Thinking of Climbing El Cap as Your First Big Wall? Don’t.

Yosemite Valley is the granite mecca every climber dreams of visiting at some point in their journey. Towering walls, glacial polish, and stone streaked in blue, gray, orange, and gold—few places are as iconic or awe-inspiring. And standing above them all—literally and figuratively—is El Capitan.

Rising 3,000 feet from the valley floor, El Cap has captured the imaginations of climbers since Royal Robbins in the 1950s and ‘60s, and has humbled climbers ever since. Its sheer face, endless features, and relatively easy accessibility offer a vertical playground for those bold enough to commit.

But as tempting as it may be to make El Cap your first big wall, I’m here to say one thing: Don’t.

You can go for it, and people have. But the reality? More often than not, your dream ascent turns into a logistical nightmare. In all likelihood, you will find yourself stuck in a bottleneck on the Nose or Salathe (some of the world’s most-attempted big wall routes). You’ll discover your hauling systems don’t work. You’ll be working with gear you’ve never practiced with. And let’s just say your first experience pooping in a tube mid-air should probably not be during a multi-day epic surrounded by other parties.

Before you pack that shiny new haul bag or invest in a deluxe portaledge, here are a few things to consider. First, are you overestimating your and your partner’s abilities? This is a common mistake for first big wall climbs, so take a deep breath—and a solid dose of humility.

Let’s start with systems. Hauling, jugging, cleaning, and organizing on route are all skills that take years to perfect. If your experience is at a single-pitch crag—or worse, the gym—you’re in for a rude awakening.

Efficiency is safety on a big wall. Without experience, when things go wrong (and they will), knowing an effective way out of a situation is the safest way to go. Figuring that out 2,000 feet off the deck isn’t a great place to start.

Logistical overload is another major aspect of climbing on a wall that a lot of people forget to take into account—even veterans of big-walling. Mental endurance and managing exhaustion whilst watching weather windows, water rations, food consumption, time management, and more becomes the priority when navigating that kind of terrain. Doing that while on a wall next to several other parties wanting to bypass you? Real rough.

For what it’s worth, don’t give up on El Cap. Make it your second wall experience. Take on the challenge after you have at least tried to climb a multi-pitch that involves an overnight to see what it’s like to set up a bivy in the dark with a headlamp. To be honest, to make your climb up El Cap more fun, try a lesser-traveled big wall. Choose one that’s less demanding, yet still offers massive amounts of experience and learning. There are several in the Yosemite Valley itself, as well as routes in other national parks like Zion in Utah.

El Cap isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it gets better and safer when you’re ready. Your systems will be faster. Your gear will make sense. Your partner will (fingers crossed) still be your friend by the end. Those are pluses that are worth the wait.

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