Today, with countless steep sport climbing crags across the country, the art of delicate slab climbing on sweeping faces, with its emphasis on balance, smearing, and precise footwork, has somewhat lost its allure with the mainstream. So why risk a severe road rash by climbing slabs? Simple: it will make you a better climber.
Some climbers wait to attempt America’s greatest free routes until they’re good enough to do them in perfect style. But what if you are never that good? Purists would say you should stay off the climb—leave it for those who have the necessary strength and talent. I say go for it: Do your best to free climb, but don’t hang your head in shame if you pull on a piece or stand on a bolt.
Fred Beckey's hundreds (thousands?) of first ascents span western North America, from Alaska to Mexico. Although he is best known for his mountain routes, Beckey has always loved rock climbing, and at 89 he's still cragging. We cherry-picked eight spectacular rock climbs from his new coffee-table book and share his words on each here.
Guidebooks will tell you that Peter Croft once called the West Ridge of Conness the best route he’s done in the Sierra backcountry. If you rope up for all of it, it’s 12 pitches of climbing on clean Sierra granite, with enjoyable finger cracks and great exposure. The summit view extends over Tuolumne Meadows all the way to Half Dome. Combine this route with Conness’ North Ridge for a mega-day of ridge running.
Granite. Black-and-white-speckled, fine-grained, compact, solid stone. Confident, angular boulders sculpted by time and held firmly in place by gravity. Tall, blunt aretes, mockingly blank. An obtuse, crackless corner. Overhanging faces carved with blocky edges.
I came to Yosemite early this spring — alone, since Beth Rodden, my wife and usual El Cap partner, was still recovering from a broken foot. When I arrived in the Valley, the weather was crisp and clear — perfect for anything my heart desired.
The forgotten and flooded Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is poised in the spotlight of a century-old environmental battle, while a small group of climbers continue to push lines above the water. Sean Jones was working another project in the Fjord, which as usual for Sean meant juggling. His little family in El Portal, the center of his life.
What makes a route classic? Is it the runouts, the exposure, the quality of movement, the folklore, or the stone itself? In the case of Eric Beck, Jim Bridwell, and Chris Fredericks 1965 route Snake Dike, on the southwest face of Yosemite's Half Dome, the answer to all these questions is a resounding "Yes!" making it a strong contender for the best 5.7 in the Valley, if not the world.
There's no shortage of splitter climbs in the granite crucible. Exhaustingly long, deadly committing, or outrageously difficult — you’ll find them all. But not all the lines are epic; some appeal more for their friendly flavor and grand aesthetics. One such route lies on the Valley’s northeast end, in the accessible Church Bowl: Bishop’s Terrace.
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