Sometimes it seems like getting a partner is the crux of big wall climbing, so I jumped when Squeakyboater said he was heading up Lurking Fear and would I like to join him.

After some farting around at Manure Pile, we hooked up at 6 or 7:00 on Friday to get our rig together.

It was dark.

We set off at 8:30, and began climbing about 10:00

It's tough to get good shots at night without some serious equipment, and as the hours slip by it all seems about the same anyway.

Not sleepy!


Eventually, there's that point where you realize that you can see beyond the headlamp beam, and that it is no longer yesterday.

In fact, it's today.

More climbing happened.

And still more.

It's kinda bulgy up there, so you can't see very far ahead.

'The pillar of Despair'

If I had a longer arm, maybe these self-portraits would be better.

The feet were complaining by the end of the day, and there was surprisingly little objection to my suggestion that we bivy. We rapped down and around from the top of pitch 10 to a cool little ledge. No sleeping bags, but emergency blankets and the warm West facing rock made the night restful. I left the camera at the top anchor so you'll have to use your imagination.

Sunday morning, there was some interesting climbing on pitches 11 &12

Over a bulge

And then into lower angle corners and mostly free climbing. The small and light haul bag was a bonus here.

It got dark again during the last 2 pitches above Thanksgiving Ledge, and we topped out around 9:00. On pitch 18- an awkward dihedral, everything seemed to go wrong and some cursing rang out.

We headed off at 10:00 and spent a long time working down to the East ledges. By 2:00, we were just above the raps. Once again I played the bivy card- reasoning that the only point to arriving at the valley floor at 4:00 AM would be for a CTC time that was unremarkable in any case.

This bivy was cooler but OK


Monday morning we rapped down

Got the finishing shot (not really as fried as is it looks)

And headed off for showers and pizza.

We lounged around a bit and then hiked back up to the start of the route to retrieve some packs. I got to chat with
Steve S. up there, who pretty much owns this route. He even collected and returned the stuff we dropped!

So it was a good time and my first El Cap route too.