the report about that the other day. Haunted me a bit, as I love big walls and aiding. Its a reminder of the risks. This stuff isn't inconsequential. The week after I climbed half dome a couple of years ago, a french guide died when he pulled a rock off a pitch I had led. The rock doesn't care. The rock never cares. Be safe.

Have you been on any of the shorter walls? Washington Column or Leaning Tower?

[duncan]

A very sad event on The Muir and you'd have to have a heart of stone for it not to be a little off-putting. Objectively, it was a very unusual occurrence.

T_B is right, NW Face of Half Dome is a semi-alpine route and should be an IAD challenge for you two. One for late in the season when it is getting hot(er)? I'm not sure that the West Face El Cap. is a warm-up for it, possibly the other way around. Both routes are great of course.

The S. Face of Washington Column is a similar proposition to one day of a three day ascent of The Nose. I'd get on that if it is not rammed and then see how you feel about El Cap.

... a tube to shit in.

A small heavy-duty dry bag is The Better Way. Lighter, less cumbersome to carry down, contains the shit and odours adequately, and survived a trip up The Salathe (a tough wall for hauling) with barely a scratch.

[duncan]

You and Melissa shared, I assume?

We spent 5 days on the wall. A 10 litre bag was large enough for two people consuming a healthy high-fibre diet and plenty of liquid. It's the well-filled red bag next to Melissa's foot:





We also used WAG Bags, effective but expensive and probably a bit unnecessary:

[chillax]

We also used WAG Bags, effective but expensive and probably a bit unnecessary

Those are a bit overkill I think. Only used one once. Well, kind of used one. My partner on Mescalito was trying to convince me of their worth. I'd never used one before, and the first thing I pulled out was the ziplock you're apparently supposed to put the bigger bag into after you go in the big one. I just went in the ziplock and got quite confused afterwards when I found the binbag size thing with a load of kitty litter inside.....

Think I'll be sticking with double ziplocks and duct tape.

[Paul B]

A small heavy-duty dry bag is The Better Way. Lighter, less cumbersome to carry down, contains the shit and odours adequately, and survived a trip up The Salathe (a tough wall for hauling) with barely a scratch.

Pass the Pitons Duncan?

I'd read about the river bags, I'm not sure where we'll be able to get one within the valley though (although I'll take a look as unfortunately we need MORE kit). Out of interest will a used lead line (9.2mm) last for a haul line or will it just get shredded instantly? We've got some stat. but it's not overly long and could be limiting.

RE: NW face IAD, perhaps it'd be possible but I think Nat would want a rest week afterwards so it's probably best if we don't and smell the flowers etc. (or the river bag perhaps).

We haven't done any of the smaller walls (S.Face of Washington Column or Leaning Tower were both on 'the list') but the popular ones seem just that.

[Paul B]

...well we might have to reconsider IAD.

Nat didn't fancy the 'Death Slabs' (what a fluffy name) so we took the 'gruelling option'. Turned up to find a LOT of IAD'ers bivying (wilderness permits suggested we'd be the only ones, mistake) and some fools up at around P10 who were turning the bivy spots into foxholes with all of the rock they were kicking down (this continued into the night with a purple TCU coming down too!). Some came pretty close to Nat as we were fixing the first pitches which didn't inspire confidence.

Therefore, we (and another party) both decided that it wasn't such a good idea to continue with so many people (turns out its Memorial Day weekend too), so now we're familiar with the death slabs too. I'm currently trying to work out how to make it feasible as a day option, and how to convince my new wife that she really does want to go back up there.

To add insult to injury the darn shoulder straps on our haul bag snapped on the descent (its 1st proper outing)!

[Paul B]

Can I ask if anyone has done this:

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/yak-check/106517307

Its set to get fairly hot here in Squamish over the next few days so we were considering a short drive to somewhere higher up.

[AndyR]

Can I ask if anyone has done this:

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/yak-check/106517307

Its set to get fairly hot here in Squamish over the next few days so we were considering a short drive to somewhere higher up.

I haven't, but I know people who have - takes a lot of avalanches in the winter, so can feel a bit bold and scrittly early in the season - would imagine it has seen a few ascents this year so likely OK? South facing, so will be hot - I was in Hope today and it was pretty warm...

[Johnny Brown]

When we drove past we had the air con on full blast. Although its at altitude its not really in the mountains - but far enough inland to be subject to continental style seasons. Didn't look to be anything else nearby.

[Paul B]

Thanks.

It seems to get a mixed review. Given the Squamish wishlist keeps growing I doubt we'll get around to it unless forced via other factors.