Monday, April 11, 2016

Unemployment Line - Another must-do Yosemite gem!

A few weeks ago I connected with Shaun Reed, a fellow climber from Colorado who seems as passionate about climbing as anyone I have...not met yet. While spraying about everything that I have ever climbed, I realized the Unemployment Line on Mt. Broderick was one of the lines he and Scott Nelson did the First Free Ascents of. They trained their asses off and were documented for a fairly cool North Face video. In any case, I was telling Shaun how much Cristiano and I enjoyed the climbing on their new route, how the best hold on the 11c traverse got ripped off, how cool the summit of Mt. Broderick is and how photogenic the route was...I was sure Sean didn't know it already. When I was about to send him my trip report with all the photos of the route, I realized one was never produced. OOPS. Maybe because I didn't have time, forgot, I don't know what, but it was not because I wanted to keep the experience to myself. Since I'd like to recommend the route to all those looking for a cool, difficult (for an average weekend warrior like me) climb to add to the Spring tick list!

My first attempt at climbing the Unemployment Line, ended up at the Cookie Cliff, as I created a giant clusterfk and wasted a ton of time by starting up a different route to the right of the UL. A month or a few seasons later I returned with Cristiano so that we could actually find the damn thing. To my surprise, we did. All we had to do was to face the difficulties and to climb it, which was much better than hiking down and driving to the Cookie Cliff. The quality of pitches was like stacking some of the cookie cliff gems on top of each other. Kind of like lapping Catchy Corner with a lot more variability, much better views, no fixed rope in your face and no one to wait for. Bring small offsets for the first pitch, extras in fingers to #1 camalot and get on this thing, as it WILL have lines in the future.

Only Cristiano can smile in that undercling :)
On the approach, you will see a waterfall. If you pass two....no comment.
I saw the route, got nervous and this is what I do when I get nervous....and fuck no it is not an energy bar
Cristiano on pitch 1. Bring small gear and offsets to be less scared. Don't bring them to be more scared. 5.10
Why are there so many planes above the Yosemite NP all the time?
Aim for that flake, which is the gnar gnar
The granite is so so, the views are okkkaaayy 
Me about to get into fun under-clinging with cool footwork. The psyche is high!

Cris during the underclingathon
PPPSSSAAAAATTTT MOFFFUKKKAAAA
The following pitch is good and tough!
Me somewhere up there with good granite and a stance appropriate for a photo stop. Not many of those around.
Cris about to crank to the belay
Is there ever too much of this view?!

There is a nice view of Half Dome from the summit, but in the ideal world you know who will bring his power drill and make the line rapellable with a 70M rope from the top of pitch 6. WOOOT!
PASSSSSAAAAATTTTT

GO GET IT! Spring and Autumn is the best time to do this route as the cliff is south facing and warm!

Beta! https://www.mountainproject.com/v/unemployment-line/109152364

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