About Erik Sloan

Welcome!

I created Yosemitebigwall.com in 2008 with one clear goal: To help more people connect with the magical world of Yosemite Climbing. As a 5.8 leader (had back injuries when I was younger, so have to stick to the mellower stuff, and lots of Yoga), I’ve struggled with the elitist attitudes that can prevail in Yosemite at times. I want a place where everyone can seek and find information about a Yosemite climbing adventure that is appropriate for them. Like many climbers, I’ve taken simple jobs in Yosemite to be able to spend as much time here as possible. There are many challenges to living in a national park, but the community of like-minded nature lovers here makes it all worthwhile. I dove into replacing bolts on bigwall climbs initially, and later to making these guidebooks as a way  to show my appreciation for these amazing climbs and the experiences they afford. Yosemite Climbing is still relatively new – there are new routes being developed every year, trails getting wiped out by trees falling over or rockfall, parking spots being created or taken away,etc…..but most folks just come on vacation so please pitch in, if you see something amiss when you’re here! Have Fun!

Enjoy the site,
Erik Sloan – Author, Owner

Erik Sloan is an Alaskan native who has lived and worked around Yosemite since the early 2000s. Erik has climbed El Cap over 100 times. He is co-author of Rock Climbing Yosemite Valley: 750 Best Free Routes(2016), Yosemite Bigwalls: The Complete Guide(2020), Yosemite Bigwalls: The Ultimate Guide (2021) and Supertopo’s Yosemite BigWalls 2nd edition (2004). He created a community website for Wawona climbing(in southern Yosemite): wawona.yosemitebigwall.com. In 1997, Erik co-founded the American Safe Climbing Association, and to date he has replaced over 2000 bolts on Yosemite’s bigwalls. Erik’s favorite climbs in Yosemite are Royal Arches 5.7 A0 or 5.10b, and The Nose of El Cap.

(2021)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2009)

Yosemite Bigwalls
7193 Yosemite Park Way
Yosemite,Ca 95389

*Contact Erik with any info/suggestions/updates: erik@yosemitebigwall.com

With my son, Austin, at the El Cap Bridge (2011)


 

A list of Erik and friend’s bigwall climbs in Yosemite:

2021

155. Feb 16-20. Zodiac, El Capitan w/ Priscilla Mewborne and Ryan Sheridan. We climbed during the ‘Firefall’ time and were rewarded with beautiful rainbows everyday. Priscilla showed us how it was done on the hard leads, and busted out her silks to do aerial silking off the Nipple pitch 1000 feet up! A picture from this ascent the cover of Yosemite Bigwalls: The Ultimate Guide

2020

154. June 7,2020  Zodiac, El Capitan w/ Lance Colley, 13:17. Oddly cold day, but so bright and beautiful and Lance crushed most of the route, so I gotta to just cruise along. Woohoo!

2019

153. Aug 8, 2019 Lurking Fear, El Capitan w/ Lance Colley. So nice to be the older guy and these young guys just drag you up, haha! We had wild mountain lion encounter at the base, before starting…what a wild world!

2018

  1. Jun 29, 2018 Triple Direct, El Capitan with Hayden Robinson, Elliott Bernhagen. 22: 45

A long day but so fun sailing the high seas with my bros for my bday!

 

  1. May 18, 2018 Southwest Face, Liberty Cap. w/ Schuyler Collett. 9 hrs. Celebrating the life and stoke of our dear friend Richie – RIP Brother!

2016

  1. Oct 04, 2016 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Jim Reynolds, David Prough. 3 days

So much fun up on the Big Stone! Climbed through a small storm the first day – had the route to ourselves. Woot!

  • Aug 21, 2016 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Marek Jakubowski. 15hours

So good – was Marek’s first time. Woot Woot!

  • Aug 06, 2016 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Ryan Sheridan. 15hours

Ryan’s 1st and my 100th ascent of El Cap! We climbed all night as it was 100 degrees. So much fun!

147.Jun 01, 2016 Triple Direct, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Roger Putnam. 07h:30mins

Oh so good cruising the Big Stone with Rog! Woot!

  • May 21, 2016 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Tim Klein. 07hours

Wow this route is so good. Snow flurries on the last pitch but cold and dry. Perfecto!

  • May 11, 2016 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Brad Gobright.

Man it was so fun to watch Brad onsighting most of the pitches free. Woot!

  • May 03, 2016 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Roger Putnam. 11hours

Such an amazing route.

  • Apr 06, 2016 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Jim Reynolds. 07h:20mins

Such an awesome route. Woohoo!

  • Mar 19, 2016 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Schuyler Collet. 09h:49mins

So good up there!

2015

  1. Sep 04, 2015 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Jon Griffin, Shayna Brown, Robbie Brown. 11hours

(topo update: we had time to add a couple belay bolts, so now Lurking Fear, the easiest route on El Cap, has all bolted anchors((we added a bolt to belays 14 and 16)) like every other route on El Cap. ‘Bout Time!). Keiko was up solo, going for her first successful bigwall, so we Valley Rally-ed and met her at Thanksgiving Ledge after a late morning start. British Ace Neil and Grizzly Joe had done NNL and met up with K right before we got there. Rager on Thanksgiving! So cool to high five Keiko and make sure she had enough reserve stoke to drag all her stuff up the summit slabs. We topped out late after much revelry, and enjoyed the stars. Venus + Mars rising over Half Dome in the early am gave a sparkly Woot!

  • Aug 20, 2015 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Robbie Brown, Nick, Chris Edmands, Oliver. 1 day

Party Wall up the best route on the Southeast Face! Woohoo! Topo Updates: Pitch 5: 3 x 3 ledge is missing! Pitch 11: The first hooks after the C2+ section appear to have broken and are barely there.

  • Aug 12, 2015 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Robbie Brown. 08h:30mins

Awesome time on the High Seas!

  • Jul 20, 2015 West Face, Leaning Tower w/ Genna Wood. 08hours
  • Apr 29, 2015 Tis sa ack, Half Dome Northwest Face w/ Ryan Baker. 3.5 days

Awesome trip up the Trail of Tears, haha. We had some spring runoff, and trundled a few loose rocks, but otherwise had a smooth trip up. The Zebra, the Human Simbosis pitches and the Maze rule!

  • Apr 19, 2015 The Prow, Washington Column East Face w/ Tommy Bairstow. 09hours

Awesome time! We dodged a major thunderstorm. Woot!

  • Mar 16, 2015 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Roger Putnam. 07h:55mins

Another awesome day on the Nose with Rog!

  • Feb 20, 2015 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Roger Putnam. 05h:59mins

Wow the Nose is amazing. We replaced an old bolt on the traverse to Camp 4, an old quarter-incher with a Leeper hanger. Viva La Nariz!

2014

  1. Aug 28, 2014 Grape Race, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Roger Putnam. 08h:21mins

This was all Roger, as he led to Camp 6. Always an awesome day with the big Stone. Rog took a 30 footer on the 4th pitch and hit his ankle. Kept leading up the wall with now problems, but when we got to the summit we were out of water and his ankle had suddenly swelled to a melon, so it took a few hours to get down. Woohoo! Big Stone!

  • May 01, 2014 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Roger Putnam. 08hours

Victory Lap for our new bigwall book! Woohoo to the greatest climb in the world! Met a couple guys from Austria rappelling from Camp 5, said they summited a couple days before but couldn’t find the descent route, haha

  • Apr 24, 2014 Good Ol’ Boy, Camp 4 Wall w/ Ryan Baker, Jon Griffin. 12hours

So much fun to be up on the Camp 4 wall again. When Richie and I put the route up, we went the wrong way on pitch 11. We climbed 1.5 new pitches this time and made the route much more direct/fun. The topo here on the website has been updated with this new 2014 beta. Woot!

  • Mar 20, 2014 Mideast Crisis, Washington Column East Face w/ Jon Griffin, Richie Copeland, Joe Marly, Tesia Jankowski, Dani Julien. 3.5 days

So much fun! After the 2nd pitch which is a little gravely it’s splitter forever. Woohoo Party Wall!

2013

  1. Sep 26, 2013 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Roger Putnam. 07h:42mins

Woohoo!

  1. Sep 12, 2013 Triple Direct, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Dave Winetraub. 1.5 days

Awesome route. Passed below a group of 4 on the Shield. The girls yelled down ‘don’t ever take your girlfriend up here ;)’. Woohoo!

  • Jul 2013 South Face, Washington Column South Face w/ Roger Putman, Matt Wildman. 1 day

Did this route a couple times this summer. So much fun! Still some loose blocks in the chimney!

  • Jun 22, 2013 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Brian Paulson, Taylor Sincich. 3 days

Awesome trip up the Big Stone with two close friends. Mouse had eaten a hole on one side of the portaledge, but we covered it with a pad each night and slept lightly. Woot!

  • Jun 2013 Midwest, El Capitan West Face w/ Richie Copeland, Ryan Kelly. 3 days

Not nearly as classic as the West Face, but fun after you’ve done that one.

  • Jun 2013 Mirage, El Capitan West Face w/ Richie Copeland. 5 days

We did the West Face finish off Thanksgiving Ledge because we had eaten enough dirt at that point. After a dozen more ascents this will be a classic-wildest first pitch on El Cap for sure.

2012

  1. Aug 2012 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Josh Thompson. 2.5 days

So much fun!

  • May 22, 2012 Direct Northwest Face, Porcelain Wall w/ Ryan Baker, Parker Kempf. 1.5 days
  • May 05, 2012 Good Ol’ Boy, Camp 4 Wall w/ Richie Copeland. 7 days

This route was so much easy-going fun. We fixed 6 and then spent 2.5 days finishing in perfect spring weather–there was water flowing at both of the bivy ledges! Viva Camp4 Wall!

  • Feb 11, 2012 Direct Northwest Face, Porcelain Wall w/ Richie Copeland.

What an amazingly dry winter to start 2012. We took four months to climb this route, but Richie lives 3.5 hrs from the Valley and the approach always took some time. The full shade made for perfect moving temperatures, and the puffy kept us warm at the belays. In winter this baby gets about one hour of Sun just on the top few pitches of the climb. Outrageous steepness!…and blankness. We joined the (chopped) Harding route for the upper blankness.Porcelain!

2011

  1. Jul 29, 2011 Northwest Face, Higher Cathedral Spire w/ Ryan Baker, Ken Gibson. 18hours
  • May 26, 2011 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Ryan Baker. 14h:15mins

Ryan and I had been dreaming of El Cap all winter, woohooo Big Stone! It was Ryan’s first time and we wanted to relax and enjoy ourselves so we brought extra water and a couple of pizzas and just savored each pitch, each unique vista. Viva El Cap!

  • Apr 23, 2011 Wet Denin Daydream, Leaning Tower w/ Ryan Baker, Richie Copeland. 2 days

Awesome climb o steepness! Ahwahnee Ledge is so bitchin. The heads on the first Wet Denim pitch are very thin and tend to come out from the weight of the cleaner, so I think that pitch is A4 if you’re not clipping the free climbing bolts. What a natural line, so cool. Team Juicy Fruit woot.

  • Apr 01, 2011 Laughing at the Void, Ribbon Fall w/ Ryan Baker. 2 days

The Valley was still filled with snow but the wall was baking hot glorious. Fun, mellow warmup wall. The view from that ledge is so sick good. Ryan and I continued up the arete from the ledge, establishing two new 120′ pitches(A2+,A2) before leading a short 5.5 pitch that connected into the gully of Thin Line for one short pitch to the base of the last pitch of Gold Wall, which we climbed to the summit. Wooohooo!

  • Feb 04, 2011 Bulging Puke, Arches Wall w/ Ryan Baker, Gabe Mange. 2.5 days

Climbed this awesome route again to get the topo all dialed, and replace a couple anchors. Can be a wet in the Spring, but still fun. Arches Wall Bliss!

2010

  1. Nov 19, 2010 Bulging Puke, Arches Wall w/ Gabe Mange. 4 days

Fun Route! Sunsets on the Arches Wall are amazing. We fixed high and blasted as winter weather was on the way. Some sweet splitter cracks with a few grassy ones thrown in here. Woohooo!

  • Oct 2010 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Richie Copeland, Arin Trook. 3 days

Three Bros sailing the Granite Seas o Bliss. Good Times! Viva the Grey Circle Vibe!

  • Aug 2010 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Jesse Lynch. 3 days

First Vibram Five Fingers ascent of El Cap! My buddy Jesse had never climbed a bigwall. I don’t know what I was thinking,hahhahha, but we got through it and had some fun. So beautiful being on El Cap. Sleeping on Camp 4 was pretty grim though. Woohoo!

  • Jul 2010 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Josh McClure. 11h:15mins

It was a hot 97 degrees, but we started early and had a blast. We pasted three Koreans on top of Texas Flake who had ropes and a leader up higher at Eagle Ledge. Before we topped out we heard a big rockfall from the Nose and heard people screaming. When we got down we found out the Korean leader had pulled off a large flake that you used to climb up at the beginning of the pitch to Camp 4–was a six foot tall flake that was stuck in the crack and you climbed on it. Guess it broke the fella’s leg and almost cut his rope but he was able to be rescued as was the rest of the team the next day.

  • Jun 2010 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Nate Beckwith. 11h:35mins
  • May 2010 Northwest Face, Higher Cathedral Spire w/ Eric Foster. 3 days

Awesome route. Most amazing view o the Cap ‘en!

  • May 2010 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Richie Copeland. 3 days

A year ago Richie and I were caught in an unexpected, icy, thunderstorm-waterfall, high on this route with only one rope and soggy puffy jackets. So fun to push through and enjoy the deep, endless crack-Vibe. Amazing Route!

  • Apr 2010 Great Slab Route, Washington Column East Face w/ friends. 10 days

http://yosemitebigwall.com/report/great-slab-route-mostly-solo

  • Jan 2010 Afroman, Washington Column East Face w/ Micah Bisson. 5 days

Amazing Route! Shield-like splitters but steeper….and on the Column. Woohoo! http://yosemitebigwall.com/report/afroman-winter-0

Read More

2009

  1. Oct 2009 Octopussy, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Richie Copeland, Shane Borza, Timmy Tharp. 7 days

A long, drawn out ascent of kicking it on the bitchin-est rock around–thanks for the good times El Cap. So much gold up there. Super-fun route.

104,. Sep 12, 2009 Pegasus (aka North Face), Quarter Dome w/ Logan Talbot. 13hours

  • Jul 13, 2009 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Josh McClure. 12hours

Awesome fun with a good friend. We passed Ivo and friends who were slow boating the route. ‘Zodiac is the best aid climb on El Cap’ says Ivo. Agreed!

  • Jul 2009 Grape Race, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Shane Borza. 7 days
  • Jul 2009 West Face, Leaning Tower w/ David Dugan. 09hours
  • May 11, 2009 Lost World/Squeeze Play, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Richie Copeland, Logan Talbot. 4 days
  1. Apr 2009 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Blake Burwell. 3 days

Good, wet times on the Captain. We did this just a couple days after a pretty major storm, and the upper pitches where running with water(the ledge at the top of 14 was covered in snow!). Topped out around 6pm so soaked we took our shoes off and rung them out, and then got in our bags for a cold bivy. Le Cap–always an adventure.

  1. Mar 2009 Lost World/Squeeze Play, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Mike Poisson, Donny Goetz. 5 days

2008

  1. Oct 31, 2008 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Kevin Kuhns. 3 days
  2. Oct 10, 2008 Lost World/Squeeze Play, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Alik Berg. 1 day 05hours
  3. Sep 07, 2008 West Face, El Capitan West Face w/ Alik Berg. 11hours
  4. Aug 20, 2008 Salathe, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Logan Talbot. 3 days

A mid-Summer cruz with a great bro. Salathe is so bitchin camaro! Woot to wild roof dangling and crazy headwall bliss.

93, Aug 08, 2008 West Buttress, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Jessica DeMartin. 4 days

http://yosemitebigwall.com/report/west-buttress-clean-climb

  1. Jul 05, 2008 West Buttress, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Holly Beck. 2 days

http://yosemitebigwall.com/report/west-buttress-weekender

  1. May 14, 2008 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Logan Talbot. 3 days

http://yosemitebigwall.com/report/nose-2x-aprilmay-08

  1. Apr 27, 2008 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Richie Copeland. 3 days

http://yosemitebigwall.com/report/nose-2x-aprilmay-08

  1. Mar 05, 2008 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Richie Copeland, Pete Zabroc. 1 day 08hours
  2. Jan 14, 2008 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Richie Copeland, Ted Hansen. 3 days

2007

  1. Oct 25, 2007 Southwest Face, Liberty Cap w/ Mike Vanian. 3 days

Fun, fun times on a awesome route/rock. Trip report: http://yosemitebigwall.com/report/liberty-cap-full-weekender

Read More

  1. Aug 21, 2007 South Face, Washington Column South Face w/ Brian Paulson. 2 days
  2. Aug 07, 2007 Triple Direct, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Micah Bisson. 2 days
  3. Jun 10, 2007 Electric Ladyland, Washington Column East Face w/ Theron Moses. 4 days

http://yosemitebigwall.com/report/electric-ladyland-therons-first-wallmy-first-photo-tr

  1. May 09, 2007 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Mike Haag. 1.5 days
  2. Mar 30, 2007 Tangerine Trip, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Jean Reedle, Wayne Willoughby. 5 days
  3. Feb 16, 2007 Virginia, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Ryan Tetz. 4 days

Fun, quiet Winter ascent. No one around. We replaced all the anchor bolts and a few lead bolts(I replaced the first few anchors in ’03).

2006

  1. Jun 10, 2006 Shortest Straw, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Michael Nelson, Holly Beck. 4 days
  2. May 17, 2006 South Face, Washington Column South Face w/ Cher Albrecht, Joe Addington, Nat Shultz, Cara Payne. 2 days
  3. Mar 2006 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Micah Bisson. 3 days
  4. Feb 20, 2006 Shortest Straw, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Richie Copeland. 7 days

2005

  1. Sep 2005 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Leo Burk. 3 days
  2. Jul 2005 Ten Days After, Washington Column East Face w/ Richie Copeland. 4 days

Bolt replacement ascent. It was July and so scorching, we didn’t even need jackets. Viva the Tenaya Canyon vistas!

  1. Jun 25, 2005 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Micah Dash. 14hours
  2. Jun 2005 The Nose, El Capitan w/ Jay Selvidge, Leo Burk. 4 days
  3. May 2005 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Jaimie Mundo, Dave Bainbridge. 1 day
  4. May 2005 Virginia, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Jaimie Mundo, Dave Bainbridge. 23h:55mins

First one day ascent. I’m pretty sure this was Dave’s first El Cap route. Jaimie was raging strong. We bivied at the base and I went to bed early, worried that I was out of shape while the boys drank the night away. Coiler walked by the base in the morning and I called down and he said it was 10am when we were at pitch 4, so I was psyched. Jaimie led most of route after that;I led the first four and 9,10 but didn’t have much night endurance then. I had dreamed of a Summit Solo and the boys consented so we trailed the ropes and climbed together the last pitch–the only reason we made it in a day as Jaimie had climbed all night while Dave and I bitched(about the cold) and slept…. Sweet times with the Summer bros!

2004

  1. Nov 2004 Horse Chute/Horse Play, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Jaimie Mundo, Nat Shultz. 5 days

So much fun on the Southwest Face. Pretty cool and straightforward route for not being that popular. The splitter pitches on the headwall are sick! We hit a heat wave and were pretty cooked by the top but met up with Holly and friend on Thanksgiving Ledge(they had climbed Lurking Fear) and all had a fun night hiking over to the top of the Nose and bivying there. Awesome times–Thank you Le Cap.

  1. Aug 2004 North American Wall, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Richie Copeland, Dave Turner, Nicholas Martinez, Walt. 1 day 08hours
  2. Jul 2004 Southwest Face, Liberty Cap w/ Richie Copeland, Roger Brown. 4 days
  3. Mar 2004 Mideast Crisis, Washington Column East Face w/ Micah Bisson. 3 days
  4. Mar 2004 Gold Wall, Ribbon Fall w/ Micah Bisson. 4 days

Such an amazing route! That belly crawl is so cool!

2003

  1. Sep 2003 Tangerine Trip, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Richie Copeland. 4 days
  2. Jun 2003 Southern Man, Washington Column South Face w/ Chris McNamara. 1 day
  3. May 2003 Tangerine Trip, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Rachel Arst. 4 days
  4. Apr 2003 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Max Hasson. 3 days
  5. Mar 2003 South Face, Washington Column South Face w/ Rachel Arst. 3 days

2002

  1. Aug 2002 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara. 09hours
  2. Jul 2002 Tangerine Trip, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Jaimie Mundo. 4 days
  3. Jun 2002 The Shield, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Josh Thompson. 5 days

Summer climb with perfect, breezy 70 degree weather on the Shield headwall. We replaced most of the lead and anchor bolts. Weird vibe when we blasted as there was a fatality in the Valley the day before when a rope-soloist fell on Braille Book and was killed when the rescue helicopter had trouble getting out of the Spire Gully and ended up ramming the litter through some trees. The empty helicopter was sitting in the meadow of the El Cap meadow and the place was crawling with burly men asking, ‘did you see anything yesterday’ as they were investigating the helicopter pilot. Good times for us though, mellow cruising up golden bliss.

  1. Jun 2002 Muir Wall, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Josh Thompson. 5 days
  2. May 2002 Never Never Land, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Josh Thompson. 5 days
  3. May 2002 Lost in America, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Josh Thompson, Patrick Warren. 5 days

Jamie separated his shoulder slipping on the approach with a full haulbag and had to bail; Patrick was up to solo Zodiac and jumped on as we already had the full three-person rig hauled to the top of pitch 1. So much fun dangling up there. Josh aided the 5.10 section, via a a couple pins and hooks up and right off the belay, after neither of us could get started with the free shoes on; the ‘beeferoni’ variation is A3,hahahha. Spring on the southeast face….good times!

2001

  1. Sep 10, 2001 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara. 1 day
  2. Aug 2001 Aurora, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Jay Selvidge. 5 days
  3. Jul 2001 Son of Heart, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Jay Selvidge, Pablo Vera. 5 days
  4. Jul 2001 Triple Direct, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Chris McNamara, Wayne Willoughby. 1 day
  5. May 2001 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Pablo Vera. 3 days
  6. Apr 2001 The Prow, Washington Column East Face w/ Mikey Schafer. 09hours

2000

  1. Aug 2000 Zenyatta Mondatta, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ John Dickey, Christian George. 5 days

Awesome times sailing the Southeast Face seas with bros. We replaced most anchor bolts and a couple lead bolts. Cool route!

  1. Jul 2000 Magic Mushroom, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Nick Ginn. 2.5 days

Mikey Schafer, Pete Zabroc and I climbed to Mammoth Terraces in a bid to do this route in a day; we brought no storm gear, just a bag with food and water and one puffy jacket each. When we got to Mammoth, in 8 hours(we we’re naively hoping to get there in 4) I had a weird feeling that that was not the day for me. I was seeing a local girl at the time who I was really into, and we had plans for the next day and it didn’t look like we were going to finish the route in time. Mike and Pete gave me a hard time but I wasn’t feeling it. I offered to descend the fixed lines so they could push on but the team disintegrated and we rapped. That night an unforecasted storm rolled in dumping cold rain for hours. Mikey still laughs about how that girlfriend saved our lives. Mikey and Pete took off so I recruited Nick to finish the climb with me, again naively thinking I could lead from Mammoth to the top in a day. We jugged up on a hot, sweaty night and I started leading at 5am. At 10pm, having led primarily short-fixing the entire time, we pulled up on Chickedhead Ledge and crashed. Topped out mid-morning the next day.

46, Jun 26, 2000 Regular Northwest Face, Half Dome Northwest Face w/ Sal(sa) Wilson. 12 days

  1. Jun 2000 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Roger Strong. 2 days
  2. Jun 2000 The Shield, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Tommy Caldwell. 15h:30mins

onsight ascent for both us! Amazing Route! We cheated a little by pre-stashing a couple gallons on Mammoth Terraces before our climb.

  1. May 2000 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Jimmy Forester. 3 days
  2. May 2000 Iron Hawk, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Mikey Schafer. 5 days
  3. May 2000 West Face, Leaning Tower 06hours
  4. May 2000 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Brett from CO?. 09h:30mins

1999

  1. Oct 1999 Dihedral Wall, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Michael Nelson. 4 days

Awesome times on the Stone. We replaced most anchor bolts.

  1. Sep 16, 1999 New Dawn, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Mikey Schafer, Chris Van Leuven. 3 days

We did this route in 3 days with no fixing, and felt like we were moving pretty good using the continuous leader three man system until on the second day we watched Timmy and Miles climb the NA in 9.5 hours–it looked like they were levitating up the route to the thumping techno music on their stereo. Then we didn’t think we were going so fast,hahahhaa. Spaz almost chopped the cleaner twice by fixing the lead line over crazy sharp edges….Ahhh, so much fun up there.

  1. Sep 1999 Sea of Dreams, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Russ Mitrovitch. 6 days
  2. Aug 1999 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara, Wayne Willoughby. 1 day
  3. Jun 1999 Mescalito, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Argentinan friend. 5 days
  4. Jun 1999 Eagle’s Way, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Todd Offenbacher, Wayne Willoughby. 3 days
  5. May 1999 North American Wall, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Ian Wren, Wayne Willoughby. 4 days
  6. Apr 1999 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara. 2 days
  7. Mar 1999 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ John Maddox. 3 days

1998

  1. Jun 1998 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face 3 days
  2. May 1998 Lurking Fear, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ John All. 3 days
  3. Apr 1998 South Central, Washington Column South Face w/ Cedar Wright. 10hours

Scrappy cool route compared to the shoe-rubbed cleanliness of the other routes on the south face of the Column. Fun times!

  1. Mar 1998 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara. 2 days

1997

  1. Nov 06, 1997 South Seas, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara. 4 days
  2. Nov 1997 Iron Hawk, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara. 5 days
  3. Oct 1997 Lunar Eclipse, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara, Wayne Willoughby. 4 days

Looser, scrappier climbing that I was used to on El Cap, but a cool adventure. That White Line Fever pitch has some fucked up rivets/bathooks. The Milky Way is such a cool spot.

  1. Oct 1997 Reticent Wall, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara. 6 days

Recovering from a rowdy bout with Hepatitis A, I jugged this for Chris who led every pitch quick like. Every pitch seemed to involve 30 pitons and by the end of a 2hr clean I would be so exhausted it was all I could do to crawl on the portaledge where Chris was kicking back, and watch him rocket up the next pitch.

  1. Sep 1997 Native Son, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Jason Smith, Andres Zegers. 5 days

The Wing is outrageous! Such a cool line, right from the start. I got really sick in the middle of the climb(later turned out to be Hep A!) but my bros helped me jug to the top.

  1. Aug 1997 Atlantic Ocean, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Jason Smith. 4 days
  2. July 1997 Crystal Cyclone, 9 O’ Clock Wall w/ Jason Smith. 5 days

9 O’clock wall is perfect in mid-Summer as it only gets an hour of sun in the morning. Super cool location though the climbing was scary/loose. Hitting the ice cream stand at Glacier Point with the haulbags and five day odors–priceless.

1996

  1. Oct 1996 Reason Beyond Insanity, Ribbon Fall w/ Jeff Benowitz. 5 days

Sean raved about this route so much, and it is the only real line up the middle of the back wall in the Ribbon Falls amphitheater so we had to give it a go. So good! The Maze was crazy cool dangler. Woohoo!

  1. Oct 1996 Zodiac, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Jeff Benowitz. 4 days
  2. Sep 1996 Southern Man, Washington Column South Face w/ Spencer Pfingsten. 09hours
  3. Sep 1996 Wheel of Torture, Yosemite Falls Wall w/ Jason Smith. 5 days

Great route. We shuttled our stuff over near the Fall’s trail, and then simul-climbed Via Aqua to the top of the Wall. So much fun fixing in hot weather and rapping down and swimming in the tub-like pools at the base of upper Yosemite Falls.

  1. Sep 1996 Aquarian Wall, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ John All. 4 days

We climbed during a heatwave, with 100 degree temps. On the third day John got heat exhaustion bad, and I struggled to get him coherent forcing him to drink all but a liter of our water supply. The next day we tried to make it to Thanksgiving before the Sun hit us at noon. We ended up on a ledge just below Thanksgiving, and made a shade with our rainfly, drank the salty water from our canned salmon. That night I led up to Thanksgiving and we traversed over and met up with some Lurking Fear climbers. They happily traded us two liters of water for a couple 24 oz Shlitz malt liquor cans we were lugging around. How cruel it had felt to have something water-like, beer, and not be able to drink it. After drinking the water and sharing a can of fruit cocktail that we felt better enough to try sharing a beer, but instantly felt sick and ended up pouring it out. Adventure!

  1. Aug 1996 Wyoming Sheep Ranch, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Chris McNamara. 5 days

Chris was 17 and was cranking out hard El Cap nailups all Summer, sending me updates in Alaska where I was working. This was the last big climb he had time for before his senior year of high school so I agreed to do it as my first wall of the Fall season. Thankfully, the Ranch’s hardest pitches occur ever other pitch so Chris led the ‘odds’ and got the hard leads.

  1. Feb 1996 West Face, Leaning Tower5 days

I’ll always remember rolling into the Valley during a warm, high-pressure window and spending a few days alone on the Tower. There was no snow. The mellowness of the climbing and the deep quiet and stillness of that time of year was very magical. You’ll never forget talking to the tourists in the parking lot after your first solo. ‘You climbed that(!)?’

1995

  1. Oct 1995 Dante’s Inferno, Yosemite Falls Wall w/ Rob Dillon. 4 days

Fun, mellow climb. I led this A2 pitch in the middle that was really dirty, and got dirt in my eyes so bad it caused them to water incessantly making me nearly blind. After the lead, I struggled to get my ledges set up before dark, when the hurricane-force winds crank across the wall. Somehow I managed to get the ledge set up but had it clipped into my daisy, which was tied through my harness. Exhausted, I just lay there all night not able to shut my sleeping bag, or see more than a blurry mess. By morning my vision was better….ahh, the struggles of the beginning wall climber. Beautiful views o Yosemite Falls there, and a remote feel.

  1. Sep 15, 1995 Lost Arrow Direct, Yosemite Falls Wall w/ Brian “Way” Knight. 12hours
  2. Sep 09, 1995 Ten Days After, Washington Column East Face w/ Spencer Pfingsten. 1 day
  3. Sep 07, 1995 Skull Queen, Washington Column South Face w/ Brian “Way” Knight. 04h:55mins
  4. Jul 06, 1995 The Prow, Washington Column East Face w/ Chris McNamara. 09h:20mins
  5. Jul 1995 Flight of the Albatross, El Capitan Southwest Face w/ Russ Mitrovitch. 5 days
  6. Jun 05, 1995 Re-Animator, Washington Column South Face w/ Sean Easton. 4 days

5.Jun 1995 Tangerine Trip, El Capitan Southeast Face w/ Russ Mitrovitch. 4 days

  1. Jun 1995 West Face, Leaning Tower w/ Chris McNamara. 10hours

We went up to climb Wet Denin, but I got a wicked stomach ache after leading the first pitch off Ahwahnee, so we rapped and kept on on the mellow West Face. Great Tower!

1994

  1. Oct 15, 1994 Jesus Built My Hotrod, Leaning Tower w/ Sean Easton, Jeff Benowitz. 4 days

Awesome Route. So Steep! Almost epiced when we threw our stuff off Ahwahnee and jugged up thinking we just had one more aid lead and the two free pitches to the top. Jeff lobbed three good 40 forters off that last pitch but eventually got er done. wild yellow lichen ragin.

  1. Oct 05, 1994 South Face, Mt. Watkins w/ Jeff Benowitz. 4 days

An awesome backcountry Wall. So much Sunshine! Love the Hawk fly bys, and the cool ledges. The Alpine Nose, for sure. We hiked in to do climb Quarter Dome but after a cold bivy beneath this beauty we switched objectives.

  1. Sep 1994 South Face, Washington Column w/ Jeff Benowitz. 2 days