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Writer's pictureZee van Zyl

Super Slide

Updated: May 30, 2021

By: Zee van Zyl


Steve gearing up for the climb

First climbed by Gene Drake and Rex Spaith in 1971, Super Slide is a 5 pitch (152m) 5.9 Trad climb in Yosemite valley.

My partner for the day was Steve. We had just met while I was having my morning coffee and we hit it off immediately. I was chatting to some climbers and mentioned that I was looking for a partner for the day, Steve walks up to the same climbers and says the same. We were introduced to each other and after a bit of a chat we decided on climbing Super Slide.


Early morning at Church Bowl

Located on the Royal Arches above the Awahanee hotel, this route can be climbed in 3-5 hours. As with most of the routes on this wall, the walk-in takes just a few minutes. We parked at the Church Bowl picnic area and walked over to the trailhead behind the hotel. After a minute we turned left and headed up the path that skirts the face and after a few more minutes we found the start of the climb.

We roped up and Steve started up the 5.2 corner and continued up toward the ledge at the top of the second pitch. A single 70m rope allowed him to link the first two pitches and in about an hour he was safely belayed to a tree. These pitches were a bit sandy and slightly country climbing.

I promptly joined him on the ledge and, rack in hand, started up the 3rd pitch. This was such good climbing. Clean rock with nice sized cracks running straight up the face. A few laybacks and a bunch of jamming up one crack and then another brought me to the bolted hanging belay anchors. Steve joined me and once again took over. Feeling fit, and up for the challenge, he again linked the next two pitches in perfect style. While getting slightly harder, these pitches were the best of the climb. I eventually joined him on the upper anchors after a final tricky finger crack made harder by the backpack trying to pull me off, and with whoops of joy, we celebrated a spectacular first climb together.


Final two pitches

Although we had only met that morning, we worked like a well-oiled machine in setting up the abseil ropes and sliding back to the ground in 4 quick rope lengths. Gear was packed, ropes were coiled and we took a lovely stroll back to the Church Tree picnic area where we sat at a table and decided that there was time for an encore.


To end the day, we headed off to climb Bishop's Terrace which is located above The Church Bowl. This is a 2 pitch 5.9 which Steve proceeded to climb, once again, in one pitch and with minimal effort. He belayed me up and I hit the ledge on top dripping with sweat as he nonchalantly congratulated me on a climb well done. I was well and truly done after that. The off-width below the crux sapped all I had left for the day.


Steve, chilling at Church Bowl

We slid down in two abseils and sauntered back to the cars in the dying light and agreed to meet in the same place the following morning to find another route we could do together.

It was a good day...

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