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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Topic Author's Reply - May 26, 2010 - 11:52am PT
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Thanks! It's going to be great!
I'm gonna DIE!
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Edge
Trad climber
New Durham, NH
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May 26, 2010 - 11:54am PT
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Good luck with your venture... But speaking of holes:
My Dad was in the military, and because they are famous for pissing in people's cornflakes, his Sargent made Dadders dig a 4' deep hole so he could flick his ciggy in it. He then made him fill it in.
As soon as Dad patted down the last shovel full of loose earth, Sarge asked him which direction the butt was pointing. He didn't know.
He dug it again.
Mark, bottom line is to pay attention to the details, enjoy your work, and remember that a shovel can be a deadly weapon. If my dad had my personality, he could have attended a wake for a Sargent with a mysterious head wound and moved forward.
Of course, I kid...
Sorta.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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May 26, 2010 - 11:55am PT
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Pate said,
Kick ass Mark- be safe on the high and lonely! And have FUN, even when it's NOT fun.
Agreed, 'cept it probably won't be too lonely.
Lots of folks to holler at when you're resting.
I'm jealous as a mofo!!
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Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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May 26, 2010 - 12:05pm PT
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Rock it Mark! That's an awesome motivational program. I'll have to try it sometime... :)
Josh
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 19, 2010 - 11:43pm PT
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Well, it's a done deal. I'm down and I'm home safely.
I'd like to thank everyone who helped. John McNamee offered advice, Pass the Pitons Pete answered hundreds of question with hundreds of pages of explanation, Mark Herndon gave me a haul bag full of ropes, pitons, copperheads, rivet hangers and a bunch other gear. Gary "The Bullet" Alan and Hansi Stantiner humped loads at the start and Erik Sloan who froze water bottles for my "big wall beer cooler" (which didn't work at all btw).
Thanks to Mike and Susan for buying me dinner afterwards.
Most of all I have to thank my girls, my wife, Peggy and my daughter, Ellen who allowed me to take three weeks away from them.
Thanks to everyone who commented over at El Cap PIc and thanks to everyone here for helping me dig a hole deep enough that climbing the route was the only way out!
Give me a few weeks to digest the event and I'll put together a trip report.
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bob
climber
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Jun 19, 2010 - 11:51pm PT
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Awesome Mark! 12 days sheeessh! I don't think I'm cut for 12 alone on the big stone. In a kayak yes, up there.......no se, but I don't think so.
What an accomplishment.
Again, great job and thanks for the motivation. I love it.
Bob Jensen
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jun 20, 2010 - 12:12am PT
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Glad to hear you made it.
Looking forward to the TR
Rick
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bmacd
climber
Relic Hominid
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Jun 20, 2010 - 12:17am PT
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Congrats Mark.
That's a rather large, black Metolious poop tube in the foreground ?
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 20, 2010 - 12:18am PT
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Ha! No, my portaledge, although my poop tube was overflowing.
My camp at Sunset ledge, below the Carrot. I stayed here two nights.
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bmacd
climber
Relic Hominid
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Jun 20, 2010 - 12:24am PT
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Mark you're supposed to respond - "Yes It's proportional to the pucker factor and technical difficulties encountered enroute !"
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 20, 2010 - 12:26am PT
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Or, I was scared shitless the whole time!
Actually I was pretty fricken happy the whole time!
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Jun 20, 2010 - 12:26am PT
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Sounds like you were "Regular" up there! Further proving YOU ARE A BADASS!
Ha!
Great job Mark, very proud.
Mucci
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Chief
climber
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Jun 20, 2010 - 12:37am PT
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Way to go Mark!
Fine effort.
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Aw, Pshaw, you wouldn't even understand....
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Jun 20, 2010 - 01:01am PT
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Nicely Done, Mark. I had NO doubt. Ever.
Rock on, Bro, & keep grindin'!
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Brian
climber
California
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Jun 20, 2010 - 08:42am PT
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Congrats again Mark. I'm looking forward to the TR.
Brian
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Jun 20, 2010 - 09:04am PT
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Super cool Mark.
See, you ARE a Badass!
Bring on the TR
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Jun 20, 2010 - 02:21pm PT
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No question in my mind you were going to get it done mark! Way to send!!
Awesome, and the photos by Tom as you progressed up the wall were way cool.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jun 20, 2010 - 03:49pm PT
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Nice send, buddy. What I can't believe is that you accomplished it more or less according to your "schedule". I have given up on schedules when climbing El Cap - it seems to have its own idea about how quickly or slowly I can wobble my way up.
Thanks again for all that awesome coffee you sent me! The New Guinea Dark is especially awesome, and we're enjoying another pot of it here this morning.
See you in the fall, eh? Hey, weren't you supposed to take another run up the Nose before heading home???
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 20, 2010 - 05:22pm PT
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Thanks,
I had plans for an NIAD but on Friday the route looked pretty clustered from ECT to Camp 5. We moved our sights to Lurking Fear but after three pitches I totally bonked. We came down and I blasted off for home ASAP. I guess us 54 year old guys need more than a week of recovery after soloing an El Cap route!
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Aw, Pshaw, you wouldn't even understand....
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Jun 20, 2010 - 06:37pm PT
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Haha!
Of course you do. YeeHaw!
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