Mountaineering Expedition ‘Big Blue Wall ’, Yosemite NP, USA, September/October 2007
Oxford University Officer Training Corps
We set out on Expedition Big Blue Wall with the highly ambitious aim of getting our team of Officer Cadets up Yosemite National Park’s formidable big walls which consist of towering vertical routes usually requiring more than a day’s continuous climbing to conquer. This was an objective never previously attempted by any Oxford UOTC expedition. We started the trip with 3 instructors and 6 cadets, a ratio that allowed us to attempt three big walls – The Leaning Tower, the South Face of Washington Column, and Mt Watkins – with no more than 2 students climbing each route.
 'Cutting loose' on the wild overhangs of West Face of The Leaning Tower |
 After completing the Tyrolean traverse from the tip of lost arrow spire to the glacier rim |
 Settling in for the night at the Plush Sheraton Watkins bivvi ledges 9 pitches up the South Face of Mount Watkins |
During our first week in Yosemite as beginners, we had the chance to knock out a series of world-famous routes that less fortunate and more experienced climbers only dream about for months or years before actually attempting. In particular, "Snake Dyke" on Half Dome, a beautiful and remote route up a bizarre geological feature. Also the Central Pillar of Frenzy, a knuckle-shredding education in the arduous art of crack climbing that characterises the Yosemite Valley. And of course, the Tyrolean traverse from Lost Arrow Spire, a particularly unnerving manoeuvre as anyone who has seen the opening sequence of the film Cliffhanger will be acquainted with and as a result they would probably have silently vowed never to ever attempt anything as suicidal and stupid as rock climbing. Our preliminary climbs provided much-needed revision of techniques and systems, an also served to acclimatise us to the incredible exposure involved in climbing in Yosemite, where the brutally steep granite cliffs loom up to a kilometre above the valley floor. After less than a week, we made a start on our first big wall, "The Leaning Tower".
As first-time big wallers, we found that Leaning Tower offered a significantly greater challenge than the longest and highest routes we had ever done before. Although we were much too inexperienced to lead any of the pitches, following the leader on a big wall was no easy prospect and we found it physical very demanding. Attempting to ascend 30m of free-hanging rope for the first time is a test of patience and determination. Eventually desperation sets in whilst belaying in a sitting position in your harness with clouds blowing all around. We found that it required a special kind of fortitude to try to ignore the fact that it’s been at least an hour since any blood was able to get to your toes.
Much more memorable, though, were the mental demands of completing twelve pitches in two days on overhanging rock and trying to "sleeping" some four inches from a 400m drop. Also my roar of exhilaration the first time I cut loose from the rock face to swing way out over the void below and then the expression of concern on the face of my instructor when I reached the top of the pitch who assumed I had had some sort of severe mishap. But above all, there was a certain kind of exhilaration in knowing that there was no escape from the exposure, that progress meant going higher still, and that the only way to escape was up. For me, I had to get used to the experience of being outside my comfort zone for considerable periods whilst trying to concentrate on the technical work of climbing and gradually I became almost at home with nothing but space beneath my feet. That said, "topping out" and abseiling back onto flat ground still brought a feeling of both relief and elation!
Attempting the three big walls took the better part of two weeks, and those left on the ground during the big climbs took on less ambitious climbs, explored the spectacular sights of the valley and discovered the horrors of Habanero chilli sauce which we found to be more akin to a chemical weapon than a condiment!!!! Then it was back to San Francisco for some well-earned R&R, which included a very interesting trip to Alcatraz.
As a climbing expedition, Expedition Big Blue Wall was a fantastic chance to explore what many consider to be one of the top climbing locations on earth, and it allowed us to rapidly improve our skills and confidence. As adventurous training, it offered all of us an opportunity to confront and control fear over a prolonged period, in a physically demanding environment. We all found it an extremely valuable experience and we are very grateful to our instructors, to Oxford University OTC, and of course to the Ulysses Trust for the support they gave the expedition.
Officer Cadet Luke Wilson