Page 18 - AMA Summer 2024

MULTI PITCH ›
TEN TIPS FOR THE NOSE
EFFICIENCY BEATS SPEED
DAY THREE – 5 PITCHES, C1 5.8
Concurrent activity (eat whilst belaying), anticipation (‘What should I do when I hear “line fixed”?’), and problem prevention (create tangle-free belays) save far more time than trying to climb faster.
IF YOU DON’T BAIL YOU CAN’T FAIL
DAY TWO – 6 PITCHES, C1 5.8
Unlike in the Alps, pressing on is rarely dangerous. Afternoon storms or rockfall aren’t a thing and route-finding at night is fine. Unless it’s abysmally stormy or you run out of supplies there’s no reason to come down – just keep inching on upwards!
SAFETY IS EASY BUT COMPLACENCY KILLS
DAY ONE – 6 PITCHES, C2 5.7
Day one is long with lots of leading, jumaring, hauling, and abseiling. Despite the fatigue, don’t be tempted to cut corners. Back up your jumars, properly dock the haul bag, and close all abseils. A Korean guide died abseiling off Sickle the week after us.
18 ‹ ARMY MOUNTAINEER
In September 2023,
Joe McDermott left the local Peak outcrops and flew to California to climb his first big wall, The Nose of El Capitan. These are his ten top tips for other aspirant big-wallers.