PTPP is lost alone on ElCap

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'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber

like Ontario, Canada, eh?

Jun 25, 2013 - 08:57pm PT

Thanks for your input everyone. And Alik, I'm sorry about the misquote. I'm not sure where I got that idea from. Thanks for the text message, too.

Ammon, the rusty quarter-incher is at a ledge that is on Get Whacked, but is not a belay. So I don't know who drilled it, but it probably wasn't the first ascensionist. Your Greg Stock 'before' and 'after' photo is crystal clear - the fifth belay anchor, and the pitch above, are gonzo.

And your rockfall video is damned impressive - too bad you can't see exactly where it's coming from! It's an even bigger rockfall than the one in the video I have of the first two pitches of Gulf Stream falling off. I posted it up, but Kate asked me to take it down. She had just been up on that section of rock only a couple weeks before, and her language was rather "colourful".

Cheers, eh?

Vegasclimber

Trad climber

Las Vegas, NV.

Jun 25, 2013 - 09:30pm PT

Nice report Pete - but you left out the other call you got from Vegas telling you to get the frak off that wall! :p

Granted, Kate has a hell of a lot more pull then I do but still :p

Glad you made the right call.

ElCapPirate

Big Wall climber

Reno, Nevada

Jun 25, 2013 - 09:47pm PT

Right on, Pete. I guess you would know more than anyone because I don't think anyone has been up there since the rockfall. Like I said... time will tell.

Cheers!

'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber

like Ontario, Canada, eh?

Jun 25, 2013 - 09:55pm PT

Travis - geeez, sorry man. Frig. Duh.

Ammon - I was down on the bridge today, and was looking up there. The rockfall zone is actually much MUCH bigger than I imagined.

Have a look at your Greg Stock photo again. You see the pyramid with the white tip, right? Look on the right photo of the two:

Between 5 and 5:30 on the ellipse there is a dark pillar visible. The right hand side of that pillar, which is a right-facing corner, is where the 5th belay used to be. I assumed that this right-facing corner was the leftmost = westernmost part of the rockfall.

Knott so!

On the left side of the pillar, there is an even wider spot! And you can't even see that from the wall, because the pillar is in the way. I only noticed it when I was down on the bridge today. It's harder to tell in the black and white photo, too, than it is in real live colour.

But it was one big-ass rock fall. Maybe a hundred feet wide, and two hundred feet tall? Maybe even bigger.

Have you done Get Whacked yet?? It probably has a "lovely" independent start up the slippery red streak. Maybe you climbed some of that stuff? Man, it's like someone took a jar of Vaseline and dumped it on the slab!

And oh yeah, there is some delightful FA opportunities in this "fresh" rock! And if that's the sort of endeavour you enjoy, may I suggest you put back up the first three pitches of A.O. Wall, and the first two pitches of Gulf Stream? {wink}

Oh yeah - big ass rescue off the Leaning Tower today. Buddy took a whipper on the first pitch of Wet Denim Daydream and crashed into Ahwahnee Ledge, busting up his femur or pelvis or lower back. They helicoptered him off into the Meadows.

So I said to Tom, "So much for your 'last ElCap Report of the season', eh?" Watch for it tonight. No doubt he is busy typing and photoshopping right now.

ElCapPirate

Big Wall climber

Reno, Nevada

Jun 25, 2013 - 10:20pm PT

Have you done Get Whacked yet??

Yes, McCray and I did it in just under 13 hours in 2001. I've done most of the established routes in that area.

Yeah, I didn't know if it was the lighting, or what, in the GStock's photo. It does appear that entire tower fell off when Kait and I were on Bad Seed. Skiy and Andy were on Bad to the Bone and even closer, that's who we were yelling to see if they were ok, in the video.

The scary part was I was down in that gully less than an hour before jugging the fixed line... doing my business.

Wouldn't have that been a rough way to go?

"OH SH#T"... while taking one, ha ha.

Hope the guy on WDD is ok.

'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber

like Ontario, Canada, eh?

Jun 25, 2013 - 10:28pm PT

Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! Remember that scene in Jurassic Park - where the tyrannosaurus bit the guy's head off while he was having a dump?

And now for the ElCap Report:

"In today's news, a man did not bury his dump at the base. Instead, he was buried whilst taking a dump."

OK, so .....

Tell us all....

How do you climb a route as hard as Get Whacked in only 13 hours? What are your tips and tricks? It can't have anything to do with bounce-testing or anything testing! What do you do - just write off your life ahead of time so you don't really have anything to lose?

And what about the concept of "fear"? You seem either immune, or crazy. And I don't think you're as crazy as you look! {wink}

And as a for instance, take that dihedral. Please. The one full of grass? I've climbed some grassy-ass cracks, the all-time worst being Pacemaker. It takes a huge amount of time to mine out a placement. How can you do it in only 13 hours??

And furthermore:

Today is my 31st Un-Anniversary! What a way to celebrate. 1 El Cap route before. Then my Post-Divorce Renaissance began, and 48 El Cap routes afterwards.

Take my wife. Please.

P.S. What on earth did I do getting married on the opening weekend of bass fishing season?? Listen, you Young Bulls - if you are ever stupid enough to get married, don't do as I do, do as I say. Choose a date so that when your anniversary occurs, it doesn't interfere with anything important like opening day or wall climbing season or whatever.

And choose a girl with a similar birthday. Forget those internet searches for eye colour or bra size or whatever - choose her based on when her birthday is. Or more important, isn't.

ElCapPirate

Big Wall climber

Reno, Nevada

Jun 25, 2013 - 10:58pm PT

How do you climb a route as hard as Get Whacked in only 13 hours?

Don't bring the kitchen sink, short fix... and throw caution to the wind.

Oplopanax

Mountain climber

The Deep Woods

Jun 25, 2013 - 11:56pm PT

And choose a girl with a similar birthday. Forget those internet searches for eye colour or bra size or whatever - choose her based on when her birthday is. Or more important, isn't.

Does 1997 ring a bell

ag.Fox

Trad climber

Reno, NV

Jun 27, 2013 - 04:57pm PT

Pete, Might I suggest, rather than doing some POS route, go back and do one you've done before...but ALL CLEAN!

Up the ante, babe....it'll be an all new experience!

Clean gear would indicate a desire to free climb - NOT HAPPENING
Sheesh! Pitch a Day Pete doesn't even own a chalkbag.

mawk

Big Wall climber

White Bear Lake, MN

Jun 27, 2013 - 06:05pm PT

Yes he does, I've seen it. He handed it to me before I started up the first pitch of West Buttress when I had the crazy idea that I could fr.. climb the pitch. Of course, maybe he borrowed it.