Hotline is an amazing climb that has been on my radar ever since some friends told me about the amazing hand crack on it (and according to some supertopo discussion, the best crack in Yosemite). With superlatives like that, it seemed like a no brainer! However, there are two issues: 1) the grade of 5.12 is not very friendly to the weekend 5.9 climber, and 2) the normal approach requires crossing the Merced river, which is only passable in October-November in usual years. Given it was October, and the river was very low, all the ingredients were there!

The first pitch is very fun, I aided the end of the 11+ crack/5.12 traverse and soon arrived at the belay underneath the amazing hand crack. Melissa enjoyed the first pitch as well, but also pulled on gear/aided the traverse (it is quite hard, and scary!) The hand crack was amazing.. no words can really describe it - briefly 0.75 camalots, then #1, #2 and eventually #3 for a little bit. Cracks don't get better than that in Yosemite. I linked the next two pitches as well (which was a bit exciting with a wide crack finish and my only #3 camalot far below), and rappelled from there (so we did not do the final pitch, for obvious reasons... 5.10d wide flare or 5.11d roof). :)

On Sunday we did Gripper (Arch Rock) in the morning and drove home, a great October weekend!

	Crossing the Merced on the way to Hotline		Hotline - the money pitch follows the gorgeous splitter right in the middle!

	The bushwhacking is over!	At the base of the first pitch	There are some scary loose blocks through there, care needed

	The roof above my head is super fun 5.10	Pulling over the roof

		Higher up, there are some hard moves to gain the bolt/optional belay	Resting at the optional belay

	Aiding mode		The amazing crack begins

	So stoked!!!	Cookie Cliff!	OMG!

			Nabisco Wall is crowded this weekend!

			Pitch 4

	Kind of awkward climbing, but fun	Pitch 4 fun	Then it gets easier for a while

	Looking down the awkward start of pitch 4	Nearing the end of pitch 4. It's a weird mantle on a spooky and huge detached block (hope it stays!)	Nearing the end of pitch 5 (we linked 4 & 5)

	Fun stemming affair at the end of pitch 5. The 5.8 fists at the end is exciting too	Rappelling Hotline	What a crack!

	Arch Rock	The start of Gripper	Starting Gripper

	In the awkward flare	Awkward as hell right there	Emerging from the chimney

	It gets easier from there even if it's technically the crux...	Done with the burly first pitch!

	The second pitch - 5.8 fists to start		My rope stacking job == art? :)

		Easy 5.8 traverse	Looking down pitch 2 corner

	Linking into the pitch 3 handcrack	Glorious hand jams	Looking down pitch 3 of Gripper - awesome!

		Highway 140 - RV's always pause here

	River side snacks