Here we go!

Tomorrow morning, November 13, Tommy and I will hike to the base of El Cap. However, this time the familiar approach will feel definitively different. This time, we are not coming down at the end of the day. This time, it's for real. Our camps are stashed, our beta is refined, and the weather is clear. For the next two weeks, Tommy and I are finally beginning our send push. We call it a push because, after the first day, it will undoubtedly be a battle for every pitch.

Day 1 is one of most important days of the push. We will cover more ground on our first day than any other day over the next two weeks. Our plan is to climb the first 8 pitches, which break down like this:

Pitch 1: 5.12b glacier polished slab, KJ lead

KJ mini-traxioning Pitch 1 earlier this season

Pitch 2: 5.13a crack, TC lead

Pitch 3: 5.13d discontinuous cracks, KJ lead

KJ on the first crux of Pitch 3, November 2009, Tim Kemple Photo

Pitch 4: 5.12b corner and crack with wet streak at the top, TC lead

Pitch 5: 5.12d crack and lieback with wet sections throughout, KJ lead

Pitch 6: 5.13c corner and face, TC lead

Tommy on Pitch 6 in November 2009, Tim Kemple Photo

Pitch 7: 5.14a lieback with hard crux at the top, protected by peckers, KJ lead

Tommy on Pitch 7 in November 2009, Tim Kemple Photo

Pitch 8: 5.13+ boulder problem, TC lead

Camp is stashed at the top of pitch 8

Day 2 will consist of pitch 9, 5.13b, and hopefully a send of pitch 10, 5.14.

Pitch 9, 5.13b

Tommy mini-traxioning the bottom of Pitch 10

After day two and the completion of pitch 10 (which is a monster), we will likely be spending one day for each pitch thereafter with rest days mixed in. Pitches 12, 13, 14, and 15 are all 5.14, and solid at that. This effort is the culmination of roughly 65 days of work over three season. I don't think I'm going to sleep well tonight, but only because I can't wait to get started. I'll do my best to update from the wall as we make progress.

KJ