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Getting Ready
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Date: 06/09/2007
Views: 18
Chris LaBounty getting gear together for the Moratorium/East Buttress linkup.
06/09/2007
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Moratorium, pitch 1
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Date: 06/09/2007
Views: 14
Chris starts up the first pitch, a 5.10a endurance-fest.
06/09/2007
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Moratorium, pitch 3
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Date: 06/09/2007
Views: 14
There was a fixed line running the full 4 pitches of the route, which we heard later had been used by photographers taking pictures of climbers on the route.
06/09/2007
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Lizard 1
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Date: 06/09/2007
Views: 11
I put my hand on this ledge, just inches from this lizard, who didn't seem phased at all. I got a good scare when I turned my head and saw the lizard!
06/09/2007
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Lizard 2
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Date: 06/09/2007
Views: 12
06/09/2007
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El Capitan
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Date: 06/09/2007
Views: 13
The views across the east face of El Capitan were incredible.
06/09/2007
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The Nose of El Capitan
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 13
Measuring in at about 3000 feet, the Nose of El Capitan is one of the most impressive rock features in the world.
06/10/2007
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El Cap Meadow and Cathedral Rocks
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 11
This is the view across the valley from the East Buttress.
06/10/2007
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Looking up the East Buttress
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 13
About half-way up the East Buttress you hit a flat spot where you must walk a 100 meters or so to get back on the technical climbing. This is looking up from that point.
06/10/2007
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Chris with Half Dome in the distance
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 15
The views up the valley were outstanding from the bottom of pitch 11.
06/10/2007
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Half Dome
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 12
06/10/2007
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Half Dome and Cloud's Rest
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Date: 06/19/2007
Views: 11
06/19/2007
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Purple Milkweed
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 11
Always on the lookout for Sierra Nevada wildflowers...
06/10/2007
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Early start for the West Face of Leaning Tower
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 13
06/10/2007
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Chris' turn with the haul bag
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 12
06/10/2007
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Looking up the West Face, Leaning Tower
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 9
This route is just to the right (West) of Bridalveil Falls in Yosemite Valley. The formation gets its name due to the fact that the top overhangs the base by some 40 feet, making it possibly the steepest bigwall route anywhere.
06/10/2007
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Looking down from the top of pitch 2
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 14
We linked pitches 1&2, and pitches 3&4 into 2 monster pitches. My prowess at rock/paper/scissors won me the first pitch lead, and the joy of sitting at this hanging belay for 3 hours while Chris follows/cleans and then leads the next pitch.
06/10/2007
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Chris cleaning the first pitch
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 11
Cleaning (ie removing the gear that the leader left behind), is a true art on such steep terrain. How do you remove a sling that you are hanging on?
06/10/2007
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Chris reaching the first belay
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Date: 06/10/2007
Views: 15
06/10/2007
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Chris at Guano Ledge
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 14
Guano Ledge is at the top of pitch 4, which was pitch 2 for us. To the left of Guano Ledge (so named for the cliff swallow droppings that decorate it) is Awahnee ledge (so named for its superb comfort as a bivy ledge, akin the the superb comfort of the 5 star hotel down in the valley of the same name)
06/11/2007
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Chris and Awahnee Ledge
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 14
06/11/2007
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Haul Bag on Awahnee Ledge
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 19
We left the pig on Awahnee ledge while we did pitches 5 and 6, after which we fixed a line at the top of pitch 6 and returned to Awahnee for the night.
06/11/2007
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View down the valley (west)
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 16
06/11/2007
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Chris cleaning pitch 5
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 12
06/11/2007
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On Awahnee Ledge
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 12
Somehow I got stuck sleeping on this spot- the narrowest that the ledge has to offer. Even half a roll in my sleep would leave me dangling by my tie-in.
06/11/2007
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Neal on Awahnee
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 14
We finished all the climbing around 5:00 or so, which left a lot of time to just chill and watch the sun go down.
06/11/2007
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Chris napping on Awahnee
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 18
A British team joined us on Awahnee, arriving several hours after us. The ledge was easily big enough to accomodate the 4 of us.
06/11/2007
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More chilling on Awahnee
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 14
06/11/2007
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Chris works up the steepest part of the route
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 15
06/11/2007
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More steepness
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Date: 06/11/2007
Views: 20
06/11/2007
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On the top
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Date: 06/12/2007
Views: 19
We topped out around 1pm, and spent the next 3 hours descending a rock-filled chimney system to get back down to the car.
06/12/2007
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