Riley81 Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Trip: Yosemite - EL Capitan - Zodiac 5.7 C3F Date: 10/2/2013 Trip Report: As the looming government shutdown approached I stayed positive. "It's been over ten years since the last one, they can't possibly shutdown over such trivial issues". Boy was I wrong. It was imperceptible when first in the valley that anything may change. I arrived on the 28th on a free entrance day and the rangers were all smiles. I asked the lady at the entrance what they would do if the shutdown proceeds. She shrugged and said she didn't really know. My first objective was a solo climb while waiting for my partner to show up. After a day of logistics I set out on the South face of Washington Column on Sunday the 29th and two stellar days climbing the Column. My friend called and asked me how I was doing as I spent my last night enjoying views from the top of the column, It was a hard climb, but as they say about solo climbing it is worth twice as much after you are done. I think I was simply twice as glad to be done. I meet up with my partner Sean at the valley store and he relayed the news to me that the Government shut down was on. This was the first I heard as my cell phone had died. He had gotten two nights at camp 4 and that was all they would give. It seemed like the park needed a little time to usher out tourists by way of making the stay just a little more inconvenient. Everyone was to be out by the 3rd. We headed back to camp after getting my first good cup of coffee in a few days and mulled over our options. It was either get the hell out of dodge our get the hell up into the vertical world where the long arm of the law couldn’t reach out to pull you down. Amazingly it seemed like less people were choosing to do the latter, but it was really a no brainer for us. It was time to pack up and head off for Zodiac. 5 nights seemed sufficient for the climb. No fixing lines and one night at the top after the climb. Hopefully this whole shut down thing would blow over by then and we could enjoy another week in the park. We spent a full day fervently packing for the climb. And all the time we were a sight to see. With so few others packing to escape the law on the wall the question was always the same. What are you packing for? With a follow up of you know the park is closing. Our reply was a curt nod and cryptic answers of you know just getting ready for whatever. As time passed we became more suspicious of every person who wondered. It was more then the usual competition for space on the trade routes, it became a lurking suspicion as to wether one of these strangers was actually trying to head off our attempt. It was an undeserved concern, but it would have been very disappointing to show up at the trail head with the haul bags packed only to meet a ranger intent on stopping our plans. Fortunately this never happened; our plans went off without a hitch. After 12+ hours of packing and moving food to bear boxes at El Cap meadows we were set for Blast off the next day. Everything packed and ready to go up as everyone else gets ready to go out. DAY 1 The weather looked good so we were able to pack fairly light on the gear, Enough food for six days and seven gallons of water and it was time to go. We thought it was imperative not to dilly dally and get up on the wall as soon as possible. We were able to climb up to dead bird ledge for our first bivy. Sean leading the first pitch. It took some time as it had some of the hardest climbing on the route, but the pitch went clean and we were off to the races so to say. As Sean led the pitch 2 girls were rapping the route after they had lost a piglet the night before. We had the unfortunate task of breaking the news that their descent not only meant they were done with the route, but would have to leave the park. One of the girls Amanda was intent on getting back on the wall and began calling around for another partner to get back on the wall as soon as possible. Starting the traverse of pitch 2. Would have been a nasty swing, but the lower outs always save time. Sunset on Day 1. It felt good to be on the wall at this point. Our only concern that was left was whether our cars and food would still be there upon our return. That and the whole climbing a big wall thing. DAY 2 We had anticipated on fixing to pitch 4 the first day so we had some time to make up the second. It would be 4 days of 3 pitches a day and one day of 4 pitches. We were intent on getting the 4 pitches done this day. As we spent the majority of this day recovering from the previous days extra work and trying to get the days work knocked out with a little extra time there were very few pictures. The black tower was the highlight of the day. Two hand placed sawn angles on the way up to the tower and a hand placed tomahawk to some fixed mank and a ball nut above the tower that would have resulted in a horrendous fall onto the tower saw me up the pitch and to better gear above the tower. At the end of the day we fixed pitch 8 into the night and were into the gray circle. Sean leading the final pitch of the day, thin climbing that took some shenanigans to get done, including a double nut cheat stick to reach some suspect fixed gear. Another beautiful Sunset. It was obvious the first few days the park was closed. The meadows were devoid of people and at night there was a cop stationed at the east end of El Cap meadows sending people back out to 120 or 140 which are still open since they are state highway. Today we also saw Amanda below us. She had found a partner and was back on the route catching up with us fast. They climbed to pitch 4 the first day and would be on us the next day as we entered a bit of a cluster just above the nipple. DAY 3 Today we made our way through the gray circle up to pitch 10 just above the nipple pitch. This would be my first free hanging bivy which was an interesting experience, but not as bad as I thought. We shared the bivy with a soloist from New York, Andrew, who was working 1 pitch a day at that time, and had Amanda and her partner just below us biting at our heels to pass since they were looking to get off the wall in three nights. Sean leading pitch 9, the nipple pitch, after jugging pitch 8 in the morning. Amanda and her new found partner Phil, a fellow CC.comer, caught up with me that day at the belay below the nipple. Since we both had to wait for Andrew to climb the nipple pitch it turned out to be a bit of a slow day, but we got our three pitches done and were ready to pass Andrew the following morning on the Mark of Zorro pitch. I only wish I had some pictures of Pitch 9 in the gray circle. It is such an aesthetic clean corner with amazing thin climbing on great cam hooks and small wires. DAY 4 I would have to say this is the day we really hit our groove. It became fairly evident that the climb was going to go, and clean at that. The pitches started going faster and we ended up at our bivy by 4 o’clock that day. It left us plenty of time to get comfy and let Amanda and Phil pass us at pitch 13. Looking down at Sean Andrew and Phil from the roofs of the Mark of Zorro pitch. It was a bit of a cluster to get going in the morning. Initially we had planned to let Amanda and Phil pass us first thing in the morning. But after Phil took two big whippers on the nipple pitch when a cam hook and a fixed pin blew on him they did not get up to our bivy as early as I anticipated. I took the opportunity to head out in the hope that starting the climb would get both of us out of Andrews way as soon as possible so he could keep his schedule. Sean leading out on pitch 12 just at the Devils Brow. A few expanding cracks and some run out hook traversing got us to peanut ledge were we had the enjoyment of watching Phil lead the non-descript pitch 14, known as 80-feet of 4.5” crack. I kinda think this pitch deserves some recognition name or something cause it is really quite scary bumping #5 cams for 80-feet. Soloist working a route as seen from peanut ledge. We were not alone on the wall regardless of the shutdown. The beautifully flat Peanut ledge with amazing glacial striations sculpting the surface. Getting artsy with it. Looking up at the 80-foot 4.5” crack. Sean contemplating existence and all that is in the beautiful surroundings of the Valley. He saw a lot of faces in the rocks on this trip. DAY 5 With three pitches left to go this would be our last day of climbing. It started out with a bang in the morning as Sean lead out on the infamous 80-feet of 4.5” crack. Fortunately Phil and Amanda brought three #5 cams and were kind enough to loan us one. This along with the one remaining rivet mid pitch made the climbing a little more manageable. Sean leading pitch 14. No pro after the first few cams to the rivet about 60 feet off the deck. The pitch ends with a little roof traverse to a ledge. Sean was kind enough to let me lead the final two pitches since they are both shorties. Some sweet cracks and hook traversing on thin flakes gets you to the famous top out. Looking down on pitch 15. It is nice when there is a laser cut crack splitting an otherwise blank slab. From here it is one more pitch to the top. A little bit of fixed gear and some fun hook moves and it is straight up to a flat top out with awesome views of the Nose and Half Dome. We had a lot to do before we could hike down, and since there would be only leaving the park after this we spent the night at the top of Zodiac enjoying our last day in the park. Sean enjoying our accomplishment One last sunset. It was a great trip with a great partner that only feeds the fire. I am not sure how many climbs it takes to get addicted to the Captain, but I am pretty close. I need to visit in spring now to enjoy the more fragrant ledges and robust waterfalls. Gear Notes: Tomahawks, sawn 5/8" and 1" angles, cam hooks, tricams, offset nuts and cams, ball nuts, and triple sets of micro cams, and three #5's (but I think two would work) make this climb go pretty well. Approach Notes: Base route along the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyson.g Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Nice one Danny! Was wondering about you and your trip. Way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keenwesh Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 The soloist off to your left was Regan on Kaos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegV Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 The mountains should not belong to the goverment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riley81 Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 The mountains should not belong to the goverment! They don't, but as the NW forest pass proves, the roads and the parking do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetsailor Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) The mountains should not belong to the goverment! Would you rather mountains be privately held? Edited October 18, 2013 by trumpetsailor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 The mountains should not belong to the goverment! Would you rather mountains be privately held? one could make an argument that functionally, they already are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 aLl YoUr KrAg$ aRe B3l0nG 2 u$!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seannomadic Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Thanks for posting the TR man! Sorry I~ve been busy in Brazil, and haven't gotten around to emailing all the photos. My rack notes: Smallest white Tri-cam came in handy, and 2 each no. 4 camalots and 2 each no. 5's will see you through the wide stuff near the top and actually allow you to place some pro (no. 4) before the rivet. What a good time,and I'm looking forward to stepping it up again next year on the Captain with or without the Government's permission! The following is my 'comment' to Freddie Wilkinson's Opinion piece 'Climbing Beyond Boehner's Reach' in the New York Times regarding the government closure. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/16/opinion/climbing-beyond-boehners-reach.html?_r=0 'I arrived at an overflowing Camp 4 the morning of the shutdown and was given a 2 day camping permit, with the condition that if the government stayed shutdown then Camp 4 would have to be vacated. My partner and I wasted no time. We sorted our rack, packed our haulbag with 6 days of supplies, got a good nights rest and launched up the "Zodiac" route early the next morning. There was a lot of rumbling in Camp 4. I had friends whom I'd met in Switzerland earlier in the summer having to change their lifelong goal of climbing in YNP, and we overheard valley veterans like Mayan-Smith Gobat who had an ambitious fall climbing season talk of dashed plans.Once on the wall we forgot about the shutdown. Hard climbing does that, but in the evening, as we sat on our portaledge making dinner we noticed a severe slowdown in traffic below us in the valley. The place was quite! When my partner and I started up the wall, we really didn't discuss our reasons, except that we came to climb. I actually flew half-way across the world to join my friend in our second ascent of El Cap together. Later, on the portaledge, we reflected on why we went ahead despite the shutdown. To me, it was an act of independence & rebellion against the "nanny" state, something I could only articulate after 2 days on the wall. Why should I be stopped from climbing? Am I a subject of Obama's and the Republican's police state? No. When we descended to our parked car, a lone coyote sauntered past us, smiling. @seannomadic' seannomadic.tumblr.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevetimetravlr Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Great photos and TR~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.