texplorer

Nice TR Nolse, Sorry you had to endure the constant evil spirited spray ( good spirited spray is ok) Anyway, I was wondering what made this climb one of your favorites in the cascades. From what I read it looks like just 3 pitches of sort of clean climbing. What, in your opinion, makes this route so good?

Ok, I followed this post until your last reply Bug. What the ...

What about the # of posts to actual content ratio? Dru 20000/1

Climb: El Cap-Mescalito Date of Climb: 7/13/2004 Trip Report: Over the 4th weekend Bigwaller and I climbed the most popular and classic moderately hard aid route on El Cap. June 27 -Arrive in the Valley Sunday morning. Jake eyes El Cap for the first time. That afternoon we haul loads and begin to fix 4 pitches. On the 4th pitch Jake starts up but I notice him waver and blink as if he is dizzy only 25 feet off the belay. The heat and lack of water have taken its toll on him already so I take the sharp end and fly up as fast as I can trying to beat the darkness. I barely do and reach the anchor just as darkness closes in. Upon rapping down at dusk he tells me that this is as far off the deck as he has ever been. His attitude was still good though and we were both still optimistic. June 28 - Jake's father treats us to a big breakfast at the cafeteria. A few hours later we are jugging our lines. We toss one rope and then commit to the 26 pitch route. With over 8 pitches of C3 and only 4 pitches of C1 or easier the route is sustained and steep. Even the first day I was able to haul our bags by myself despite 14 gallons of water and food for a week. The route went pretty flawless except for a couple of days when I got the "dropsies" Yes, I started to get scared after a few offset nuts magically unclipped themselves, I got my first cam stuck (ever) and then I really f'ed up by dropping a #3 camalot. This made it the costliest trip I have ever done. Luckily, the rest of the route went smoother and we managed to hang onto the rest of our gear. Late on the fifth day on the wall at about pitch 15 I was just one move from a bolt and then the anchor. I was relieved this pitch was almost over as it had entailed lots of hooking and clipping of many manky pieces. Unfortunetely, there were two fixed RURPs both without wires or cordage to clip to. I tried hooking several times and took some nice static falls onto a copperhead. After my face and hand scraped the wall I decided that I was done. I had Jake lower me to the belay and we camped for the night. The next morning I ascended and used our fly-pole to stick clip the bolt just 1.5 feet away while topstepping. A few days later we got to the Bismark ledge. It was quite a sweet outlook. We also found a small tupperware box hanging from the belay with a glass pipe, lighter, and a small vile of an oregano-looking substance. We fixed the bismark pitch which required about 10 feet of laybacking up an OW above a #5 camalot. Normally I would try to thrutch up the thing but by this point I was tired enough and gave into the supposed .10a layback moves. The next morning Jake got a good taste of what el cap can do to you. He must have had alot of fun on a certain pitch because he decided to stay on it for over 5 hours. I hid from the sun under the haulbag while Jake had his mini epic. Luckily we still made it to pitch 23 and a sloping ledge. The next day we topped out and both remarked how weird it was to stand on level ground and be out of the harness. We spent the next 3 days sitting around the valley, avoiding the tool, and searching for booty. Overall, a stellar route!!! Long, sustained but doable. We did the route clean (except for my little stick clip). It was Jake's first time up El Cap and my 4th. We had a blast, what did you do for the 4th? Gear Notes: Double set of hybrid aliens were key to the "cleanliness" of the ascent.

You eugenians are drunks

I will vouch for will. He is utterly sketchy on lead, has been known to climb on booty gear, and remove bolts on lead.

I just did a wall down in Yosemite with a 17 year old guy from this site. Give bigwaller a pm if your into aiding.

RuMR YoU HavE Too MuCH tIme On yOUR HanDS. I went into the Ahwanee on the 6th but alas, saw no yoga mat clad Ms. Judd.

I would settle for just being rich and living in the Playboy Mansion

go to yosemite!!!

Thumbs up to Mike and the crew there at backcountry. I have delt with them in person and over the internet and have great things to say about their friendliness and service.

Wow, Yocum looks to be in good texplorer conditions. If I wasn't headed to Yosemite I would be given that thing a go. Muuuhahahahahahahaha

You guys spend too much time in a tent. I don't own a bivy sack or a tent and have managed for years.

and how did you get almost 10000 posts?

Sounds like errr... fun. I am sure you had a great time. The route is one of my all time favorites. When I did the route I did not place a single nut. I think if you guys would have started at 4:30 when you had planned and not had to wait on the yahoos in front of you things would have been quite different. I too had a similar experience on the prow last year (severe dehydration). Great job though on a classic climb in the Valley.

Powerful reading, probably the longest post on CC.com that I actually read in its entirety. Nice job, I was thinking of going when you did on L. Ridge but decided against it. Truly an inspiring story of how to keep your heads when shit hits the fan in a hurry.

It's probably just a few assholes causing the majority of this shit. Thrill, what has been stolen at the PRG? As far as I know most of the things stolen at broughton and Rocky butte have been non-climbing type stuff.

I climb: for the numbers AND for the fun, for the workout, for the atmosphere, for being with friends, for spraying about climbing, to seeing the "superstars" of climbing, to get an adrenaline rush, to meet new cool people, to listen to sprayers, to be up high, for the views, to be away from rangers, to scare the shit out myself, for the adventure, for the tradition, and most importantly . . . to give me fodder for this website If you don't like the reasons I climb, I will be happy to discuss and possibly change my reasons after we drink a large pitcher of TG stout (which you provide or pay for).

When are you leaving?

Did they get away quickly or just peel out in circles for half an hour?

Greetings friends, Here is an email I just got from the guy I was going to go to Patagonia with this winter. Karsten, Sorry its been so long since my last reply. I broke my foot three weeks ago in the valley, (trying to do the Trip in a day). can you belive that shit. I took an eighty footer and kissed a ledge. hope all is well with you, but I must admit that im a little unsure wether I will have the necessary funds to get to Patagonia. I have 16 dollars in my account right now, and I owe a friend two hundred dollars. I hope this news isnt to bad,but I dont think you can count on me for this trip. please dont hate me, chris So you see I am in the market for a new partner. I hate to be such a snob but when it comes to a trip this big I don't like to take chances. Here is what you MUST be able to do: -come up with about $2000 -have 6 weeks available in Jan-Feb -be able to climb SOLID .11 free or better (yosemite or index ratings please) -be able to aid up to A3 or better -have experience in alpine environment and with speed climbing walls -don't suck I know this is a tall order to try to find a climber like this. We were planning on trying to get the second ascent of Fitzroy's El Corazon as well as any line on Cerro Torre and perhaps a first ascent in the range. I kind of doubt I'll find anyone but I thought I would give it a try. Also if you know anyone who might be interested, please forward this on to them.

I've done that damned 10 gallon buckets at smith more times than I can remember. I have led it in July and also september. I have done it in sandals and shoes. I have done it in heat, cold, and after drinking booze. Looking down on prana tops from up above I like climbing, but this route has lost the love. I am tired of huecos, and sportos yelling "dude!" The only thing left is leading it . . . . . . in the nude.

Internet dating is for people too ugly or too shy to pick up someone at a bar.

I'll be there around 4:30-5 ish

The stork brings