The Nose
It's been a long break, but a necessary one. Over the past month, I have been training and preparing for something I never thought was possible for me. I am proud to say that I have exceeded the expectations I set for myself. It all began when my close friend and climbing partner, Cayson, and I purchased a used Metolius haul bag and an old A5 North Face portaledge. We didn't have a clear idea of what we would use this equipment for, but we knew we had to climb something big and soon.ly the same amount of time and set on some amazing adventures. We were climbing obscure pinnacles to hiking and bushwhacking our way to a single route. There was one objective though in the back of our minds and that was to climb El Cap the 3000-foot granite monolith that sits famously in Yosemite Valley.
The recruitment of our close friend Cole was vital to this mission and so it became a team of 3. All 3 of us pondered the idea for days until it became a committing reality. A date was established and preparations began. We climbed, practiced logistics and strategies, climbed some more, and repeated the process. Every day it became more real that we have committed 4 days and 3 nights on a wall neither of us have been on. The night before we packed my van up, drove 15 minutes to the parking in front of El Cap and attempted to get a good night’s sleep. We had an alpine start of 3:00 am and were jugging up (jugging is a term used to ascend fixed ropes that are typically put up by the climbers before the climb).
We roughly begin around 5:00 am, stoke was high and the energy was fired up. Arrive at El Cap tower earlier than expected around 6:00 pm. We organize gear, eat, smoke a spliff, talk, and then sleep. The next 3 days were upon us fully aware they weren’t about to be easy. The 72 hours that came were a combination of logistical problem-solving and endurance. Living in a harness completely vertical takes an odd toll on the body one none of us were used to. Pitch after pitch we hauled our bags filled with food, water, equipment, and a bucket (waste case) with our literal shit.
After 28 pitches we top out at 3000 feet the joy was intoxicating and it was amazing to share it with 2 brothers. The next hour at the summit was spent eating the rest of our food and relishing in this accomplishment. No one looking forward to this descent but making it to the valley floor safely was priority number 1.
Since you’re reading this I’ve made it to the floor safe and sound. It’s been a beautiful journey getting to this point to climb the most famous route on the most famous rock on the planet. I’ve loved every step of it and am so excited for the future whether it involves climbing more or traveling somewhere unknown. If I were told id climb el cap at the start of my climbing journey id laugh. Where do I even begin, id ask myself.
Put yourself in a position to do hard things that scare you, something you believe might be impossible for YOU, and most importantly, do it with people you want to share those moments with.
I always take the same perspective with each new adventure. I put myself in the position of being at the end of my life looking back. Then I ask myself if what I am doing is important to me.
- Reinhold Messner