Mescalito A3 5.8

 
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El Capitan


Yosemite Valley, California USA


Trip Report
Mescalito - High on Bugs
Monday May 9, 2016 12:29pm
  Trip Report Views: 4,788
meg - tp
About the Author
meg - tp is a climber from El Paso, TX.

Comments
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  May 9, 2016 - 12:52pm PT
While we may not agree on ideal diet, we seem to have similar ideas about climbing and life. Thanks for the excellent and unusual trip report, Meg. I particularly appreciate how you were able to work in so many photos of you soloing a big route (I assume these were courtesy of Tom).

Well done!

John
barrettpauer

Trad climber
north carolina
  May 9, 2016 - 01:25pm PT
What a fun read!
Great TR
Da-Veed

Big Wall climber
Bigfork
  May 9, 2016 - 01:44pm PT
Sweet, I watching part of your ascent from the bridge, that was a BIG storm! Nice work Congrats.
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
  May 9, 2016 - 01:57pm PT
Nice work. That's a big stretch of wall that'd be a grind to solo. I totally get your comments about the difficulty of retreat after the Seagull. A buddy (posts as Cancer Boy) and I got up to the top of the 5th and where ready to climb the Seagull when a ranger truck driving at the base announced a late season 'winter' storm. Thinking how hard it would be to reverse that in sucky weather, we did the prudent, boring thing and bailed while we had a chance. Rain started just as we finished our raps and didn't let up for a good day and a half.

Proud send.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  May 9, 2016 - 02:13pm PT
Proud send and fantastic story. My dad used to call soy sauce "Bug Juice." I remember being about 8 years old and asking him why and he told me it was made from crushed up black beetle bugs. "See...they even have a bug on the front of the label."


I went around thinking soy sauce was made from crushed up beetles for years after that and told many a neighbor kid about the "bug" on the front of the bug juice container. Until about 5th grade when somebody called me out and thought I was an idiot and that soy sauce was apparently made from soy beans. Thanks dad.
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
  May 9, 2016 - 03:59pm PT
Awesome! I enjoyed your link. Even the part about the bugs...
Flip Flop

climber
Earth Planet, Universe
  May 9, 2016 - 04:44pm PT
Nice TR. Thanks for sharing a fun story. Bugs are the future. Also glad to hear the stoke for PTPP's hauling system.
Congratulations
Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
  May 10, 2016 - 09:36pm PT
Way to go Meg on an impressive and extremely solid, solo ascent of a difficult big wall . . . you should be very proud of your abilities and capacity for commitment. Nice pedicure too!
BASE104

Social climber
An Oil Field
  May 9, 2016 - 06:14pm PT
That might have been a first. An all insect diet. Makes sense, though. A great source of protein. You need a high calorie diet, though.

The original bolts were all 1/4 inch, and the original rivets were 1/4 inch round aluminum dowels, some of which you could pull out with your fingers 35 years ago when we did it, but were placed in angled holes and were fine. I thought that they had been replaced by now. Great TR and photos. Good job, too.
thebravecowboy

climber
The Good Places
  May 9, 2016 - 08:43pm PT
I dig it! TFPU!
ecdh

climber
the east
  May 10, 2016 - 03:31am PT
really cool. one of the most interesting reports going. i usually get bored, especially of el cap stuff (sorry everyone), but this was a fresh trip all the way thru.

love the bug thing (have tried exo bars and bugs in asia and get it), love the girl thing (toe nails, hair cuts etc) and dig the attitude.
batguano

climber
  May 10, 2016 - 05:18am PT
Strong work Meg, you're one tough cookie!
thanks for posting
Gunkie

Trad climber
Valles Marineris
  May 10, 2016 - 05:30am PT
Great trip report. I'll let my kids eat bugs when the world is out of other food. Well done!
fosburg

climber
  May 10, 2016 - 07:26am PT
Thanks for the great trip report!
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
  May 10, 2016 - 07:33am PT
Very impressive solo and a good read. Thanks for the link.
ec

climber
ca
  May 10, 2016 - 09:22am PT
I went around thinking soy sauce was made from crushed up beetles for years after that and told many a neighbor kid about the "bug" on the front of the bug juice container. Until about 5th grade when somebody called me out and thought I was an idiot and that soy sauce was apparently made from soy beans. Thanks dad. - Micronut

HaHa...'Raised in an Asian household, we always referred to Soy Sauce as 'Bug Juice,' even at the dinner table. Since my dad at one time had a restaurant, there was always a frickin' steel gallon can of Kikkoman in the pantry.

 ec
ontheedgeandscaredtodeath

Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
  May 10, 2016 - 11:13am PT
Nice! I did Mescalito about 20 years ago (yikes!!). Great route. What's up with the bug food? Is that a thing now??
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  May 10, 2016 - 11:30am PT
Was sure it was a troll when I saw the first post prior to the ascent. It is cool you did it and opened some eyes (or throats) to new ideas! Congrats! If you want to do a wall together and are willing to prepare the food, i'm in! Would change my life or build character LOL
Morgan

Trad climber
East Coast
  May 10, 2016 - 06:48pm PT
Awesome trip report! I really like the photo of the Molar Pendulum – with extra legs.
Pewf

climber
Gunnison, CO
  May 10, 2016 - 08:03pm PT
I joked in your other thread about a near upchuck from some chocolate covered cockroaches, but in seriousness, great job on the climb.
mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
  May 10, 2016 - 09:17pm PT
I agree, this is an exceptional trip report. And can I second the question, what's up with the bugs? I'd like to hear more about why.

tuolumne_tradster

Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
  May 11, 2016 - 09:49am PT
This TR is as understated as it is exceptional...both off the charts.

More info on 6-legged gastronomy here..

http://bugvivant.com/category/about-edible-insects/
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
  May 11, 2016 - 10:45am PT
Rad! No cheesy marketing necessary, just psyche and good food ;D
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
  May 12, 2016 - 12:15pm PT
AWESOME!!! Way to go Meg most excellent on all counts!
Studly

Trad climber
WA
  May 12, 2016 - 11:06pm PT
Holy sheep sh#t. Soloing Mescalito, radical. Writing a great TR about it priceless. Warrior princess or what.
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
  May 13, 2016 - 01:15am PT
I hate links to trip reports, they're blocked at work and I can't see them
philip leng

Trad climber
Solihull, UK
  May 13, 2016 - 02:30am PT
Great report and impressed by sticking with the bug food. As a veggie folks often ask how can you climb on veggie food! Got us up the Nose. East Ledges descent, hardest day of the climb....by far.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  May 13, 2016 - 03:19am PT
Nice TR, and great job!
So is bug protein vegan? ;)
cornel

climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
  May 13, 2016 - 09:45pm PT
Yes Mam! 120 lbs of dynamite! Excellent job on Mescalito! A fascinating article and diet as well.. My only question is how about some ants and grasshoppers? Crickets and worms are great but what about a few others of the insect kingdom? I got into Chinese medicine a few decades back because of an early case of Chronic fatigue exacerbated by big walls. Chinese medicine helped save the day. One supplement I discovered especially beneficial for both big walling and backcountry ski trips were ants. Some serious recovery power in those insanely strong little creatures. Dragon herbs formulations in particular have really worked recovery magic for me. Highly recommend them. I also found Ayervedic herbal formulations are powerful regenerators of the human body as well.. Those are insect free but work very efficiently creating greater overall harmony in your body. Keep up the great work... Meg!
cornel

climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
  May 14, 2016 - 06:35am PT
Like many climbers I am always looking for an edge. Constantly Researching and fine tuning my diet. I discovered Ketogenesis about a year ago. This Ketogenic diet is I think a quantum leap into the future. Essentially you fuel the body on healthy organic fats. This reprograms the metabolic processes of the body to generate Ketones. Fat burners. Carbohydrates are reduced substantially and sugars even more. About 50 to 70% of your caloric intake are fats on this diet. Nuts, especially pecans and macadamias, eggs, whole fat dairy, avocados, even lard. I prefer a lacto ovo version personally, don't eat meat. The remaining calories come from protein and high fiber veggies and fruits. Grains are either eliminated or drastically reduced. A critical by product of the diet is a dramatic reduction in overal Inflammation in the body.. There are now 2 excellent films out on the subject, Cereal Killers 1 and 2. Check it out..
briham89

Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
  May 14, 2016 - 07:44am PT
Great TR and climb!
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El Capitan - Mescalito A3 5.8 - Yosemite Valley, California USA. Click to Enlarge
Mescalito is route number 15.
Photo: Galen Rowell
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1800' of fantastic climbing.
El Capitan - Salathe Wall 5.13b or 5.9 C2 - Yosemite Valley, California USA. Click for details.
Salathe Wall, 5.13b or 5.9 C2
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The Salathé Wall ascends the most natural line up El Cap.
El Capitan - Lurking Fear C2F 5.7 - Yosemite Valley, California USA. Click for details.
Lurking Fear, C2F 5.7
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Lurking Fear is route number 1.
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