Hauling pitch 28

Once we had finished untangling the ropes, I led pitch 29, beginning with some crack-jugging up a tight hand crack, to a wide trough. Somewhere in this area was the former residence of the infamous “death block”, a boulder the size of a piano that hung loosely up here for many years, threatening to fall at any moment and squish a half dozen climbers on its way to the ground. In its last years, it was held in place precariously by a few nylon slings, until finally someone rappelled in during the dead of winter, when no one was around to get hurt by it, and pitched the thing off. I for one am thankful for that effort.

The trough on this pitch, more of a cave, really, was dirty and filled with bird shit, but I free climbed awkwardly up through it without much difficulty. I then made my way out under the roof of this “cave” using small cams and a plethora of fixed gear. At the very end of the roof, I busted free of my aiders for a few moves, to arrive at a belay that was appropriately marked “Wild Stance” on the topo. This stance, just a few inches wide, was one of the most awesome and exposed spots on the climb. I soaked in the view of my surroundings from nearly 3000 feet up, enjoying every moment of just being there.

In this photo, Aaron curses the pigs as he tries to untangle the lines and finish hauling at the end of pitch 28. I am above him, trying to stack the lead line as efficiently as possible.