big wall rack.
shadow of el cap over the valley
Starting up p7 of Freeblast. Long way to go to the top!
view of middle cathedral from belay for roof pitch (p28)
Day 1. Clint starting up the Freeblast.
Clint on jumaring duty
Clint on lead, heading up to the Half Dollar
p7
Freeblast, p7. Where to go from here?
view of Middle
Jules and Clint at Heart Ledges around 6a. Trying to keep quiet to not waken the team sleeping below.
The reason for our delayed ETA. Two parties ahead of us. Dan in the red shirt leading – fast, has done Nose in a Day. Above, John and Jules at the top of p12 with their TWO haulbags.
Staring up El Cap. We’re getting up this thing...
Clint leading p12 off Heart.
p12, where Scotty’s jumaring let loose a block that injured a climber in a team below bivied for the Muir. Clint and I had met Boulos hauling gear to the base of the fixed lines when we were getting ready to jumar up to Heart Ledges the day before. Unfortunately, according to Tom Evans report, "one of those parties dragged their bags across the lung ledge and dislodged some rocks that fell 600feet and struck Bolous in the left shoulder piercing it deeply with a spike of rock... his partner was uninjured and they gave up on their attempt on the Muir and retreated to the hospital where stiches were required to close the wound... he is going to be ok but the strike was like being stabbed with a butcher knife.. very deep... back to CO... "
Chris leading up p16 and p17 up to base of the Ear. Nice 5.10 hand cracks. French free, no points for style. It's all about getting to the top, right? Above, Scotty at belay below Ear. Jules and John’s haulbags at top of ear.
Around 4:30a or 5a in the morning after an all-night climbing adventure. Top of p19, epic night pitch. I waited below the Ear to jumar up (nice job leading that bombay chimney in the dark, Clint!) because Scotty and Dan above hadn't left the belay. By the time I jumared up and was ready to go on lead for p19, it was about midnight. I aided through the night, ending up falling asleep at pieces. It was pretty rough. That's what we get for being behind two parties.
Arrived at the Alcove bivy at dawn, when John and Jules were blasting off. Clint and I took a 4-hour morning nap before moving up our bivy one pitch to the top of the ultra-classic bivy, El Cap Spire. Instead of trying to make it to the Block, we let John and Jules go ahead - not enough space on the ledge for all of us so Clint and I held back a day which was not so bad after our all-nighter.
Clint starting up chimney on p20
Clint climbing the pillar of light
Clint continuing up the chimney
Clint on top of El Cap Spire
Clint fixing p21 off El Cap Spire, the 11c tight hands/C1 to 5.9 offwidth
Looking down into the maw of El Cap from El Cap Spire at guys bivied at Heart Ledge.
Morning on El Cap Spire. Clint, you need a new shirt!
Eating peaches like Clint
Chris at El Cap Spire bivy, bored waiting for Clint to finish jumaring up
Chris at El Cap Spire bivy, looking at guys down at Heart
Chris starting up p23
Clint leading the Jungle Pitch, p24. It's truly jungle - lush, green, and WET. Water even came sprinkling down past moss. Felt very cool, tranquil, and zen.
Clint leading the Jungle Pitch, up near the roof, p24
Chris jumaring the Jungle Pitch, p24
Chris leading short p25 to the Block
Block accommodations, Chris. Random haulbag... not booty?!
Clint on lead p26
Clint fixing p26 from Block to Sous le Toit at sunset. You can see John and Jules' haulbag up high cut loose.
Morning water duty – Clint
Clint jumaring up from the Block in the morning.
Block Bivy, Chris waiting for Clint to finish jumaring
Chris on jumaring duty from the Block
Chris on lead, almost done with dihedral pitches (p27, p28)
Score! Clint and booty cam, #1BD
Chris at cold hanging belay underneath the roof pitch, p28
Clint aiding roof pitch, p28
Jumaring duty for top of roof pitch, p28
Prepping for lead, p30
Starting up the classic Salathe Headwall, p30
Leading p32 at sunset. Looking up the section of thin aid.
Long Ledge bivy, Clint in sleeping bag + my bivy
Long Ledge bivy, Clint and the ubiquitous can
Long Ledge bivy, morning. Green booty cord. Leading p32 in the dark the night before, this cord hung from nowhere. I pulled it and it came down a few inches. Made a few more moves. Looked at it puzzled. Pulled it a little more. It came down a few more inches. Made a few more moves, pulled it again. Thwack! The whole thing slithered down and whacked me on my helmet. Who knows where it came from?!
Leading 33. Trying to get into topsteps using hand jams on 10d crack
Top of 33 at belay with haulbag
Summit
