9:18 hrs on Half Dome's Regular route (VI 5.9 C1)

 After Rebecca left I met up with fellow Mountain Madness guide Rob Schiesser. We began talking about what to climb together in the Curry Village over flow parking lot. Then of course we both looked up and saw Half Dome (VI 5.9 C1 23 pitches). We Both hadn't climbed the formation but wanted to badly especially the Regular Northwest face. So we racked up and started walking up to the base arriving a hour or so before dark. There where 6 parties biving at the base planning on starting the next morning, AAHHHHH.

 I had walked up to the Base of Half Dome to climb the Regular route once two years ago with Ryan O'Connell and Graham Zimmerman but the same thing had happened, this time both Rob I were more confident and more determined. We talked to the group and the earliest team was planning on starting around 5am so we would start at 4:30ish, and wake up at 3:50am (bumming). That didn't go over well at first but we assured them that we would be fast and if they caught us then we would stop and let them pass, luckily we climbed nearly twice as fast as them and it was never an issue

 This is Rob starting pitch 9, the first pitch of his block and the first pitch in the light. I climbed the first 8 pitches in 2.5 hrs entirely in the dark (So sorry no pictures) short fixing the entire way.

 Rob on the bolt ladder on pitch 10 right before the "Robbins Traverse"

Rob on pitch 13's chimney, the first of three, yeah Rob!!!!

Farther up the same pitch

 Here is Rob on pitch 14, 5.9 squeeze or 5.7 R SUPER AIRY

Rob on the same pitch. pretty wicked, jugging these pitches was hard!!!

The View from up high

So Rob's block ended on Big Sandy ledge on the top of pitch 17 and it was only 10:30 in the morning, crazy. The team that was skeptical about letting us go first was 8 pitches below us. Here I am leading the Zig Zags on pitch 19. We topped out around 2:00pm in the afternoon. We hung out on top for more than an hour it was Awesome. The Cables where down so the only other people who where up there was a group that climbed Snake Dike. After our pleasant summit hang out we started down and ran into Ben Mitchell coming up the Cables (which where down at the time).  We would have had plenty of time to make it down to the base and back down to the Valley floor before dark but we botched the descent and took the wrong gully down and cost us more than 2 extra hours to get back to the Base. Because it was almost dark and we where tired and had to place to stay we spent one more night at the base before walking down the Death Slabs in the morning. 

Rebecca and I go to Yosemite

 In October of 2010 Rebecca and I went to Yosemite Valley

The Captain, pretty much the sickest thing ever

Rebecca's Parents joined us for the trip, here they are in the Meadow

Beck's mom Taking a break after "Humping loads"

Rebecca Jugging up, Damn I am lucky to have her as my wife

Rebecca 2 pitches up the Aquarian wall (VI 5.7 C3) before KJ announced that he wasn't feeling it and that he didn't feel like he could go any farther.

KJ not feeling it so we bailed, not super stoked but everyone has to be feeling it to climb El cap. At least Rebecca and I would get take Rebecca on all the best Free climbing routes in the Valley.

Me leading up one of my favorite routes in the Valley, the Central Pillar of Frenzy (III 5.9) We started at 5pm to let the crowds and the head die down

At the top of one of the funnest 5.9 chimney's in the Valley

 

 Beck seconding pitch 2 on the Central Pillar of Frenzy on Middle Cathedral rock, Kj below

Me leading the Sweet 5.9 fingers second Pitch

Beck and KJ following pitch #2

Rebecca with El Cap looking super proud in the background

Me leading throw the third pitch, it looks hard getting through the roofs but there are many hidden hand and foot holds mixed with a perfect hand crack make it actually 5.7. There is a 4" 5.9 crack after it though.

Stepping around the roof

Rebecca following the 3ed OW pitch.

Our late start worked perfectly, we had the route to ourselves, it did mean we had to rap it in the Dark

Rebecca's Dad working on his trad skills

Having fun at the Swan slab

Rebecca getting some of her first Yosemite Trad leading in.

Thats my Beck

The Following Day we went to climb Serenity Crack (III 5.10d) to Sons of Yesterday (III 5.10a), when combined this is likely the best 5.10 in the Valley. Less than 5 minutes from the car and one continuous 1000ft crack system 8-10 pitches depending on how you break it up.  You almost don't even need any draws for this route its so straight up and down. We woke up early at 6:00am to beat the crowds and not only did we beat the crowds but no one else got on the route until noon when 6 parties converged all at once. We where rapping by the time they showed up at the base. Above is me on the infamous first pitch with 5.10a climbing with no real good pro for 30-40 feet.

Rebecca Following pitch one or two, so clean and no crowds?

Beck on pitch 3 of Serenity Crack on the Royal Arches formation

Rebecca following pitch 6 or 7

Rebecca climbing the awkward .75 sustained section on Sons of Yesterday

At one point on Sons of Yesterday you follow an Outer Spacesck crack of 2" for 90ft. the guide book recommends 5 #2's, we brought 2 with some big run outs but locker jams. Below towards the top of the route

2:24hr on Town Crier (VI 5.9 C2)w/Rebecca and Ryan

 In preparation of wanting to climb El cap with Rebecca I thought we go out for a test run on Town Crier on the upper wall of the Index town walls. Town Crier (IV 5.9 C2) is the most popular multi pitch aid route in Washington and rightly so, it has fun big features and it has a big wall feel. After a how to session Rebecca (A 5.11 climber) in the gym we thought Rebecca would be ready for the real deal. Above is Rebecca getting her systems dialed at home.

After climbing Liberty Crack in 4:15 I thought it would be fun to short fix town crier. Here Ryan O'Connell and Rebecca are jugging the 2nd pitch while I self belay on the third.

 Ryan getting to the belay to put me on, Beck jugging below him

 Ryan and Beck on "Smoke out ledge" at the top of Pitch 2

 Rebecca jugging pitch 3 after lowering out the pendulum

 Beck backing herself up on while jugging pitch 3

 Ryan and Rebecca hanging out on the top of pitch 5 (I think) cheering me on as it hasn't even been an hour and a half yet. There was a free climbing party on Davis-Holland who wanted to go first cause they thought we would be slow, by the time we where 5 pitches up they where only 1.5 and when we topped out they hadn't even finished 3.

 looking down pitch 5 on Town Crier (Again I think I am not totally sure)

The view looking down 650ft from the top of the 6th pitch

Ryan and Rebecca hanging out at the Belay

Rebecca and Ryan arriving at the top of the 6th pitch while I self belay the final 5.6 grunge 7th pitch. It's not pretty but hey you gotta top out the wall

Ian and his lovely wife Rebecca on the top of Town Crier and the Upper wall of Index. Surprisingly it only took us 2:24 from base to top, not bad for Rebecca's first big wall considering most folks could take that long on any one pitch. Rebecca was so cute she asked if that's 700ft and only took us 2:24 why do we need to spend the night on El Cap. That's a great question, maybe we don't

Ryan O'Connell being goofy on the raps down Heavens gate

Ryan and I rapping Heavens gate, for sure the best way down the upper wall.