tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24172630469667348192024-02-06T22:14:16.304-08:00Monkey BusinessAaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-8413674254242267032010-11-30T09:39:00.000-08:002010-11-30T12:19:35.190-08:00Nose Solo in a Day, 8/21/10<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RHJJbit8Y0oyJg86zcJZLxAgjwwwop1JQqk4WM3XvNvyyshoHmNrbDLHV7kmFwmzMxFFl3y_tEAalwEgHKNvKWF9zYFFhbhmIFP43wLb39nqMqBQP3Y-2SvTmeTHHVr1hf0tkdjDY4g/s1600/El_capitan_and_merced_river.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545399254137441842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RHJJbit8Y0oyJg86zcJZLxAgjwwwop1JQqk4WM3XvNvyyshoHmNrbDLHV7kmFwmzMxFFl3y_tEAalwEgHKNvKWF9zYFFhbhmIFP43wLb39nqMqBQP3Y-2SvTmeTHHVr1hf0tkdjDY4g/s400/El_capitan_and_merced_river.jpg" /></a> On August 21, I became the sixth person to solo the Nose of El Capitan in under 24 hrs. Rode the bike from camp 4 and stashed it in El Cap meadow. Roped up for the whole route minus the sickle ledge traverse. Ran into a team of 4 Koreans on the ledge, told them "don't touch me" as a nod to Potter in MoS V and put in an anchor when I reached their leader. This team of 4 would end up being rescued in the gray band's later that week, I'm glad they didn't touch me. Rope soloed the stove legs to Dolt where I took a break and drank tons of gatorade left by a team bailing earlier in the week. Took the Jardine traverse as I was roped up the whole time and would feel kinda dumb jugging the 5.6 from Dolt to the Boot Flake. I took another break at Camp IV and fueled up for the coming darkness. Linked the great roof into the triangle ledge after Pancake flake and rap cleaned the great roof so I could lower out it's whole distance while cleaning. Took a final break at Camp 5 as darkness fell. I could hear all my friends in the meadow cheering me on so I knew I couldn't stop now. I didn't even pause on Camp 6 because it is to tempting to sleep on that late in the game. Finally tagged the tree after 20:43 on the route! I was very happy and very tired on top. Staggered down the east ledges until reaching my bike in the meadow. I drank an IPA as the sun rose and had a very wobbly bike ride back to the lodge!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-91776798864630883492010-11-30T08:54:00.000-08:002010-11-30T09:21:31.958-08:00Cathedral Traverse, Solo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7_AiNkzttK3xYKMLq1Q30mmBBt2Ls-yuQItYwp4nxHsqkdI3lHkgdqCDzA15l4wnaYEpSBmvPHYIqqR4Jj-UhOTOW0NBy6XPqKkmgoQc_GBq7I6a6qWvCA8V4N1duOWurav9zQ2yiAo/s1600/SierraPeaks21cathedral.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 331px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545393195986048930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7_AiNkzttK3xYKMLq1Q30mmBBt2Ls-yuQItYwp4nxHsqkdI3lHkgdqCDzA15l4wnaYEpSBmvPHYIqqR4Jj-UhOTOW0NBy6XPqKkmgoQc_GBq7I6a6qWvCA8V4N1duOWurav9zQ2yiAo/s400/SierraPeaks21cathedral.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Tagged Cathedral Peak, Tressider, Columbia Finger, the Full Matthes Crest, 3 of the Echos, Cockscomb, and Unicorn Peak in 9 hrs CTC.</div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-1809407822570194012010-03-17T16:30:00.001-07:002010-03-17T16:57:35.810-07:00Post Patagonia Report<div><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449750457665660498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSr6DsdSerClR2DuLrrO6YPMTFoLwyf8YaMFX2Oz9bGuyWABYJ2hq0H4LPNhVcVc3iZJQnEecAIfkqIgsFJcffAJNPSWo215XA9kz6FtdeBRlNs-bp0pgSDUa6pbriPmhIdFLp17zW2O4/s400/CIMG3067.JPG" /> Our first stop on the trip was the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. We spent 3 days hiking loads into Campamento Torres at the head of the Ascencio Valley. Our main goal was the South African route on the MASSIVE east face of Torre Central. Unfortunately a heavy snow fall winter had formed a massive snow patch covering the intial pitches. Lesson learned-you have to be flexible in Patagonia! Hiked back around to the Silencio Valley for a free attempt on via delle mamma on the shorter but beautiful west face on Torre Central. This line is 20 pitches of SPLITTER cracks on a beautiful golden face. Unfortunately on our only weather window the bottom pitches were covered in rime ice and what should have been 5.6 was more like M-16! Hayden led these pitches in full Gasherbaum conditions, ice tools in hand and approach shoes! <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449753479212996146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgQf1kpdFP7DYOobirXFvMRI_YuTpm-dFepeBoPBWTPvXZzb3GsEuAY4MjrdwRKXUON8W08TYQ_Ok2hUqOknE8onSbPazcDoSc37FYpkbY5tLTgMQEQvLPC2GlmCJhUKOtJnlk-CslLM/s400/CIMG3071.JPG" />We also attempted Ultima Esperanza (V 5.11+) in full conditions! Alpine climbing constantly stresses the fact that it doesn't have to be fun to be fun!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449755449757254082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3WBcJAlz9ef4tCYv8xX35fhxchgexes0ycUtTTlt82I_8h3Wvbtz7jWPe_4sfvbiCtVNl8wkJQIxmhHuxmjKrBVDy-jKDm4s2iS0vYD9dGLQQMh9mZQyNjphGG5_DLpT5H_U1SWCo1I/s400/DSC00798.JPG" />We did send Torre Norte by the Monzino route. We ran up the mixed climbing to the col and summitted from there in 56 minutes. What an awesome route and a great day to be in Patagonia.<br /><div>(photos by Hayden Kennedy)</div></div></div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-86900280271693357322010-02-25T09:02:00.000-08:002010-02-25T09:05:41.539-08:00Colorado<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzYSSl3DjLCyAsj-3lTjIN8A29guPsPiN8wX-_Fd4myEW_rRVpKz0fzQCDBc2JhYmdjKrp5GBeEBDSwH6xKCy8lHU58GPRB4A5HEZgsY9Se0RtkrJfagaWEOt_eaUPMqt5pJo7YDO0xs/s1600-h/patagonia+244.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzYSSl3DjLCyAsj-3lTjIN8A29guPsPiN8wX-_Fd4myEW_rRVpKz0fzQCDBc2JhYmdjKrp5GBeEBDSwH6xKCy8lHU58GPRB4A5HEZgsY9Se0RtkrJfagaWEOt_eaUPMqt5pJo7YDO0xs/s400/patagonia+244.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442228180758115170" border="0" /></a>Spent 2 weeks in Colorado ice climbing with Hayden.<br /></div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-50079355558062087122009-11-28T16:54:00.000-08:002009-11-28T16:56:58.529-08:00LatestI've been kicking it in KY with the fam and climbing in the Red River Gorge for the past month. Now I'm headed to Colorado with Hayden to get our ice climb on! Then we are leaving December 14 for Patagonia, can't wait to wait around down there! Also got a new website in the works, let you know when I got it...Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-67243624323932016402009-11-28T16:45:00.000-08:002009-11-28T16:54:17.444-08:00Nose, 7:59 9/09<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjgsOmkL8ZIk6plZmimx3QSCr0Kpb414zPl8v69BQQxWAfPREf6UUSl0i7T1-uStuga-jFRsmumhcL840bQUrc1a_xSVYFKWqZrXzOkspn-yFiJ6MSw1T8xQ7QazLlX3NTKZvSUuAy5M/s1600/yostopo.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 370px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409322528358365570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjgsOmkL8ZIk6plZmimx3QSCr0Kpb414zPl8v69BQQxWAfPREf6UUSl0i7T1-uStuga-jFRsmumhcL840bQUrc1a_xSVYFKWqZrXzOkspn-yFiJ6MSw1T8xQ7QazLlX3NTKZvSUuAy5M/s400/yostopo.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Hayden and I took a couple days off and decided the logical thing to do next was trash our previous time of 12 hrs on the nose. We once again changed up our blocks to try a new strategy. As opposed to our 2 block strategy, we tried 4 blocks. hayden took us to dolt, I led to the boot, Hay-gro went to camp 5 and I took us to the top. This is a WAY BETTER strategy, the leader can leave more gear as we meet up more often and psyke levels remain higher as the blocks are shorter. We charged past the usual crowds down low super excited to be crushng el cap with a mini-rack, water and the shirts on our backs...actually I believe Hayden had no shirt on! We matched our previous record of 16 people passed but crushed our time and finished it in 7:59! Not much feels better than cruising El Cap and then hanging with your buddies bullshitting with daylight to spare!</div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-17464096125882065892009-11-28T16:04:00.000-08:002009-11-28T16:45:20.583-08:00Half Dome RNWF, 3:27, 9/09<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWeKUrxTsBpzsGescsw8DXDSjU4ymsKQRb1UQLCQ5MmMsfRwSpqt6GGx1DkTkjSbSn1kTAPaFvLSbAOYqgFUlt08te4FitNfdtshzCfCoM2CYMb-cVrzIknCLDFuwI1iG_K-r78QTUlY/s1600/nwface_halfdome.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 149px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409320203592518642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWeKUrxTsBpzsGescsw8DXDSjU4ymsKQRb1UQLCQ5MmMsfRwSpqt6GGx1DkTkjSbSn1kTAPaFvLSbAOYqgFUlt08te4FitNfdtshzCfCoM2CYMb-cVrzIknCLDFuwI1iG_K-r78QTUlY/s200/nwface_halfdome.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Hayden and I once again roped up together for the reg on Half Dome in Septmeber. We were shooting for a time of 3:30 or less. This time we switched blocks to try something new and I led the first 17 pitches while Hayden simuled under me. He led the last 7 or so pitches shortfixing but we soon realized our rope was about 25 m long, a little too short. We got hung up in the zig zags unable to lead after fixing the rope due to our short rope. Oh well, we still smoked the route in the 3:27. everything went smoothly and we were back at the lodge spraying to our friends before 3 pm!</div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-31106396989444446502009-11-28T15:06:00.000-08:002009-11-28T16:03:34.818-08:00Bugaboos, 8/09<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMH5Rr-y4OOv5W2XkYwbCyCamua3QQMsDRA8jP7BV1w6IGgbq-m6cAKTl-_OvXORIF1FvP5i1RHKknslYe2FSQYCNU0A-4by_V0HcWobbDiE_-dSoCpVHzXVDv-o7rmjIBAoKlSAxWp5Y/s1600/IMG_0356.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409308966340519634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMH5Rr-y4OOv5W2XkYwbCyCamua3QQMsDRA8jP7BV1w6IGgbq-m6cAKTl-_OvXORIF1FvP5i1RHKknslYe2FSQYCNU0A-4by_V0HcWobbDiE_-dSoCpVHzXVDv-o7rmjIBAoKlSAxWp5Y/s200/IMG_0356.JPG" /></a><br /><div>After attending the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in Salt Lake City, I traveled to Canada's beautiful Bugaboos Provincial Park for the whole month of August. I managed to convince my bro Dave Turner to come along at the last second as I passed by his house in Sacramento. We flew into Calgary and were met by our friend Nathan who was giving us a ride to the park. He was also along to document some of our climbing for a film he is making about bold climbing.</div><br /><div>We were surprised at how heinous the hike to Applebea Campground, especially with the 100+ lb loads we were both carrying. After the initial carry we only had to get 2 more loads from the car. Those were a little lighter! We then proceeded to post up in camp for the rest of the month.</div><br /><div>The weather in the park is rumored to be horrible, also called the Poor Man's Patagonia. Much to our suprise it was super hot, almost 100 F when we arrived.</div><br /><div>For this trip I was awarded a Mountain Fellowship grant from the American Alpine Club. These guys rock and are doing their best to put young aspiring alpinists such as myself in the mountains to gain experience. I strongly encourage you all to join the AAC not only for their grant program but because they are an awesome organization worthy of your support. I wrote a piece for their website about my Bugaboo trip, check it out...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.americanalpineclub.org/tr/alpineapprenticeshipinthebugaboos">http://www.americanalpineclub.org/tr/alpineapprenticeshipinthebugaboos</a></div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-49322879013636720962009-11-28T14:29:00.000-08:002009-11-28T15:06:11.368-08:00El Cap/ Half Dome link up, 6/09After a few more runs up the RNWF of Half Dome and the Nose on El Cap, I felt ready to go for the linkup in June. Only problem was I didn't have a partner!<br />Luckily the most psyked climber on the planet showed up in the valley fresh outta high school. Hayden Kennedy is an awesome partner. Always happy and motivated no matter the circumstances, crucial given how much suffering is involved in the linkup!<br />We started out at the base of Half Dome in the wee hours of the morning and started out simuling all the way to big sandy ledge, 17 pitches up. In these pitches Hayden placed one cam and often we were climbing, tied together, with no gear between us. Trust in your partner is of utmost importance when climbing in this style. We switched leaders at big sandy and I took over to the top, short fixing as I went. We climbed the route in 3:40 and brought 6 cams, 6 stoppers and 28 quickdraws and no water.<br />We ran down, running into Ben Van Der Klooster at the base of the cables, and kept running barefoot to the base of the route collecting our shoes and water. We motored down the slabs to our waiting bikes at mirror lake. We rode over to curry parking and Hayden's car to slam a sandwich and more water. We jammed over to el cap meadow listening to Andre Nicatina's "baddest bitches on the planet" and met Hayden's teachers and Spaz. They had lodge burritos for us but we declined as the same food derailed an attempt the year prior.<br />We started up a very crowded nose and began passing people on the first pitch. All told we passed 16 people on this route alone!!! Hayden led the first block to camp 4 super fast. We took a quick break here and I took over the lead. Almost instantly I got hit with the worst cramps I've ever experienced. As bad as mine were, they paled in comparison with Hayden's cramps. His stomach kept balling up and forcing him to scream and try to bend backwards to cure it. Gnarly and pretty scary 20 pitches up a wall! We topped out in the dark for a nose time of about 12 hrs. And a total time of 19 hrs from the base of HD to the summy of El Cap. What a day!!!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-28059151673451885512009-11-28T14:10:00.000-08:002009-11-28T14:28:53.033-08:00Mescalito, Solo, 5/09<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lzdgWFB4zFhUKbk16xnKLHczCDh3n0vqj152t7laj0mLVWhSxkExI713dgGhMDYxIYi56xclodcBbSPO8zlOtPoiV9SooBRq3k909WBJ7P2ukGutp9RyP_8kRC-5vkun3HjPyu074Uc/s1600/IMG_0309.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409284552258595666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lzdgWFB4zFhUKbk16xnKLHczCDh3n0vqj152t7laj0mLVWhSxkExI713dgGhMDYxIYi56xclodcBbSPO8zlOtPoiV9SooBRq3k909WBJ7P2ukGutp9RyP_8kRC-5vkun3HjPyu074Uc/s200/IMG_0309.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFniheT6jDP024PyOYVVGKbTOKl6bIUPz4SDbGsGJ5uodETX88i_Dlpuo0BwFyN4yBzcVaMoXPruZbk4Vl-zYkgc3Wf2ibwdh2GAUSDVlqa2jCL3cVCCLoqFpwOJhqWKrYfnMbUvZ_tQ/s1600/IMG_0300.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409281213035649666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFniheT6jDP024PyOYVVGKbTOKl6bIUPz4SDbGsGJ5uodETX88i_Dlpuo0BwFyN4yBzcVaMoXPruZbk4Vl-zYkgc3Wf2ibwdh2GAUSDVlqa2jCL3cVCCLoqFpwOJhqWKrYfnMbUvZ_tQ/s200/IMG_0300.JPG" /></a> So after 30 or so ascents of El Cap, I finally climbed Mescalito this spring. True to my style of making life hard on myself I blasted in a spring storm...Stupid idea! I spent four days in the ledge getting wet. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I positioned my portaledge in a watercourse. I managed to fix a few pitches off the ledge further committing myself to my soggy prison. After calling my cousin Matt in the meadow I decided to bail from pitch 5 to the ground as my 3 ropes would reach the ground, so I could return to my highpoint.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I came back a few days later and blasted for real this time. I spent 6 days on the wall and had a blast. Sick exposure, easy hauling, and awesome pitches make this a great wall. Some days I only climbed one pitch and just lounged in the ledge taking it all in while listening to gangsta rap. Other days I really motored and one day did 8 pitches, I went from below the molar to the bismark! On the bismark ledge about 20 pitches up I found a black stuff sack and some water. I definitely didn't need the water but the bottle of tequila and margarita mix was a welcome refreshment! After staying up and enjoying the margaritas I passed out on what may be one of El Cap's finest ledges. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>When I topped out I was greeted by Althea and her empty pack ready to be filled with my wall gear. What a great friend! After hiiking down the East ledges I was greeted by Matt and spent the night watching the moonlight travel across the wall from El Cap meadow.<br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJ5gyaF3hyphenhyphenk5U0LiJv11peoBi-HGaazrpDcGkOmlojDysEUaRzhzpIF_K9nCZP1nLyRlqRuQqsBg-dK3ZyfEAqfD7VNjw_1SjDZK5J75fadFHuVDmFnchCg_2VIlRTF9GvzdwxFI_Wfs/s1600/IMG_0298.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409280741485231666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJ5gyaF3hyphenhyphenk5U0LiJv11peoBi-HGaazrpDcGkOmlojDysEUaRzhzpIF_K9nCZP1nLyRlqRuQqsBg-dK3ZyfEAqfD7VNjw_1SjDZK5J75fadFHuVDmFnchCg_2VIlRTF9GvzdwxFI_Wfs/s320/IMG_0298.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-38437221439003592162009-04-17T11:25:00.000-07:002009-04-17T11:28:28.317-07:00leaning tower 4/16/09<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRHWiNx_LQiX9mb029b9Y3EeoW4WUenlQfq67zqC1d0Vi9fca7HlhshsHQRHemwCMJ6LlRy2Sm_7Bire9Tol_5jG_O7IRT5-VuA4iKMUk28juyRqD20yp74-hCrbhCChb12erTp3Ssfg/s1600-h/patagonia+184.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325728926068684322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRHWiNx_LQiX9mb029b9Y3EeoW4WUenlQfq67zqC1d0Vi9fca7HlhshsHQRHemwCMJ6LlRy2Sm_7Bire9Tol_5jG_O7IRT5-VuA4iKMUk28juyRqD20yp74-hCrbhCChb12erTp3Ssfg/s320/patagonia+184.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Back in the Valley! Matt and I did the west face of leaning tower in about 7 hrs. Sweet weather and ice fall all over!</div><br /><div></div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-6822087165605615952009-03-06T10:13:00.000-08:002009-03-06T10:21:22.527-08:00South tower attempt<br /> It seems that climbing failures turn out to be better stories than successful ascents. When it all goes right the story just goes “we came, we climbed, we conquered.” The great climbing tale told around a campfire is always punctuated by “and when we thought it couldn’t get any worse” or a drawn out “and then…” While I would rather tell a story about my successful ascent of Torre Sur all I’ve got to work with is a tale of near success and near disaster.<br />I left the tent at 6 am in a light rain. Fortunately I had a freshly charged Ipod battery to get me along the moraine to the start of the route and keep my psyche levels high. I ran into Lori and Ivo along the way and they informed me a Chilean team was just ahead of me. I picked up the pace and rapped 2pac even louder to let them know I was coming. Just below the couloir I spotted 2 figures slowly picking their way up the icy slabs about 30 minutes in front of me. After stopping to fill my water bottle in an icy stream of run-off I put on my crampons and headed up the snow towards the base of the route. Luckily I had turned off the rap music as the team ahead of me was trundling all sorts of rock as they entered the loose section above me.<br /> Upon reaching them I was ready to convince them I would climb faster than them and therefore should go first. This wasn’t necessary as one of the climbers still had black skin on his fingertips from frostbite resulting from a recent climb of the north tower and they didn’t want to climb. We consulted Nico’s Suunto watch which read the temps at 0’ Celsius and just before 9 am.<br /> We all inspected the icy run-out first pitch as they tried to convince me to bail. I considered asking them to spot me as I free soloed the first pitch but decided against as I wanted to be alone, plus does that really count as soloing? So I nervously smoked a cigarette while they packed their bags and headed off down the couloir. They were nice enough to leave me a snickers bar and a juice drink mix packet which greatly increased the quality of my rations.<br /> I started free soloing the first 5.10 pitch once they were out of sight. About 25 ft up my feet skated on icy rock and left me hanging on a crumbly flake looking at a bad ground fall. Sufficiently scared I down climbed to my pack and thought my options over. I had noticed a possible variation 10 meters to the left on an earlier recon and decided to give it a go. I hastily built an anchor off the one pin and only anchor piece available at the base and started up protectable 5.10 stemming. I reached a loose flaky roof which I French freed on cams until reaching a pin at the lip. From here I penjied into the upper section of the run-out 5.10 pitch I originally backed off of, at least this time I felt I wouldn’t hit the ground if I slipped on icy rock again.<br /> This brought me to ledgy traversing and the first anchor. After rapping and jugging, I again traversed along a snowy ledge for 15 meters to an ugly choss chimney full of hanging death flakes capped by a roof of the same composure. I tossed MANY flakes out of the way and prayed no one was in the couloir below. The climbing quality more or less matched the rock quality and I was glad to put this pitch behind me.<br /> The next several pitches were rated 5.10+ and weren’t a whole lot better than the choss chimney and for full Patagonia value were running with water. The gray rock on Torre Sur sucks and I looked forward to the bomber red granite higher up. The only thing was that I couldn’t see it; it was snowing so hard I couldn’t see the surrounding peaks or the ground I desperately longed for.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59AH6JifSDmNv33KTJw9ySaXMKAW-_9YSysRT4ppb-vs0JCUaoPyWuvnDOBfd42MgrmBiri0l4CwOTbpRojdGpXGwk_vnlYv0UWNFHu4lRywHSp_7rRNM4ZvJGDJDLAPEJfHM1HoHDP4/s1600-h/patagonia+135.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310140787807777266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59AH6JifSDmNv33KTJw9ySaXMKAW-_9YSysRT4ppb-vs0JCUaoPyWuvnDOBfd42MgrmBiri0l4CwOTbpRojdGpXGwk_vnlYv0UWNFHu4lRywHSp_7rRNM4ZvJGDJDLAPEJfHM1HoHDP4/s320/patagonia+135.jpg" border="0" /></a> The route is broken up midway by a talus filled slab, easy to climb or walk really as it is interspersed with only a few vertical sections of 5.6 which I easily free soloed. Just below the beautiful orange summit ridge I stopped for a lunch and music break. I enjoyed a salami and cheese sandwich while taking in the sights of the freshly snow dusted faces of Fortaleza, Escudo and Torre Central and bumped my favorite techno mix. Luckily by now the snow had stopped and only given the route a light dusting or so it seemed.<br /> Once I gained the terraced ridge I was surprised to find snow plastered rock and icy cracks. I plowed on ahead roping up for 5.8-9 climbing I had intended to free solo. After several pitches I stopped to drink from an icy puddle and got out the Motorola radio for an 8 pm radio check. Much to my surprise I got a hold of my bro D-Tweazy over in the French valley who I hadn’t spoken to in 2 months despite being just one valley away. He informed me a thick cloud was coming my way and the snow was picking back up on the south side of Torre Sur. I saw the approaching cloud and decided to pick up the pace to race the weather for the top.<br /> Soon I was getting more than a dusting, at dark I was in a full on Patagonia whiteout that totally drowned out my LED headlamp. I got lost and then stopped cold by snowy rock only 100 meters from the summit, and then it got kind of epic. Forced to bail so close to the top was a heartbreaker. On the way down I couldn’t find any rap anchors in the whiteout. I couldn’t see more than 10 feet in any direction and the rapidly accumulating snow had buried the anchors I used just hours before. I was forced to build my own anchors with my meager nut rack although by now I was very willing to leave my cam rack as well if need be.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYIZ9_Y7o136FPxpt2MgseyQPXJNvvg315MZw0m9Uega13ib_CcyHW9d17Lql_Vv6qNcDFJfoU8SiFQFjO-pvdVq8mEQiB-7hV5uB6ySn7xeaEM4tPgnjo5fqGWKmdxG4vKLIfYyqNTI/s1600-h/patagonia+137.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310140782531870130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYIZ9_Y7o136FPxpt2MgseyQPXJNvvg315MZw0m9Uega13ib_CcyHW9d17Lql_Vv6qNcDFJfoU8SiFQFjO-pvdVq8mEQiB-7hV5uB6ySn7xeaEM4tPgnjo5fqGWKmdxG4vKLIfYyqNTI/s320/patagonia+137.jpg" border="0" /></a> I rapped off route for about 150 meters, once I saw a familiar piton with yellow tat I decided to stop until I could see where I was going. I hunkered in for a long cold night as best I could with my ultra-light kit. I pulled the foam out of my near empty pack and settled in on that and the free end of the rope. Then I put on my thinly insulated jacket and put my wet feet in the pack. I had neglected to bring my stove in a weight slashing fury earlier thinking I would run up the route in daylight. Instead of a warm water bottle for the night I settled for a chemical hand warmer down the shirt. I had no food or water left but still had Ipod life and settled in with 2pac for a snowy night.<br /> As I sat there in the snow and wind unable to see anything I shivered as much from fear as the cold. My feet were wooden and my hands soaking wet and slow to respond in my fingerless wool gloves. I alternately rubbed my hands and feet to avoid a fate similar to the Chilean at the base suffering from frostbite earned in a similar Patagonian storm. I sang myself hoarse and set my headlamp on strobe to let my friends know where I was and that I wasn’t moving for the night. As I sat there shivering 6” of snow accumulated around me adding to my discomfort. The quote “sometimes fast and light turns out to be frozen and fucked” started to settle into my head.<br /> After 5 hours of fearful shivering the storm broke, followed shortly by daybreak. Much to my surprise I had bivied a mere 10 meters from a one bolt anchor with only a shred of blue tat exposed from the fresh snow. I pulled the rap from above that was my anchor for the night and packed my gear as quickly as my pruney, wooden fingers would allow. I down climbed sketchy snow filled flakes to the anchor and felt relieved to be back on route but knew much lay between me and the relative security of my tent on the moraine.<br /> Now the rock was slicker than snot on a pig snout (sorry I read lonesome dove in the tent and it appears to have made an impression) and I slipped and slid around in my well worn and frozen approach shoes. I scavenged what rap material I could on the way down in case I needed to build more of my own anchors again. I arrived back at the talus slab before the shoulder without much incident. On the way up I could walk most of the slab but was now forced to rap low angle rock for fear of slipping on the icy slab off the 1000’ shoulder to the couloirs below. Near the lip of a snowy 5.6 section I built an anchor by threading cord between two large flakes. I kicked the hell out of them to test their integrity before deeming it a bomber anchor. 10 meters into the rap the anchor blew and I was airborne. I launched over the 5.6 flakes and hit a slab 10 meters below finally sliding to a halt by grabbing a boulder perched on the slab. Horrified by what had just happened I frantically checked my body to make sure I was okay. Luckily I had landed on my back and my pack softened the blow but I was shook up none the less. I built a STURDY stopper anchor near my landing zone and got back to rapping the vertical choss that had begun this epic adventure.<br /> Aside from having to re-climb several pitches to free stuck ropes the rest of the raps were uneventful. As I reached the waterfalls encountered earlier I was shivering violently and my hand warmer was soaked and worthless. The rope further soaked me as the rap device squeezed water out as I descended and my hands were burning from being wet and cold for so long. Upon reaching the ground I let out a huge monkey call, OOOAAAH, and received no response from the silent valley below. I hurriedly threw my kit in the pack and coiled the now soaking rope and retrieved my stashed crampons for the descent. Exhausted I stumbled down the loose talus and was relieved to reach the snow so I could sit on my ass and slide down to level ground.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPR9ThakoXCNynwvTF-Yp_BtGp0w28LaRnJ_hcGQwek5Pd707ZquHeY9YTvTsWFn3bkQzaHyS2gnUamhK63rM035WAbgrg2qo1vLTuz8jsT-wzW2AWXKqmtHn9NNTaeCFrp1TTRCHa_M/s1600-h/patagonia+141.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310140775575318738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPR9ThakoXCNynwvTF-Yp_BtGp0w28LaRnJ_hcGQwek5Pd707ZquHeY9YTvTsWFn3bkQzaHyS2gnUamhK63rM035WAbgrg2qo1vLTuz8jsT-wzW2AWXKqmtHn9NNTaeCFrp1TTRCHa_M/s320/patagonia+141.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Back on the moraine I was greeted by Ivo and Lori fresh off a successful ascent of the Monzino on Torre Norte. They fed me hot soup and chocolate and rehydrated me with a full thermos of mate. Feeling re-energized I told them my epic story but left out the rap anchor blowing, they later said that was stoic but I was just embarrassed at my gumbyness. After the abridged story I staggered off down the moraine towards my cave home.<br /> Nearing the tent I saw a figure rushing across the snow towards me. Confused I raised my arm to wave and realized it was my good friend Althea running towards me. She was wearing a full pack and looked me over to make sure I was okay before admitting she was on her way to look for me with a large first aid kit due to my prolonged absence. I told her I would return in the night when we spoke on the radio at 10 pm and I was now a full 12 hours late. It is truly wonderful to have friends such as this in an unforgiving climbing area such as Chilean Patagonia.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjIfhh7AiWm9PtNTlpNq-MIZ4kTClEbx_qPaXL4x4gj-NQSqFYQ32NV6jXOnHw_IL5607tjMKbpEXUZdP3Xa8VMa6x4EvBGLuVYYR1mbz5JBOxmSt5tGc5AaKFFhjdi1miL54be1FUQIE/s1600-h/patagonia+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310140769562113938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjIfhh7AiWm9PtNTlpNq-MIZ4kTClEbx_qPaXL4x4gj-NQSqFYQ32NV6jXOnHw_IL5607tjMKbpEXUZdP3Xa8VMa6x4EvBGLuVYYR1mbz5JBOxmSt5tGc5AaKFFhjdi1miL54be1FUQIE/s320/patagonia+007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-81122141673068085722009-03-06T10:08:00.000-08:002009-03-06T10:13:33.658-08:00Central Tower soloCentral Tower<br /><br /> After the seemingly requisite botched attempt on the Boninngton-Whillans route on Torre Central on New Year’s Eve, we had 10 days of typically shitty Patagonian weather. Winds capable of knocking you off your feet and an impenetrable armor of rime ice on the Torres kept the residents of Campamento Japones pacing endlessly around or ghetto nylon tarp village, drinking mate by the gallon and obsessing over every small rise and fall of the barometer.<br /> Finally on January 10 we got a promising two day weather window reported for the 11/12 from the local meteorologists in Puerto Natales (actually rock starved climbers scanning NOAA and navy weather sites on the net at the Erratic Rock hostel.) So I went through the familiar hiking ritual up into the Val de Silencio and up the large talus slope to the Boninngton platform below Torre Norte. Little to my surprise but much to my disappointment the Torres had a white shimmer to them indicating rimy conditions higher up. So at the platform I cranked the gangster rap on my Ipod and attempted to use my mind to melt the ice while I waited for nightfall.<br /> After the same damn pasta dinner I’ve eaten for the past 2 months I crawled into my bivy sack for a few fitful hours of intermittent sleep. At 3 am I awoke to my alarm and a cloudless sky punctuated by a full moon over Fortaleza and Escudo, a great sign! I slammed no-es-café and shoveled plain oatmeal into my mouth before monkey calling to my sleeping friends who were going for a late morning start.<br /> I arrived at the start of the couloir rock approach at 5:30 am. I free soloed a few of the now familiar pitches before confronting with the same icy conditions I faced on my last attempt. What had taken me 1 hour to free solo in good conditions again took me 5 hours in icy mixed conditions roped up. I scrapped my way up to the Col Bich alternating between brushing snow off holds and smashing ice out of the cracks using a quickdraw.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQfkZh_TW_E7P7ymkp-uOopb3A2Z4IvecCBjWCBco9V3hgBe410SbqhYIr6UIGHbvrTAU-5CKGsxhoqe5S6jw8o9L3wsfalXSfE13hFmV3lp1ff9CmlFt0gdHQRMe6rlfMEVNN1yIlkQ/s1600-h/patagonia+102.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310138875207036690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQfkZh_TW_E7P7ymkp-uOopb3A2Z4IvecCBjWCBco9V3hgBe410SbqhYIr6UIGHbvrTAU-5CKGsxhoqe5S6jw8o9L3wsfalXSfE13hFmV3lp1ff9CmlFt0gdHQRMe6rlfMEVNN1yIlkQ/s320/patagonia+102.jpg" border="0" /></a> After my personal crux of reaching the col, I took a nice soup and tea break at the same spot I open-bivied on New Year’s to get psyched for the route. By now it was 11 am and there was plenty of ice fall as the route started to get sun. I took that as a sign to get going! I felt very comfortable on the first 2 70 meter pitches as I had climbed them just 10 days prior before getting turned back in a storm. Although on the third pitch an icy layback almost sent me onto a ledge but I managed to reverse my moves and do an intricate face climbing sequence in guide tennis to access the traverse that leads into the beautiful red dihedral that is the jewel of the route.<br /> Upon reaching the money pitch I was less than enthused to have to chop out each and every piton from underneath 2 inches of ice using a locking biner as brass knuckles, by now I was leaving a well marked trail of blood up the route. On this pitch all the ice fall was funneled right onto my dome piece and prevented me from looking up at the upcoming climbing. By now the pitches were running with water and I was soaked. The climbing was easy A1 but I took a fall when my superlight aider broke a step and undaised I fell bruising my hip when I penjied into a corner and the mini-trax on my harness took the blow.<br /> I took a break on the next ledge to try and warm up with more tea and soup. That was cut short by ice fall and my now violent shivering. I started out on the next pitch and heard a pair of monkey calls from the col and saw my friends Jean and Lori in the couloir. They left me with “the monkey’s always send!” a trademark quote of our good friend Ivo. I climbed the next traverse with psyched up monkey calls echoing from below.<br /> Thanks to my 70 meter rope stretcher pitches I ended up at a jingus belay in loose blocks 5 meters from a bolt anchor and a nice ledge. The following pitch was an icy chimney that rained ice on me from above. This pitch ends at the bivy ledge labeled pitch 14 on my topo. With the approaching night and cold I knew I didn’t want to bivy out and I dropped the pack and grabbed the summit kit, the camera and a caffeine gu packet.<br /> I free soloed snowy 5.7 until the ice filled cracks necessitated a belay and built a cam anchor about 100 meters below the summit ridge. Blocky climbing led to an icy roof sporting fixed pins followed by another icy layback up a 4” crack; I slipped and slithered my way up from there.<br /> Finally on the summit ridge I traversed more blocky terrain over towards the summit proper. I scrapped my way to the top for a few self-portraits in the dark and a gu packet that had exploded in my pocket. Satisfied and thoroughly cold, I rapped in the dark back to my pack and a few extra layers and the highlight of the night, fresh socks!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTmr5R7iOHkyRlg4eza4OObHRlDnfELqJgjvNm7z-DXdBZ1_z0KgqkdHkMTx4wp_p77ZEbla-6i9I7BTj_nLh6zOtbQIB_OPXA7IT60ZpR6W3U7kelkZY6BKHQaA4PMD8YPQ1CspigR8/s1600-h/patagonia+107.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310138871263088274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTmr5R7iOHkyRlg4eza4OObHRlDnfELqJgjvNm7z-DXdBZ1_z0KgqkdHkMTx4wp_p77ZEbla-6i9I7BTj_nLh6zOtbQIB_OPXA7IT60ZpR6W3U7kelkZY6BKHQaA4PMD8YPQ1CspigR8/s320/patagonia+107.jpg" border="0" /></a> On the way down I replaced almost all the anchor tat with fresh 6mm cord as the Patagonian winter had ravaged the old tat. Not far below the bivy ledge I got the rope stuck and no amount of swearing and pulling would free it. I re-climbed to retrieve the rope and then down climbed to prevent a repeat. Not long after that the rope got stuck again on a long traversing pitch. I clipped the pack off to a pin and again re-climbed the pitch to free the rope. This time I built a stopper anchor to avoid down climbing the traverse in the dark and by now I was pretty tired.<br /> More 30 meter raps brought me one pitch away from the col where once again the rope got stuck, by now I was furious. I cursed Patagonia, the Central Tower, Boninngton and all sorts of other irrelevant shit. I pulled and hauled all the stretch out of the rope from below to no avail. I re-climbed a 5.10 A1 pitch to free 2” of rope stuck in a flake, totally over it I rapped off a single pin to get back to my gear and the final rap to the col.<br /> I arrived at the small ledge at the start of the route at 5 am totally spent. I curled up into the fetal position and felt a wave of relief sweep over me realizing I was almost done. A few more short raps down the couloirs led me back to the talus and my friends waiting tent.<br /> I was greeted by big smiles and handfuls of mate and chocolate to celebrate my climb. After many photos of my battered hands and a belly full of candy and cookies, I passed out in the beautiful sunshine under a clear blue Patagonia sky. I got wicked sunburn but I didn’t really care as I had been so cold and wet only hours before.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaF8VcmVnMMzOkgOpQSGbLbEq6EiuzCmF2Mtn9ipiKyvF45fUVvj6XTnqHO7wSI_rkdwGoDGh2nHA1UnHhz4hrAkkD4NAGZn_rlGKy6X_DXlDtzLQR5TkSJp6iPgwIqZ_M4aufWu2kjoQ/s1600-h/patagonia+110.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310138869877854562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaF8VcmVnMMzOkgOpQSGbLbEq6EiuzCmF2Mtn9ipiKyvF45fUVvj6XTnqHO7wSI_rkdwGoDGh2nHA1UnHhz4hrAkkD4NAGZn_rlGKy6X_DXlDtzLQR5TkSJp6iPgwIqZ_M4aufWu2kjoQ/s320/patagonia+110.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-43940173071428101102009-03-06T09:54:00.000-08:002009-03-06T10:05:42.712-08:00<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtgPYqu8RcAblNlhNU2TkzbMB2_KSkIdzI5X8HFMpsjVvu12pY1pA828T4QB_NsU575M1sqBqGSM8G6QI50kcMxaYncgSgYXfPERqrGcCatHoG14NV3R7G_r1RXd3vE2dqYs6M03_loo/s1600-h/patagonia+086.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310135314998555922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtgPYqu8RcAblNlhNU2TkzbMB2_KSkIdzI5X8HFMpsjVvu12pY1pA828T4QB_NsU575M1sqBqGSM8G6QI50kcMxaYncgSgYXfPERqrGcCatHoG14NV3R7G_r1RXd3vE2dqYs6M03_loo/s320/patagonia+086.jpg" border="0" /></a> Torre Central attempt, New Years Eve<br /> Alpinism is hard. You have to wake up early, the approach is always long, ice hurts when it hits you in the face and it is hard to tell if you are shivering from the snow melt waterfall drenching you or if you are just shaking in fear.<br /> My first attempt on the Central tower ended poorly, hell it started poorly. The approach couloirs shared between the North and Central Torres had previously taken me 1 hour to free solo in good conditions. After weeks of storms it was now coated in thin ice and snow filled cracks. Fearing a fatal slip I proceeded to rope up for what had been 5.6 rock climbing weeks earlier but now probably warranted some m grade that is lost on me. Six hours later I arrived at the Col Bich around midnight. I then prepared for an open bivy by putting my feet in the pack, cinching my hood tighter and throwing a chemical hand warmer down my shirt. I’ve had a lot of open bivies and this one wasn’t much different except for the incessant wind whipping thru the col, between that and the cold I didn’t sleep a wink. The skies were promising and I spent the next few sleepless hours shivering while I watched the starry sky.<br /> At dawn the clouds came in thick and the wind picked up but after the open bivy I had just endured I decided to go for it anyway. I had suffered too much to quit now. As I repacked my bag I was disturbed that the camelback had frozen solid during the night. I accidentally bit the bite valve off in a failed attempt to get a drink. I chased a gu packet with a handful of snow and called it breakfast.<br /> The first pitch was great! Splitter cracks and funky face climbing led me 60+ meters to a nice ledge and pin belay. By now the wind was wicked and the route was covered in ice. The cracks were ice filled when I started but now the windblown rain was freezing everything. Gri-gri’s just love wet and frozen ropes which made for an interesting rappel down to my last anchor.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiWrg51w3zN5SI6Wp4447i5IpDFv1MfaLZ0ce3zRs-pjWGGgELdZjoQ7nbOaU5DgRv_OO1uB561hO0XVJwgh_kARrUtpKSOjKUI-jF60Sh_xww8PjwlZF_zCjmXHVHKTfS3kcaSlh3dI/s1600-h/patagonia+085.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310135306332491218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiWrg51w3zN5SI6Wp4447i5IpDFv1MfaLZ0ce3zRs-pjWGGgELdZjoQ7nbOaU5DgRv_OO1uB561hO0XVJwgh_kARrUtpKSOjKUI-jF60Sh_xww8PjwlZF_zCjmXHVHKTfS3kcaSlh3dI/s320/patagonia+085.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vBG_qK07PQ16GUcbvCR3xfZipxyACvpjB1_GOEVcvdsm-dNqngSwi-Pxq4EqoqR0cHkHhc5v1qJYl0SE8Jd0636L1YKLYzMJhaijTREmpd7rnBXzvWTQCfgBYdpBjl3XnUOZEHhhHUk/s1600-h/patagonia+084.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310135303065522658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vBG_qK07PQ16GUcbvCR3xfZipxyACvpjB1_GOEVcvdsm-dNqngSwi-Pxq4EqoqR0cHkHhc5v1qJYl0SE8Jd0636L1YKLYzMJhaijTREmpd7rnBXzvWTQCfgBYdpBjl3XnUOZEHhhHUk/s320/patagonia+084.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /> The next pitch was of the same quality, awesome rock climbing but the frozen rope was beginning to concern me. My 9.5 mm rope is a little small for the gri-gri anyway and I started to doubt its ability to catch a fall. Not to mention that after 12 hours without water I was getting some gnarly cramps in my hands. Several times while laybacking my thumbs refused to move open and I was forced to hang on a cam and manually open them with my other hand. After the second 70 m pitch I said fuck it and began my descent screaming obscenities into the wind.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVE6NvMYxArVr_rtqHZiMqEU2nHmpqu9ZEGPgb8VQofTUpqi8Qex3S3d7z3cyyLh6KMF3j24l0JSIGa1eE5fxEzCzOqvVNXzrONXYzu9pPgW0rWBcNW1Sc3_ApHAYd5gO4gcebVMWgrA/s1600-h/patagonia+078.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310135296360426642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVE6NvMYxArVr_rtqHZiMqEU2nHmpqu9ZEGPgb8VQofTUpqi8Qex3S3d7z3cyyLh6KMF3j24l0JSIGa1eE5fxEzCzOqvVNXzrONXYzu9pPgW0rWBcNW1Sc3_ApHAYd5gO4gcebVMWgrA/s320/patagonia+078.jpg" border="0" /></a> After several stressful hours of rappelling and stumbling down ice covered talus I arrived back at my cave. I ate chocolate and drank a few liters of water while hurriedly packing a bag to go down to Campamento Japones. I was anxious to see my friends who were wisely holed up in the tarp shelter we had dubbed “the rat shack” and undoubtedly drinking mate. Upon my arrival they were all relieved to see me after their failed radio attempts earlier in the day. Steve Schneider informed me today was not a climbing day; yeah I knew that now, but a hell of a way to ring in the New Year none the less.<br /> With no break in the weather in sight most of the soggy Japones residents returned to Puerto Natales for pizza and beer. Ever the optimist I trudged back up the moraine to my cave where I sat out another 10 days of bad weather more or less alone in my tent. My orange Patagonia t-shirt/wind sock combo attracts most people that come to the Silencio valley directly to my tent. I go through the same conversation almost daily with the trekkers who come by looking for a view of the Torres. “It is 1 hour more to the Torres view,” “yes, I am here to climb,” yes I am climbing alone,” yes my mother knows and yes I am sure it bothers her.”<br /> Finally on January 10th I received word from my returning friends that there is a weather window on the 11th and 12th. I hurry to the platform below the Torres where my gear is stashed, crawl into the bivy sack and wait for my 3 am alarm, which rings as usual well before I am ready for it.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div><br /></div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-44060826933403804912009-03-06T08:22:00.000-08:002009-03-06T09:48:10.677-08:00North Tower soloNorth tower<br />I have always operated on the assumption climbers around a campfire have a tendency to exaggerate their stories. Prior to my trip to the Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia, I had heard everything from tales of well staked out tents flying away full of gear or being shredded with their occupants still in them to descending climbers being held up and out from the rock while rappelling in some sort of wind induced purgatory. I mean how bad could the wind really be here?<br /> As I lay flat on my back after the wind knocked me on my ass and sent my ice axe flying out of my hand on my first trip into the Val Silencio (which really isn't that quiet), I began to reconsider my original statement and search for a sizable boulder to cower behind. I started to wonder if it was this bad on the moraine carrying loads, how the hell am I suppose to solo the Torres? Maybe those spirited campfire tales I had so quickly dismissed contain a little more truth than I originally thought.<br /> Climbing in Patagonia also requires a slightly different morning ritual than my home turf of Yosemite where it is more likely to be sunny and 70 than not. Hours spent loitering in the lodge cafeteria drinking "gourmet" coffee are replaced with hourly alarms during the night to make the sure the wind is still trying to give flight to my tent and on the off chance it has died down, the swill in the cafeteria is replaced with a Jetboil full of the South American delicacy "No-es-cafe" to get the psyche flowing.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrB0Hc1scntVkNgcbTHGt1VZ2WqIeq61tfmoSJBOsoouukluIsscDFOInJz5RfVukg0l5Diasz-G-eMjogu_INzfWYt9cVjPdvjxUg1dEfAuhTxqOYKprxfAzJP5qI1cWo-Y2LBsvn47s/s1600-h/patagonia+042.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310122763620960098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrB0Hc1scntVkNgcbTHGt1VZ2WqIeq61tfmoSJBOsoouukluIsscDFOInJz5RfVukg0l5Diasz-G-eMjogu_INzfWYt9cVjPdvjxUg1dEfAuhTxqOYKprxfAzJP5qI1cWo-Y2LBsvn47s/s320/patagonia+042.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /> So after shuttling ridiculous amounts of gear, one failed attempt and a whole lot of time spent staring down the yellow grid pattern on my tent I am finally standing at the col between the north and central towers below the Monzino route on Torre Norte. I go through the familiar ritual of uncoiling the rope, threading the gri-gri and tying a half dozen backup loops and experience a knot in my stomach the size of a #3 camalot as I watch the lenticular clouds come whipping by the Torres and send the loops of rope on my harness around the arete towards the imposing east face. But hell the sun is making brief appearances so I oughta give'er a go I guess as this is what I traveled half way around the world for, right?<br /> I start up the first 5.10 pitch armed with little more than a few cams, a handful of stoppers and Guide Tennies on my feet. Soon I have entered a veritable rope graveyard within the first 20 meters and a mild wave of panic swept through me fearing a similar fate for my 9.5 mm friend. Okay, maybe "mild" is an understatement as I quickly turned tail and started downclimbing, taking out my gear and arrived back at the col within minutes of seeing the first sun bleached rope lodged behind a flake flapping violently in the wind.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8QLM7lBQmgyCgrIX8DajpYF7Zc-u9ALfHkaroVQoSWvNyaCuT3gU_Rj21MHlkcyVl2yayhpIiRAl_TQ0-L5xUzGiRTBaX4gsR0I3Sh4q06nNtC0m3Ly4KEO3c8Ps_ZeKdXsRSUDYGF8/s1600-h/patagonia+027.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310122759427418754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8QLM7lBQmgyCgrIX8DajpYF7Zc-u9ALfHkaroVQoSWvNyaCuT3gU_Rj21MHlkcyVl2yayhpIiRAl_TQ0-L5xUzGiRTBaX4gsR0I3Sh4q06nNtC0m3Ly4KEO3c8Ps_ZeKdXsRSUDYGF8/s320/patagonia+027.jpg" border="0" /></a> Of the myriad problems facing the soloist, one of the most challenging is self-motivation. There is no trusted partner to turn to and hear it “ain't really that bad, shut and climb.” So me and my well worn gri-gri had a little pep talk over a slightly chilled espresso GU packet and came to the conclusion that it wasn't really that bad, shut up and climb. So I got back on the proverbial horse and climbed, rapped, and jugged the first 70 meter pitch. Fearing the wind and feeling a little more cold than bold, I decided to pick up the pace and put the rope on my back and start free soloing.<br /> The next 8 pitches flew by in ropeless bliss. Ledge scrambling, loose rock, wet chimneys and splitter hand cracks soon led to the coolest summit block I have ever encountered in my fledging alpine career. Overhanging on 3 of the 4 sides route finding wasn't much of an issue and I weaved my way past hollow sounding holds and jingus fixed pins to my first Patagonian summit!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBYh5pOEPt-tOKv-tjMCPQuNKxuiu_7EnTJXN1vkAOp_G6w0b62AN6D9DZmAWZpkP9EKRpJhZvGiEfHeZz680QBLQVH2p3QMmXXYG_U3gn4i19MQkp8Vhh62utxk5dL1bUnmZA55LKds/s1600-h/patagonia+070.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310122748645204434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBYh5pOEPt-tOKv-tjMCPQuNKxuiu_7EnTJXN1vkAOp_G6w0b62AN6D9DZmAWZpkP9EKRpJhZvGiEfHeZz680QBLQVH2p3QMmXXYG_U3gn4i19MQkp8Vhh62utxk5dL1bUnmZA55LKds/s320/patagonia+070.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /> After the requisite self-portrait on top I rapped off the summy block and then coiled the rope, put it back on my back and started down climbing to avoid losing my cord to the dreaded flake in no man's land I'm sure was lurking around every corner. After circuitous down climbing and getting off route more than once I arrived back at my gear stash on top of the first pitch. I'm still not sure how I got lost on terrain I had done no less than an hour ago, I guess the route looks a little different from that perspective or because I was squinting to keep the flying granite dust out of my eyes, I'm not sure. I uncoiled the rope for two 35 meter raps down the crux and returned to my waiting pack and its precious extra layers and the water I forgot 4 hours earlier. "Warm" and rehydrated I headed back down the couloir and happily stumbled my way back across the moraine to my nylon fortress for a tent to tent time of 11 hours. Surrounded by empty chocolate bar wrappers and warm mug of soup in hand, I began scribbling notes in my journal drafting plans for the Bonington-Whillans on Torre Central as my newfound friend "el viento muy fuerte" kept me company.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYn1ZB1hWChgOyG-NZRV5nuwkpaM4TCFGsbmTs6Fxthr0wHKKlvEoBr-A_elcsy-S_5Z5HjPZ1Vk6X3D-ENwHdA1uZ3Cse_HjD82ELPhsPSgpWu8Cd3j3pRE_IuP4KsXoD9Yg1FqboKOA/s1600-h/patagonia+064.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310122745789396786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYn1ZB1hWChgOyG-NZRV5nuwkpaM4TCFGsbmTs6Fxthr0wHKKlvEoBr-A_elcsy-S_5Z5HjPZ1Vk6X3D-ENwHdA1uZ3Cse_HjD82ELPhsPSgpWu8Cd3j3pRE_IuP4KsXoD9Yg1FqboKOA/s320/patagonia+064.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div></div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-70723888493203351922008-02-20T03:31:00.001-08:002008-02-20T03:35:46.189-08:00Hidden DragonHere is a youtbue video filmed by Daniel Folk. The belayer is Matt Thomsen. The route is a OW roof located in the Red River Gorge with a gnarly lip turn and is rated 5.12c.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjKA3WipXAEAaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-80292338617314476502008-02-19T18:43:00.000-08:002008-02-19T19:07:36.862-08:00Tangerine Trip VI A2+, El Cap 11/07Onto the final climb of the year, Tangerine Trip once again with Ivo. The fall weather was still holding and was no excuse to pack up and head elsewhere so Ivo and I decided to huck one more lap on the Trip to see what we could do with our time. Any better than our previous 16 hours and we'd both be happy. Still the goal was 10 hours or so.<br />This time we would climb the route in 2 blocks. Ivo lead us through the traverse and this time he found a better way to clean it. Ivo put leaver biners on all the pieces so I could just lower off the anchor and not clean it at all. Huge time saver!<br />Ivo got us to the ledge on 9 in 6 or so hours! So we were on pace to do nearly what we wanted. Everything on my block went well until the start of pitch 12. I short-fixed like normal and put myself on belay with 25-30 feet of slack so I could move quickly. The first move off the anchor was a huge reach to a fixed nut so I top stepped and got it after a little struggling. I raced up my ladders to get the next piece and as I top stepped the piece blew!<br />I then took a 40 footer onto the anchor with no screamer. Oops. It felt like getting hit by a truck. The rope was behind my arm so when it came to it snapped my shoulder really hard and I was bloody from sliding down the wall as I fell. I screamed like a kicked dog and was sure my arm was broken. Ivo told me to stay put but I awkwardly jugged to the anchor and waited for him. I hate hanging from ropes! At the anchor I self-medicated and thought about what to do. My arm wasn't that bad and adrenaline had me all jacked up.<br />I declined Ivo offers to lead and set off on the pitch. It took him most of my lead to get the clove hitch I just welded in the fall to come untied. I had to place a head to get where the nut had been and then proceeded to weld a pin its place! My shoulder hurt the more I kept climbing but it was gonna hurt no matter what so I kept going. We finally summited after 13.5 grueling hours. It was dark when we topped out and we then scurried about the summit to find warmth and water. Walking down could wait till morning for sure.Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-14285634916916605932008-02-19T18:32:00.000-08:002008-02-19T18:39:29.533-08:00Zodiac again, I know 10/07I know, I know, there are lots of routes so why repeat one many times? Because it is so damn classic! Once again I team up with my good friend Lance for another crack at the route.<br />By now I have this thing super dialed and Lance offers to let me lead the whole thing to see how fast we can go. Per usual we hike up and get a restless night's sleep at the base. We wake around 7 am and get going quickly to maximize daylight. We're climbing by 8 am and cruising! Again we take a break on top of the black tower to power up and get our heads straight. Other than that I never see lance! I backclean too much and he has to do some crazy swings but other than that no epics. We cruise the route in 8:30 flat and are on top by 4:30 pm. We scramble to get our shit packed so we can spray to all of our friends in daylight!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-85247503939671226502008-02-19T18:19:00.000-08:002008-02-19T18:32:02.623-08:00Aquarian wall VI A3, El Cap 10/07This time around I team up with my Canadian friend Alik who I haven't seen in a few years and is also my age. He has similar taste in walls and we quickly decide on the aquarian wall on the southwest face of El Cap. A new route for both us and we're psyked.<br />We're at the base in no time and doing battle with the ringtail that feels entitled to our food. He can climb better than us so what he grabs is his but I'm bigger and capable of wielding rocks. So we continue the hang at the base despite the rodents and lay out all of our gear for the morning. We get a decently early wake up and slam some yogurt and bagels for a quick breakfast.<br />We get off to a good start with me leading the first block in no time flat. The climbing is ok but fairly chipped. Lots of chipped heads alongside shiny new bolts. Ok climbing by slab aid standards and pretty easy. Alik gets some awkward free and aid climbing leading us past timbuktu. I take the lead here and get stumped quickly by a blown circlehead. Shitty placement in bad rock and the head won't stick no matter how hard I try. After many failed tries I whack in a shitty blade and quickly get to the fixed pin farther down the feature.<br />This leads us into the night and some more awkward climbing. Weird water grooves with thin cracks in the back, not really free climbable but not easily aided either. These almost stop us cold. Alik requires 4 hours for one lead but it was warranted as it looked strenuous as hell and it was dark. After this we hit familiar terrain at thanksgiving ledge and climb quickly off the west butt escape. We top out in 26 hours and just a little worse for the wear. Nothing a few days rest won't cure.Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-60027639701765443482008-02-19T18:06:00.000-08:002008-02-19T18:18:24.566-08:00Washington Column South Face, 10/07Corbin is back from work so I have another psyked partner! We want to try the H-dizzle/El Cap linkup but the short days are kinda a buzz kill so we decide on something easier. After mulling it over in the lodge amphitheater one morning we decide to for the south face of the column. Good afternoon climb right?<br /> In our usual slightly cocky style, we neglect headlamps. Its only a grade V though right? We leave the lodge after noon on our bikes headed for the awhanee. We stash our bikes and head up the trail to the column. We bring less than 10 cams, one 30m rope, 1 aider and jugs with aiders, and a liter of water each, that's about it. At least it makes for a light casual hike.<br /> Corbin leads off with me following 100 feet below him on our mega short rope. Trying new things you know? We cruise past easily 7 people on the first 3 pitches, simuling the whole time until we hit dinner ledge. Once again we pass more people on the southern man bypass. At least everyone is willing to let us pass!<br /> Here is the only place our short rope fucks us. We come close of not reaching a belay and that slows us down. After the aid is over its all good again and we're flying again. We cruise the remaining pitches and tag the summy just before dark. 5 hours after starting!<br /> The descent was run at mach speed to beat the darkness but by the end I'm using my cell phone and Corbin a lighter to make sure we don't rush off the edge of a cliff. But it's all good and we're back in time for a lodge store dinner!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-64782189196792583352008-02-19T17:45:00.000-08:002008-02-19T18:06:48.583-08:00Zodiac solo, 9/07Corbin had to go to the Needle's to work for 10 days so I had to fill my time in another way again. Well whats a wall climber to do when you're bored? Go climb another wall! All year I've wanted to solo the zodiac ridiculously fast. 18 hours is good but I knew I could do better so I tried again.<br /> This time I'm going super light. NO bag just a 2 liter camelbak and what food fit in my pocket, one 9.7 mm 70 m rope and a rack that I kept paring down till it was almost gone. OK, not almost gone its still a nailing route but by now I didn't bring any superfluous pieces. If I don't place it why bring it?<br /> The plan was simple, use the loop belay system. Not the standard continuous loop soloists use. This works more like a rappel when you pull the rope through an anchor but from above. The system works like this-tie into one end of your rope, thread said rope through a rap anchor or leaver biner, tie into other end of rope, climb the pitch backcleaning everything!! and then pull the rope from above, rethread the rope and repeat. I used this method for almost the whole route. By doing so you face a 120 foot fall when you leave the anchor and a 230 factor two fall if you whip near the end of the pitch. Rule number one is don't fuck up and fall.<br /> Again I did the direct start as it is way faster than the original and allowed me to link to the top of the third pitch bolt ladder and build an anchor to rap. I went down cleaning only select pieces on the way down and then jugged up cleaning it all. At the rap anchor I left one oval taped shut on a bolt, threaded the rope and began hooking to the 5.10 free climbing that leads to the 3rd pitch anchor. At this anchor I again pulled the rope from below me and rethreaded it through the rap anchor. I then free climbed the 5.6 traverse and then the arching C1 to the next anchor backcleaning as I went. From there I pulled the rope, rethreaded and repeated it for the next pitch bolt ladder. Then again for the next pitch that leads to the base of the black tower. Here I built an anchor, threw out 40 feet of slack and started free climbing up to the top of the tower. here i started aiding on beaks and angles, reached the anchor and rapped. I continued lead/rap/cleaning all pitches in the grey circle as opposed to the loop belay due to the difficulties. This was problematic on the nipple as I had to do all sorts of trickery to clean the pitch. At the mark of zorro I resumed the loop belay method and used it for the rest of the route using anchors when I could and biners taped shut when I couldn't.<br /> I reached the top in 12:52! I was stoked to chop 5 hours off my time even if I did fall short of my sub 12 hour goal. The route is still waiting for me to try again.Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-55244271370861671482008-02-19T17:33:00.000-08:002008-02-19T17:43:34.018-08:00Nose again, El Cap 9/07Corbin and I were on a roll and we knew it. As soon as we hit pavement after h-dizzle we began hatching more plans. What next? The Nose again of course! This time we took 2 days rest before going again.<br /> Same plan as last time except a 9 mm rope and no rap line, just a 50 ft tag line. We got pretty much the same start as last time around roughly 7 am. Again we scrambled to the start of the route and Corbin took off with the first lead.<br /> This time the first pitch was exciting. I was digging in the bag for something not really belaying well. Corbin was running it out as usual but then screamed falling. I had easily 30 ft of slack out just laying on the ground, oops. My first instinct was to grab the rope with my hand so I did. I held the fall in my left hand on a 9.4 mm rope without ever locking the grigri. It wasn't very hard and i only got burnt a little, Corbin was fine! Pretty fucked up on my part but Corbin was none the wiser until I told him. He said it was a normal fall and thanked me for the catch! Back to the task at hand.<br /> We climbed the same blocks as last time and took the same breaks this time as last but we were much quicker. We were at dolt in 3 hours this time and watched a sunset from the summit! Both of our first daylight ascent of El Cap which is pretty cool although we had to hike down in the dark. At least by now I have the trail dialed! 12 hour ascent this time around, can't wait to hack more time off it or add another route to the day now!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-21736864816480596592008-02-19T17:20:00.000-08:002008-02-19T17:32:54.556-08:00H-Dizzle again, 9/07After the tempest I didn't rest at all. The day after topping out I went to the base to clean up and retrieve gear as well as accompany Ivo as he started. The day after that I went up top and carried down my second load from the tempest. One days rest and then Corbin and I set off to climb H-Dizzle!<br /> Its cool for me to climb with people my own age as it doesn't happen all that often. Corbin is 2 years younger than me and just as stoked to climb. We decided on half dome since we had just done the nose together.<br /> We didn't leave the cafeteria until almost noon on the day we blasted, coffee has a strong grip on us both. We then rode our bikes to mirror lake. I felt sorry for Corbin who has a homemade low rider chopper bike he made himself. While it looks cool, energy efficiency is not quite the result. We ran up to the base via the death slabs and got ready to go again.<br /> This time I lead the start and got 8 pitches before getting held up by a team and then running out of rack. We stopped and swapped leaders here and kept simuling until big sandy. There we swapped leaders again and I took over to the top. Half Dome's regular route has got to be my favorite route in the world! We summited at dark and ran down by moonlight to the base and our waiting shoes.<br /> At the base we ran into some super cool dudes from the canary islands. Rasta looking dudes and nice as hell. They gave us food and water and then sleeping bags for the night! Awesome guys, they left us early in the am to start the route themselves. After the sun came up and warmed us, we slowly gathered up our stuff and headed down very tired but very happy. 6 hours on route ain't bad either.Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-40002565733524286522008-02-19T17:02:00.000-08:002008-02-19T17:20:05.345-08:00Tempest VI A4+, solo 9/07My bro Bobo shows up in the valley with his mom near the end of August. He has everything ready to go solo a new route on El Cap, or so he thinks. He asks me if I will simul solo a route near him, something we have tried but never completed many times before. Then we run into our good friend Matt from Nevada at the bear boxes. 2 years ago we convinced Matt to solo Lurking Fear for his first wall ever. He borrowed what he needed and seriously stepped up to the plate and sent like a mother fucker! He didn't even know where the east ledges were so he hiked down the falls trail and resigned himself to never climbing el cap again. Every man can lie to himself on such matters, with in a year he was back and soloed Iron Son! We knew we could convince him to join us!<br /> We all began hiking loads together to the base of our respective routes, Dave-Dawn Direct, Matt-Mescalito and myself-tempest. We all started out getting ready at the same pace. Then Dave slowed as usual to accommodate for women and such distractions. Matt and I continued on near identical paces. Then Ivo wanted to solo a route too! Four soloists on the face within spitting distance of each other!<br /> Ivo adopted more of Dave's pace and Matt and I blasted without them. We kept pace the whole time. It was cool to have someone suffering alongside you but still getting to solo. Dave and Ivo would blast as we summited nine days later.<br /> Tempest was beautiful, golden granite, steep as fuck and hard aid nearly every pitch. I adopted a casual pace, not too early to start and never climbing past 3 pm. I really enjoy the time in the portaledge plus it was scorching hot, think climbing on a mirror in the sun all day, fucking gnarly. The climbing was fun and hard. Nothing SUPER-dangerous but still huge fall potential on some pitches.<br /> Only minor epics on the wall. I got off route mid way and climbed one hundred feet off route on hard aid only to have to reverse the whole traversing pitch. I almost shit my pants near the top and proceeded to shit on some of my gear while Spaniards on the summit watched. And worst of all I got sun poisoning. My face and arms blistered so badly I was unrecognizable to my friends. It remained that way for almost 2 months.<br /> The route was great and Matt was great company, ask him about rice and water if you ever meet him. We summited with 10 minutes of each other and hiked down to greet Dave and Ivo right as they began their respective routes!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417263046966734819.post-67590404533675375332008-02-19T16:46:00.000-08:002008-02-19T17:01:37.525-08:00NIAD 5.9 C1, El Cap 8/07I'm still super stoked! I happen to run into my buddy Corbin slacklining in Camp 4. Immediately we hatch a plan to climb the nose on El Cap, a route neither of us has ever done. We run to the cars before dark sets in, rack up by headlamp and head for the meadow bear boxes for my pre-big wall favorite meal, mac, cheese and tuna. At 5 am we get moving and hike to the base of the nose's scrambling start. We make sure to grab the essentials for any in a day attempt his nalgene bottle (its real special) and the ipod and speakers. We start off from the ground at 7 am.<br /> Since Corbin is a stronger free climber than I he gets the first half of the route and I get the second half because it is more aid climbing. Corbin flies up the pitches arriving at dolt in less than 5 hours. We decide we deserve a break and eat food and listen to tunes for an hour. Then we saddle up and get climbing again, almost immediately we lose a cam and my half aider. Oh well. Corbin leads past the king swing and stops at the ledge before camp4 to switch and brew up again.<br /> After another nearly hour rest hiding from the sun at camp 4 we get moving. I lead off in high spirits, we're flashing El Cap in a day! The pitches slide by and the climbing feels easy. We stop once more on Camp 6 for awhile to enjoy the last ledge before the top. The only thing slowing us down is the god damn 2 10.5 ropes we brought. We couldn't commit to one rope and neither of us had a smaller line. Whatever, just more coiling and shit at belays. We top out at 2 am and stumble around the summit in bare feet before settling in at the trip for a few hours sleep.<br /> We staggered down the east ledges with no shoes in high spirits. That is until Corbin ripped the front of his toe off on a rock. Oh thats why you bring shoes for the descent, now i get it. No I don't. I still don't bring shoes but maybe Corbin will. 17 hours onsite!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443347532054601656noreply@blogger.com0