This post will first give our Nose attempt by the numbers, then list 20 things we wish we had done differently and then a small list of things we were happy with.
By the numbers
- Dates: We started October 29th, 2026 aiming for a 5 day ascent but hoping it would be 4.
- Weather in the valley: it was cool, even cold in the evenings. Full on puffy & toque weather.
- Weather on the wall: Hot. Not a cloud in the sky. Being next to the granite felt like being in the desert.
- The team: myself, and Alex Potapov.
- The bags: one 140L haul bag, one 70L haul bag, and a yellow Metolius bag for our poo poo.
- Sleeping: each of us had a G7 portaledge and a sleeping bag.
- Water: 1 Gallon per person per day = 10 gallons = 37.85 Kilograms.
- Hauling: 1-to-1 with a microtraxion.
Lessons
Alex and I made this list as we basked in the regret of not having pushed through, so you know it’s genuine. I’ve ordered them roughly by importance, and arguably the last 10 are just complaints. The explanations that follow each point are added at the time of writing.
- Practiced setting up portaledges at a hanging belay.
- If you can easily set up the ledges at any pitch, you can sleep at any pitch. If you’re fast at it (in the dark, by headlamp) then you can get to sleep 20-30 minutes earlier.
- Have practiced lowering out more quickly. And/or determine where a lower out can be skipped in favour of letting ‘er rip.
- In all my studying I hadn’t come accross “lowering out” until the night before our attempt. It is possibly the #1 skill to learn for an ascent of The Nose.
- Space hauling.
- This is probably the #2 skill to know, after lowering out. 1-to-1 is way too exhausting and pulleys systems take a long time.
- Food more accessible. Possibly get that funny metolius backpack.
- This one was huge. You will be lazy because of the heat and waiting at belay stations but you need to eat frequently not to bonk. I wonder if anyone uses a trail running vest.
- Properly learn to rappel with the bags.
- I had a bit of a freak out on the way off, heavy haul bags are scary.
- An easily accessible sun shade in the bag.
- A High Mountain Gear Taco would work for this …
- A longer climbing window, possibly only bringing 3 days of water but food for 5 days.
- This point is a little risky but worth considering. So many people bail, you can fill up at Dolt and El cap tower.
- Do a Dolt run to get it dialed.
- If you have the time, this might make the difference between a 4 or 5 day ascent.
- Little baggy for hooks and nuts so they don’t snag.
- Phone more accessible, did not take enough photos.
- Any way to reduce friction over the edges when hauling ?
- Not sure honestly, but it would be nice.
- Hard to necessarily do something about this, but we were always behind another party.
- Coordinated use of locking carabiners for certain purposes, gear felt like it was all over the place.
- Do not give away your ascenders.
- This one was embarassing. I left my ascenders with Alex at the Stove Legs belay.
- Do pack the right number of #2 cams.
- I wasn’t certain enough about our swivel & haul bag rigging.
- Ideally a more compressible sleeping bag for Alex.
- Practice French Free, for e.g. the pitch after the Stoveleg Crack.
- Rigid case for my sunglasses.
- Rope protectors for the fixed ropes to Sickle Ledge. It’s just better for the ropes.
Stuff we did well
Not an exhaustive list I just don’t like tooting my own horn too much.
- Leave a Big Wall permit in your window to allow you to sleep in the RV in the park (?)
- Ropes were well chosen.
- Basically you definitely need a static 60 meter rope.
- Canned fish went a long way on Dolt tower.
- Pods worked well, better than Joni and David.
- Docking was dialed, square knots looking good. Munter Mule Overhand would probably still be faster.
- Alex’s traverse over pitches 5 and 6.
- Chilling with David and Joni.
- Make friends on the wall! It could save your ass.
- Sunglasses! I think it would have been rough on the face & eyes otherwise.
