The Best or Worst 5.10 rock climb in Yosemite Valley? - Serenity Crack 5.10d
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 พ.ย. 2021
- A stormy Sunday in Yosemite Valley took us up Serenity Crack. The best 5.10 multi-pitch crack climb in the Valley. Yes, pin scars are to thank for this classic climb going at such a moderate grade.
If you have another suggestion- please mention in the comment section below.
Starting off with a slight runout on 5.8ish terrain, the first pitch clocks in around 5.10a with a PG13 rating. The climbing is very mellow, but you don't get a bomber piece until ~35 feet up. No real crux on pitch 1.
Pitch 2 starts out with more beautiful finger locks and has one 5.10- step across which can be protected with a high placement.
Pitch 3 is somehow better than the first two and features an absolutely beautiful hand crack up to a splitter finger lock section with delicate footwork. Pro is abundant and bomber.
An amazing climb for any confident 5.10 leader, although pitch 1 might be a bit exciting for those faint of heart.
For Business Inquiries Email: Hysell.30@gmail.com
Instagram: @GravityLabOfficial - กีฬา
She seems so sweet that I want to be like “you sent”, but if her instinct as an athlete was that she didn’t, by her standards she didn’t and I respect that 🤷🏻♂️ Her humility and sportsmanship is far and away more valuable than having sent!
I was recently explaining to my son, who recently started climbing, what pin scars were. I think I will show him this video.
Yes do it. a great example of them
September 1985
3 day drive down from Canada.
Woke up to the bluebird Yos morning.
Let’s go climb Serenity crack!
Thanks for the memories man.
Love your channel.
Did this route several times in the 80s and 90s and nice to see it still getting some love... and I'm blown away there wasn't a line on such a nice day! Fun show!
Your videos are so inspiring. I’ve climbed in gyms with my brother before and that was the extent of my interest. Then I watched the alpinist and free solo documentaries and I realized then and there that I wasn’t living to the fullest. You guys have been a huge part of my research process. My buddy and I now have decided to start training to climb El Cap in 2 years. Thank you guys!!!
That is awesome CJ! Stoked to hear you are stoked! Gotta seize the day in the way that makes us feel most alive!
How’s the El cap training going??
Incredible! This looks like a dream!
Yes, oh so good!
That poor first pitch has seen some things 😮 Imagine every single hold being a gaping pin scar. Pretty wild. Still an amazing line though, nice work 💪🏻
5.10c in Yosemite, outstanding ! Oh, & great job on Serenity.
Thank you!
Havent made it out to Yosemite yet but holy cow did my friends undersell the amount of pinscars there haha! I've never seen anything like that! Interesting to see how you place gear on a route like this, solid addition to the videos.
This is the most pinscarred crack in all of Yosemite I think. Most climbs aren't like this at all.
yessir many many pin scars here. fun to climb but certainly makes you have a few questions on your mind while climbing.
Apparently, the first pitch was used for practice aid climbing for years, resulting in what you see.
Such a nice route. I've climbed it a few times back in the 1980s. Had a friend who lead it barefoot!
My favorite climb in the Valley. Coupled with Sons of Yesterday. Fantastic crack climbing from fingers to fists. Super clean cracks.
This is one of those classics that is unique to Yosemite. Pin scars in this case are just history you can hold onto.
I made some of those scars wider in 1972, we had pitons and lugged sole Royal Robbins boots made by Galibier. Took a 40’ whipper at the top of the lieback! Had my foot on the rest hold and my hands flew off.
That's some crazy pin scarring.
Impressive climbing!
Cheers Argyle!
These videos make the bottom of my feet sweat! Its crazy
Definitely the top of my list to hit next time I'm in the Valley.
You better be good.
I thought the "5.10D" in the thumbnail said "5.100" 😂👍 Great stuff!
Amazing crack 😻
I wonder if this route was in even 'free-able' before the aid scars? That was some smooth calm runout lead climbing though. Great to watch, thanks!
cheers! I have thought about that quite a bit as well. Not entirely sure. Maybe some crazy hard 14-
Yeah it would have been a super hard smearfest between a few solid holds.
Roper's Guide (1971) lists it as "5.7, A2 or 5.11". Admittedly, many (most?) of the pin scars occurred before then. 5.11 was considered an upper limit of possible at that time. Credit for the first ascent is given to Glenn Denny and Les Wilson (1961). First free ascent credit is given to Tom Higgins and Chris Jones in 1967. "To do the route with aid take about 25 pitons including a 2" bong. Many 1 inch and one and a half inch angles are necessary." Not that that answers the question or anything, hth
azesome !!! my favorite climb in the valley !!
You write your own rules when climbing. If you think you sent it you sent if not try again lol.
I first did this route in 1982. Back then there were no cams smaller than a #1 Friend. I remember pretty much doing it with wired stoppers and Hexes. Around 2000 I did it again and had a few Aliens and Quads along, really didn't make any difference.
My pick of best multi-pitch 5.10 is the "Good Book", AKA "Right Side of the Folly". 6 pitches all pretty stiff. The third pitch, the layback off Security Ledge, is challenging and memorable. The pitches above are hard and wild. The final pitch is an offwidth that ends in truly exposed fashion. Steep enough you have to get a swing going on the upper raps to reach the anchors.
I did that one in 91'. I remember my tcu's sticking strains out of the rock on that first pitch. Sons of yesterday pitches, above, are killer too. Unfortunately, can't climb anymore because of arthritic elbows so now my hobbies are skiing, biking and hunting.
Glad to hear you are still getting out enjoying nature! You are doing better than most!
ғᴀɴᴛᴀsᴛɪᴄ 🔥🔥
Sweet to see some passive nut placements.
20:35 Did this route always have the bolted belay on the last pitch? I did this route way back in the 80's but belayed on the big ledge above.
I just did this climb (seconded it) and it may be the best climb I’ve ever done! So scenic and the climbing was amazing. So fun (to follow that is…)
Haha agreed! Think you will go back for the lead?
@@TheGravityLab it’s above my pay grade but I’d love to second it again. I left my f$&!!! phone in my pack at the base. So sad.
I used so many wires on that route. Such a cool linkup into Sons. We had it to ourself
Always great when you get a mega classic line to yourself!
@@TheGravityLab love your vids mate. I’m from Oz. Makes me pretty keen to get back over there. 2023 is the year of sunspot dihedral and maybe a burn on Venturi effect.
Yooo!!! We were the party of three on super slab! Lol
haha no way! hopefully it wasn't too rough sorting out the ropes over there.
Nice climbing!
You all know that when Lynn Hill free'd the Nose, some of the boys claimed that she was only able to do it because her smaller fingers would fit in the pin scars. This was of course bogus, both the cruxes (The Roof and the Changing Corners) depend a lot more on technique than jamming your fingertips into narrow pin scars. (I climbed in Yosemite in 1981 & 85, mostly in Tuolumne but we did spend three days on NW Face of Half Dome, Separate Reality and Quarter Domes. The latter had very little traffic due to the significant approach trip up along the river but the climbing was definitely worth it, including a perfect splitter crack.
yes agree 100%. We make excuses to say things are too tall/short/wide/thin to make ourselves feel better about not being able to accomplish our goals.
Sounds like you got some awesome climbing in my friend!
Love that song. Nice lead. I notice that you don’t ring lock much on this climb even in places where it looks like a good fit. You opt to keep your thumb below your fingers and use it as an extra digit for jamming. Obviously you get up this just fine I’m just wondering if this is a strategy.
Yes I find that the pin scars can be a bit flaring, so I tend to use the thumb below to either jam or pinch the pinscars more securely.
Rules…I started in 1964 when we just climbed. I helped produce some of those pin scars. If she’s your girlfriend than it was a send. If she’s just a friend then it depends on what happens later on. My career ended at 5.12, which is probably baby food for you. Best Regards.
Weird
Can I ask, how did you first learn multi-pitch climbing, did someone introduce you or how'd you go about it? The idea of outdoor climbing is what got me interested in going to a climbing gym, but it's hard to transition outside without knowing someone or paying a lot of money. I go to Yosemite multiple times a year (mostly backpacking) and the mountains are so inspiring, and it's a dream to make it up one of these climbs, even the easier routes up, but seems pretty cost prohibitive.
Seems you're right that you either befriend someone with trad gear and learn from them, or you and your partner take a class/ guided trip (gyms do it as well) and buy appropriate trad gear for your area. Going on a long multi pitch would be pretty daunting without someone who's plenty experienced. Finding an easy 2 pitch sport route is a great start/practice. We did it just after researching a lot on youtube, a couple top down belays on single pitch as well. I'm not ready to buy a trad rack as long as there's plenty of sport climbs I haven't done, plus crack climbing still seems impossible at this point for me.
Hey Erick, great question. I would recommend getting belay certified at the gym and then talking to everybody you can at the gym. Many of them likely go outside on the weekends and would be happy to show you around. I would start with top roping, then sport climbing, and then work up to trad climbing. I learned outside with a friend I met, but I think most people do better learning in a controlled environment. Once you get some skills, hit up Mountain Project's partner finder.
not a send when you have to rest in the rope. Some would even say that toprope does not count as a send.
Agree, it takes a lot more strength to lead and send, mentally and physically. But she has great attitude she will probably send it anyways.
Super sick it’s unfortunate the route is closed atm due to a crack that formed overnight maybe if it’s deemed stable it will be a new crack climb who knows
When I did this climb and the link up to sons of yesterday I waited patiently for the team above us to clear a pitch before we started. When we were on the 4th pitch (I.e. sons of yesterday) a European pair came blasting up the route. Note I was leading every pitch as my 2nd wasn’t strong enough. They climbed over one party, clipping to their gear with no regard for their safety, past their belay. Then they hit our belay while I was on lead, belayed from a single anchor from the same station we were on and got ready to storm past us. I lost my mind! Told them to F off and if they came near me I would have it out with them, I was ferocious and swearing like a mad man half pitch….they backed off. I had never experienced climbers with such disregard!
Unfortunately we have experienced similar whilst winter climbing in Scotland. Bad manners!
If its a small Clocking MB that is rude but if your doing a grade V or V1 in one nonstop ascent and a team hauling A bag and and moving slow decides not to let you pass then there is no choice but to climb over the top of them. I'm a guerilla class climber so I had a pretty easy time convincing a holes to let me pass. If your on a big wall with haul bags and all the creature comforts you don't have the right to stop a speed climbing team from passing. Its not acceptable. Usually people are totally cool with it but if the won't let you pass then you club right over the top of them. Its the autoban at that point. People will say you should have just waited for a perfect day with stale weather and no teams on the wall. That's like saying if you don't want a baby don't have sex. Sometimes reality is your going to be passing teams. There is plenty of room for everyone. Still passing on a short free climbing route is rude.
@@sndspderbytes we were moving fast and light, however I was having to lead all pitches. I did hesitate over ethics as this was an early experience for me. In saying that I had always requested to pass safely at a belay with little or no delay, whenever I had passed a party. However the passing mid pitch on a natural route with limited English from the other party I chose to make a call and drew a line. My bad maybe.
@@sndspderbytes Passing on a short free climb is rude. Period.
Keep going past pitch 3 for a few more pitches of fun on Sons of Yesterday.
100% send obvs!
TOTEMS!!! Don't leave home without them, at least if you're going to Yosemite...
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference,
and help me not fall off.
She's solid ; if the 2nd needs to set gear or aid in order to clear gear it's not on them.
That's a bold statement calling serenity the best 5.10 in the valley. Serenity and sons is up there but I'd say it's tough calling it even with the link up. I'd have to put a few up there
Totally agree. What else would you put up there? East Butt of Middle?
Hence the question mark😂
Mental Block and Mr Natural are a couple of my favorite 10s. Outer limits, lunatic fringe, book of job, gripper, yin-Yang, mañana, and silent line are all up there too! There are just too many beautiful cracks in the valley to pick the best. The only reasonable option is to do everything!
@@TheGravityLab I did central piller on middle cathedral and maybe brail book on its side? Never got around to east butt maybe one day. sacherer cracker for a single pitch, lunatic fringe was mentioned, so many fantastic pitches on El cap on any given route. There's so much that any "greatest" claim is purely subjective.
Panita should 100% make this her next proj
agreed!
Fucking Zen. Thanks man.
Is that piton scars or natural? Also why put extensions on your cams on that route.
yup those are piton scars. I extended a few of them so that they wouldn't "walk" out of the placements from tension on the rope. Probably unneccesary for a few of them. However, I would rather fall an 10' on a cam that is exactly where I placed it vs 8' on a cam that might have moved into a slightly less ideal placement.
@@TheGravityLab fair call. I probably wasn’t as familiar with those bottomless crack for placements. Walking was rarely a problem but I can see the sense in that case.
Easily one of the best. And it gets you to the start of Sons!
Are the pods from rain erosion or nesting birds?🐦💧
Haha either one of those or some overzealous pirates with hook hands
either leave gear or "not send" - rather "not send" but rly try without help first ;)
Plenty of pin scars - those holes in the crack - piton scars from The Old Days. Take care when placing chocks in these scars , unless you consider them to be disposable or intended to be left 'in situ."
Oh for sure. Always fun placing protection in pin scars
Bravo to Tom Higgins who was the first to free climb this route in the 60’s or 70’s
Although a fun and very popular climb, calling it the best 5.10 in Yosemite is a stretch. I can think of numerous 5.10s that I personally like better and the severely pinned out nature of the climb is definitely an aesthetic detriment.
I hear ya there. which do you find more classic?
Some of the upper Cathedral 5.10’s from memory….
I wonder how many people have hit the deck because the pro on the first bit is crap.
Climbing on piton scars.
Hate the goldfish bowl makes me dizzy as hell
Does it ruin my onsight attempt by watching this?😂
Combine Serenity with Sons of Yesterday for one of the best 5.10 crack climbs in Yosemite Valley.
“Sons” is the better of the two. More pitches and cleaner cracks
8:42 placing a textbook cam sure is nice but nothing compares to a perfect nut placement
so true!
I thought she was going to lead ?
The bottom of serenity is disgusting. But it's the price you pay for that upper section which is very fun.
I literally can't watch this video, the fisheye effect makes me physically ill :(
Looked like a great climb though.
Is it just me or does the first placement seem to be pretty poor, lobs look uneven. I think its kinda funny how the first placement seems to kinda suck after such a long run out, he must not feel too concerned about falling.
serenity crack is known for this "mental crux" that can repel 10s climbers ! obviously his level his higher than that ahah
Sons of yesterday is way better. Not even close imo if you're talking about the best 5.10 multi crack
best option is definitlely to link them up !
it's a send , girlfriend
Thank you!
helmet cams give me motion sickness
Sorry! But no send if your on a TR! Sends only are sends if your on lead. But your not getting paid to climb so who cares!
Lol so true. Fun to discuss though
Hanging on the rope to get gear out = not sending😅
Following on top rope = not sending, it is just following…
Leading the pitch and placing gear and not hanging by the rope = sending!
Hmm kinda have to disagree. So you’re saying when big walling, whoever is following the pitch didn’t send even if they did every move? Seems a bit tedious and time consuming for each partner to have to lower and lead the pitch instead of following and swapping leads 🤔
5.10d ??? That looks like a cruiser of a 5.10-
I don’t make the grades, I just climb em!
absolutely never support Nike!!!!!
Lol Nike? Did I miss something?
Your socks