Binks
climber
Uranus
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I made it... I managed it slowly... And haven't done it since (other than the EB free route which does not count).
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Paul Brennan
Trad climber
Ireland
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2 for 2 so far. Mescalito as the first and Zodiac solo as the second. Both last month. Hopefully the first of many. Its nice up there. One other VI, some V's and a few bails off other walls beforehand though. Can't wait for next spring....
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
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For most people, el Cap is the biggest cliff they have ever seen, and it takes a while to get used to it.
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radair
Social climber
North Conway, NH
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Got up the Nose in November 1985 first try with a strong partner. We had an awesome time.
I slammed into the Dolt corner while following the tension traverse pitch off Sickle ledge as I didn't have enough rope to lower all the way. That wasn't so great as I had back problems for years from that slam. Then we had 4 base jumpers scream past us a couple pitches below the great roof, what a shot of adenaline! I had a nut pull out on the great roof and took an upside down fall, oops.
Finally, I linked the last two pitches and had horrendous rope drag, so had to belay off the 5 bolts/hanging stance right at the lip. I remember at first thinking "oh no", but the hauling was so easy and the light so perfect I didn't want to leave. John Long wrote about that belay spot in one of his articles and captured the feeling perfectly.
Best route of my life.
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Cole
Trad climber
los angeles
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I'm on my best streak ever right now, eight ascents with no failures.
Mark, just wondering why you don't consider this a "failure?" Not an attempt at flaming just wondering. Or have you done 8 El Cap routes since?
Disclaimer: I've never done a big wall and I suck. Just curious as to what defines success and failure on a big wall.
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Iron-Hawk-Solo/t11586n.html
EDIT: BTW, this is one of my favorite TR's ever and have shared it with many people. Very inspiring.
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Mikemcee
Social climber
Mill Valley, CA
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What incredible timing for this thread as I pondered the same question yesterday while I hiked our last load down after bailing from Zodiac. Cap'n 1 - Mike 0.
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Cracko
Trad climber
Quartz Hill, California
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First El Cap attempt: Zodiac 1999. Made it in 4 days at age 46. Not done with El Cap yet !!
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OldEric
Trad climber
Westboro, MA
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2 for 2 - Nose (77) and Salathe (78) - similar to Steve A, Was young and fit (and stubborn). Had good luck with the weather.
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east side underground
climber
Hilton crk,ca
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Dihedral Wall June '85 - Nope - you think it was a little hot ?
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
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1st go: Sent with a strong partner who'd been up LF. We did WFLT together. Triple Direct, mid-August '06, full moon, no one else on all of SW face except for Yo and partner, who were completing their Albatross send (later to become one of this site's best TR's). Before fatherhood - big factor for me I think. All kinds of fun, great memories.
2nd go: Failed miserably on the Tangerine Trip, June (?) '07. Strong partner but I let myself get into the wrong head space. Scheduling an int'l flight five days out from your day 1 is a terrible idea, too easy to take hold of that excuse when you get scared (as I did). Shitty feeling to let down a solid partner.
3rd go: Bailed from the Alcove, super strong partner, this summer. Just hit a mental redline. Reversing the Hollow Flake pendulum with the pigs took some doing. Once again, feels bad to let down a good partner.
El Cap can get you when you least expect it. Looks like all systems go on the Salathe here in this pic, staying loose and having fun past the Ear, but waking up 12 hours later I was done.
Hopefully get it this next June.
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bigwall shitter
Social climber
the wild west
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Mark, just wondering why you don't consider this a "failure?" Not an attempt at flaming just wondering. Or have you done 8 El Cap routes since?
Disclaimer: I've never done a big wall and I suck. Just curious as to what defines success and failure on a big wall.
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Iron-Hawk-Solo/t11586n.html
EDIT: BTW, this is one of my favorite TR's ever and have shared it with many people. Very inspiring.
He climbed and hauled everything but the last two pitches by himself, that is a hell of a lot more work than climbing the whole thing to the very tippy top with a partner. I'd count that as an ascent of el cap, not perfect, but a hell of a lot better than I could do.
carry on
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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I got up East Buttress on my first attempt less than a month ago....but that doesn't count as a true El Cap experience. Hope to get on it sometime in the next year. From the look of things, there will be lot's of TRs! Micronut is already running stairs and hauling in the gym!!
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Adamame
climber
Santa Cruz
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Climbed New Dawn with Hoipoiloi for my first El Cap Route. We were on Wino by night two. It was pretty mind blowing to go from, can I do this at all to 1800 ft up on the 2nd night. That broadened my horizons a good deal
5 for 5 now.
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Andrew Barnes
Ice climber
Albany, NY
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SteveA and Gunkie,
The thing about the second pitch of the Mordor wall is that in its current state it's impossible not to aid on the bolts - because the bolts are filling up the bathook holes. Now one could choose not to clip the bolts for protection after using the bolt for aid, but this is now taking the game of artificial climbing to the extreme of artificiality. Basically, adding the bolts has irrevocably changed the nature of the route.
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cmclean
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Bailed on our first attempt--Salathe in 2007. We had done multiple grade Vs and RNWF, but never hauled before on a route, which ended up being pretty mentally daunting when planning on a multi-day ascent. Bailed due to time and just being psyched out. Went back the next year and climbed the route in 2 bivies, starting a current 5/5 El Cap ascent streak. I think the first send is both the hardest and most rewarding.
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Michael Hjorth
Trad climber
Copenhagen, Denmark
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First try: Mescalito 1994; OK!
Second try: Muir 2005; bailed!
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Andy2
climber
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Climbed the Nose on my first try in 1992, leading and hauling every pitch. I must have been in good shape then! No previous wall experience, but I'd done several trips to the Valley, including Steck Salathe etc.
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Gunkie
Trad climber
East Coast US
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The thing about the second pitch of the Mordor wall is that in its current state it's impossible not to aid on the bolts
Very good point, Andrew.
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Matt Thomsen
Big Wall climber
Places
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Climb lurking fear first try in 2004, in a team of three. Both partners had never climbed el cap. Good times! I have bailed a few time sence though...
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RP3
Big Wall climber
El Portal/Chapel Hill
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Mark, just wondering why you don't consider this a "failure?" Not an attempt at flaming just wondering. Or have you done 8 El Cap routes since?
Cole,
What if you just cleaned a route? My girlfriend recently followed me up Zodiac, where I led and hauled every pitch. Do you think she climbed El Cap? I certainly think so...
Therefore, it is not flawed logic to say that if you jugged out two pitches from the top after a solo of a damn hard route, you get credit!
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