Does it count as a clean send if you undergrip on mega jugs on a 5.8 then fall 2m onto a ledge standing and your belayer doesn't even notice?
Sick Yosemite intro - p6 was the scariest thing I've ever led, 2 pitons and one worthwhile cam placement over 30m of traversing while still not totally trusting the granite smears - the handholds were the equivalent of pulling on a stale arnotts lemon crisp at points.
Felt like I went through a footwork class over 10 pitches and it finally started to click by the end. Shit's rough in the valley.
So good!! P1/2 & 3/4 link nicely. Stoked to onsight the 10c slab and be rewarded with funroof moves and beautifulflake to the anchor. Rapped down. Great day out.
Up was fine. But Sloan-bagged once again, we simulrapped straight down the wrong gully (apparently marked “NO!” on mountainproject).
What was meant to be easy raps with a 60 became absolute ropestretchers with our 70m, mostly off little shrubs and requiring exposed down-aiding, unbelayed because the shrubs would probably rip.
When the trees were bomber we would simulrap again, comically running across the wall in search of further non-existent anchors for the “easy raps with a 60”.
Led every single pitch on this route, I almost got sick of leading after topping it out. It took us 2 hours to find the repel station and I did the run repel which made me climb up again almost in darkness.
First route, first classic in Yosemite Had a minor epic on the rappel missing the new rappel route and ending up on the old one which required double ropes ...
Had a tough time locating the catwalk decent, lost an iPhone at the summit and did not bring enough water for a summer-in-the-valley day. Otherwise, an amazing climb!
With Laura. 1st five pitches went well and were done in 2 or 3 hours, then my upset guts started to get the better of me. Climbed the next five pitches in blazingly hot conditions while carrying a reeking poo bag and getting increasingly sick and dehydrated. Pulled on a lot of gear in the final pitches. Pitch 10 looks awesome, but by that stage I was reduced to aiding almost everything, so I didn't get to find out what the free moves were like. I'll be back to climb this again in better style.
Sick Yosemite intro - p6 was the scariest thing I've ever led, 2 pitons and one worthwhile cam placement over 30m of traversing while still not totally trusting the granite smears - the handholds were the equivalent of pulling on a stale arnotts lemon crisp at points.
Felt like I went through a footwork class over 10 pitches and it finally started to click by the end. Shit's rough in the valley.
Linked 1/2, 3/4, 7-8.5 then ran out of rope.