Yosemite 10/18

Dylan here-
Having just returned from my now-annual Yosemite Facelift (The 15th anniversary!) trip, here is a bit of a download-

The Big Stone at dawn

I arrived early in the day on September 24th, without much of a plan other than to participate in the Facelift and hopefully climb a bit with my longtime climbing partner Cody, who had been working in the Valley over the summer. He was a bit busy, so I went the usual route of posting an ad at the Camp 4 message board looking for a partner.

Fast forward a few days, to a three-hour hanging belay on a one day push up the Grade V West Face of Leaning Tower with a French-Canadian lady I'd never climbed with.

Looking down on Awhanee Ledge on the WF of Leaning Tower

After ripping the first four pitches in under four hours, it was time to wait in line. For another ten hours.

After fourteen hours of hanging belays, it becomes very apparent why Leaning Tower is called that. It leans!

The West Face route follows the right-hand skyline of the formation

A few days pass and Cody propositions me with something I haven't considered- The Nose. It's been over a year since he and I had bailed from the Sickle Ledge, and I had then sworn off big wall climbing. We have both grown as climbers since then, and his suggestion of a third member (Tyler) to the team made the endeavor much more appealing. We decided to wait out the approaching rainstorm, and do a three-day ascent of El Cap. 

Cody and I preparing to pre-haul to the Sickle Ledge

Going up-

Because of the rain, and how busy the Valley was, we decided it advantageous to haul to the Sickle Ledge in the rain, get a good nights sleep on the ground, and blast off from there the next day. 

What followed was one of the most intense and rewarding experiences of my life. 

Tyler lowering out one of the pitches approaching the Stovelegs

On top of Dolt Tower, after rappelling 40m to unstick the haulbags. All smiles!

We had one excellent bivy at El Cap Tower, and a nice surprise rainstorm the first morning. 

The next night was significantly less plush, with me "sleeping" sitting up with my feet stuffed into the docked haulbag, constantly sliding down the tiny sloping ledge. Cody and Tyler were equally as unlucky, with an equally sloping, but more exposed ledge a little higher up. Too miserable for photos. 

The next day was set to be our last. We blasted up a few pitches to the Changing Corners, apparently hard aid. Luckily for the party my parents gifted me with a decent reach, and we sped up the C2 pitch. 

The team waiting to hop on the final pitch

After waiting out a traffic jam near the top, it finally happened. We topped out the Captain! Hugs, smiles, summit shots in the golden light, and a shot of whiskey greeted us before the long walk down. 

An incredible experience. Hard work, and when living in that environment nothing is easy. 

More photos to come from the gracious Tom Evans at elcapreport.com