The North Face (5.11c, 9p) of The Rostrum is a quintessential Yosemite route. Every pitch is high quality and would be sought after individual classics were they at any crag, but stacked on top of each other they create a superb and memorable challenge. The climbing is secure, well protected, and physical. The Rostrum faces north and is a great shady spot in the summer heat.

I had sustained a minor tibial plateau fracture 15 days previous, when I unexpectedly came down hard on my leg while cleaning my gutters. I was willing to take the risk of worsening my fracture for the opportunity to climb The Rostum. The Rostrum North Face is a fantastic route. My knee was a bit achey that night, but after a rest day the next day it seemed no worse for the wear.

We lucked out and it was a quiet day on the Rostrum. Often there can be half a dozen parties all arriving at the same time and queing up to climb the route, but there was only us and one other party (a pair from Switzerland). We were first to start up. The Swiss team started out on our tails, but slowed down and eventually bailed off at the ledge above the third pitch. We relished having no pressure from above or below.

Nate led the entire route, free without a single hang, an impressive showing. I had to take two rests (just before the crux 10c bulge on Pitch 6 and the crux 11b reach on Pitch 8) and I aided the second half of the Pitch 7 "10a" offwidth in interest of my knee.

The following page gives time stats and pitch-by-pitch photos for the climb. Enjoy!

I climbed the Rostrum for the second time, about a year after my first go. This time we went as a team of three: the incredible Steve Su led the entire route while Nate and I toprope soloed in tandem. (This toprope soloing in tandem was somewhat of an experiment, but it seemed to work just fine.) Steve had been up the Rostrum at least eight times over the years, so he knew it well. We stashed our haul bag at the ledge three pitches up—something we hadn’t done on our previous ascent. It was a chilly start, but the day warmed up nicely. There were three parties on the route, and we were first in line.

I have to admit, I was horrified by my performance—scrappy at best. I’d climbed it much better the previous year, even with a fractured knee! I was still dealing with a pretty intense headache that I'd had ever since a rough lead fall earlier in the week on The Nose. I'll be taking it easy for a few days after this, seeing how compromised I still was. Still, it was a super fun day on an incredible route. I’d climb this one again and again.

Below are time stats and pitch-by-pitch photos.