Total El Cap Routes climbed in the past 3 weeks: 7
So I've been busy on the captain, and not the computer. Further posts to come with some photos and stories.
The first EC experience of the season was via an easy classic, Lurking Fear! I teamed up with Yosemite local Eric K, and we hiked out to the route on a Friday evening, after a solid week of rain had finally abated. Neither of us had been on the route, but it seemed like a good season opener due to its shorter length (just 19 pitches) and abundant free climbing. Starting the next morning, we cruised the route, enjoying it's perfect splitter cracks and the newly arrived sunshine.
Nearing the top, we entered the low-angle chimney/gully system that provides the top out, and found it to be running with water, making the climbing much less pleasant and quite a bit slower. Despite some unwelcome munge-navigating, we reached the top in the late afternoon for an ~11 hr ascent.
More to come, including an epic "Alpine style" solo push on the Zodiac, some big whippers on the Salathe, my first night spent on a portaledge, and a new personal best on the Nose!
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