The lore of El Cap

The Ear is 5.8 and the pitch off the Spire is 11c/d (Max and I called it that when we did it in 1979).

To say “if this pitch were on the ground it would only be rated...” is irrelevant since the pitch is simply not in the ground.

But yes, not wrong but not perfectly accurate.

Can you believe how we talk and talk and talk and dissect this useless climbing thing so never endingly?  Damn! 

Mark Hudon wrote: The Ear is 5.8 and the pitch off the Spire is 11c/d (Max and I called it that when we did it in 1979).

To say “if this pitch were on the ground it would only be rated...” is irrelevant since the pitch is simply not in the ground.

But yes, not wrong but not perfectly accurate.

Can you believe how we talk and talk and talk and dissect this useless climbing thing so never endingly?  Damn! 

Damn these rest days. Enough of this, I’m off to find funny internet memes. 

Mark Hudon wrote: The Ear is 5.8 and the pitch off the Spire is 11c/d (Max and I called it that when we did it in 1979).

To say “if this pitch were on the ground it would only be rated...” is irrelevant since the pitch is simply not in the ground.

But yes, not wrong but not perfectly accurate.

Can you believe how we talk and talk and talk and dissect this useless climbing thing so never endingly?  Damn! 

Such is a lifelong "muse" ...the standard obsession that makes it our "thing".

JNC, thanks, I get it now.

Jason Kim, I’ve spent A LOT of time on El Cap and I can really say that exposure does not matter a bit to me. I was doing the traverse over to the Knights of the Roundtable on Freerider the other day, and I was standing on these little tiny holds and I when got over to the ledge (did it first try, (totally bragging!)) I thought, “Damn, I forgot to look down! That’s supposed to be the most exposed part of the route and I didn’t even look at it!”

Thanks for your input Mark! Love that you guys post up your thoughts and adventures so the rest of us (that haven't climbed El Cap) can get a feeling for what it's like. Maybe one day..

John Clark wrote:

As to my post you linked to, you totally missed the point. I find it hard to crank through the same pitches on the ground in the same amount of time as on a multi because my single pitch cleaning and logistical skills are garbage compared to my multipitch efficiency. Go climb some at the cookie, then go try astroman and tell me yosemite long free climbs are soft.

Lol, keep telling yourself that.  I'm sure it is the extra 30 seconds to one minute it takes to get the rope through the anchor that is holding you back, and not having to slow down on the actual climbing due to it being harder and more technical for the grade.

Also, Butterballs is harder than any pitch on The Rostrum, including the Blind Faith variation.

JNE wrote:

Lol, keep telling yourself that.  I'm sure it is the extra 30 seconds to one minute it takes to get the rope through the anchor that is holding you back, and not having to slow down on the actual climbing due to it being harder and more technical for the grade.

Also, Butterballs is harder than any pitch on The Rostrum, including the Blind Faith variation.

I think you still need to add time to lower, time to belay partner up the route, clean the anchor, lower partner, time to move to the next climb. Multipitch: clip anchor, belay partner up, grab rack, go... Sorry for the thread drift.

JNE wrote:

Lol, keep telling yourself that.  I'm sure it is the extra 30 seconds to one minute it takes to get the rope through the anchor that is holding you back, and not having to slow down on the actual climbing due to it being harder and more technical for the grade.

Also, Butterballs is harder than any pitch on The Rostrum, including the Blind Faith variation.

What's with the chest beating? Chill out. 

Jon Hillis wrote:

What's with the chest beating? Chill out. 

no way dude, let's ramp this up! more spray!