El Capitan

El Capitan. The Nose is the prominent buttress on the sun/shade line.


Sam and I racking up. Our haul bag was about 100lbs on day one (48 lbs of water, plus bivy gear, plus clothes for storms, plus food).


Picture of me leading in the Stoveleg Cracks taken from El Cap meadow - telephoto lense. (The guy on the right is from a different party. They are bailing down the rap route after getting soaked in a thunderstorm.)


Picture taken from El Cap meadow of Sam and I with a huge telephoto lense.


Mmmmm...breakfast on El Cap Tower. This was our bivy for the first night. Top of pitch 14.


Nother shot of El Cap Tower.


This is me lowering out for the King Swing (top of pitch 16). I lowered out about 80 feet, then ran back and forth like mad to get over to the next crack system. It took me about 7 tries. I finally made it after running as hard as possible and screaming out at the top of my lungs; Ahhhhhhhh, got it.

Sam leading pitch 17.

Sam leading the pitch below the Great Roof.

Camp VI bivy. This ledge was the size of a small kitchen table.

Looking down from Camp VI. My shoulder basically hung off this during the night, but I slept well (securely tied in). The Nose route begins on the buttress sticking out way below.

Sam leading the second to last pitch.

My yellow helmet from a belay.

Me leading the last pitch and looking down 3,000 feet.

We were benighted on the route down and bivied here on the East Ledges desent.

Most awesome rock route I've ever done. It ended up being a little harder than I thought, but we did free about half the route. We were rained on (+ hail and lightning and 35 mph gusts) on the first day, and on the 2nd-4th days we were climbing by 6 am about every day, but had to climb late every day. We didn't reach Camp VI until 11pm.

Beautiful route. Probably the hardest physical thing I've ever done. It wasn't easy to wake up on day 3 and 4 and still have thousands of feet to climb.

Loved it. I have wanted to climb the Nose since I first heard about it as a teenager.

3 days, 3000 ft, 21 pitches led, two sleepless nights thousands of feet high, bloody/bruised/swollen hands, and a successful attempt on El Cap?

Brian bagged it. Good job babe! You're a real ROCK star!!

Needless to say I am OVERJOYED to have B-honey back at rocky. Despite the lack of privacy, our new home has actually really grown on me! I'm loving it-- plus I had an anonymous doner offer me a few dollars for a rug and some flowers. Amazing the difference that can make!

Too much

I arrived Saturday night to my "home" in Rocky Mountain National Park after a marathon week. It was a good week, but I arrived exhausted. I moved into a little house built in the 1930s (you know it's not a good sign when you have to sign a waiver before moving in). I think with a little work I can make it livable. My job started this morning. I found out I can get a cat. I think I'm going to-- for company and for the mice. Pictures of my trip to Yosemite to follow and our new place.

Brian is climbing the nose today- thurs. Looks like thunderstorms and I feel sick to my stomach.

All good things

So this was my last day as a River Ranger. Short lived, I know, but here are some highlights from the last few weeks as well as a photo of the "boat shop"-- I'm sure ya'll are somewhat confused when I keep saying that, but after seeing the photo that might clarify.

While I was on a four day patrol of the Green River (54 miles through Canyonlands). Clay, Leslie and me hiked to the Confluence of the Green and Colorado right in the heart of the park.

This is from my four day patrol down the Colorado River. Brian got to come for the first three days and then he switched with Krissy and she came for the rest. It was also a 50 mile trip. We had awesome weather the whole time and ate like kings! One of the perks of a river trip vs. backpacking.

The boat shop!