Half Dome at the Creek
After the departure of our friends and two days' rest, Jared and I woke up back in the Creek.
Early.
Breakfast burritos in the van, peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches packed next to heavy bags of trail mix, and then up to the crag before the day had properly started.
We were going to climb five 5.10s at Supercrack Buttress four times each (lead it the first time, then three top-rope laps), which would put us in the vacinity of 2200' of vertical climbing - Indian Creek Half Dome Day.
Incredible Hand Crack
We started the day on IHC, knowing that if we left it for the end of the day we wouldn't get to get on it at all. I hadn't done it before, and can attest to the veracity of the name. Very fun. I can see how a friend decided he was going to solo this twenty years ago.
Saying hello to the neighbors
3AM Crack
Next was 3AM crack, a right facing crack that was more 3s than 2s.
Supercrack of the Desert
The mega classic. On my first TR lap I asked Hobo Greg to time me from the ledge to the anchors (in other words, on the perfect splitter 3s). Vrooooooooom.
Jared busting out his TR laps on Supercrack
Jared started feeling it here. This was his first Creek trip, and he was honestly still recovering from four days of going hard the week before.
Jared trying to find the psych to finish off his Supercrack laps
Gorilla Crack
Gorilla Crack had offwidth pods and awkward dual crack corner climbing. It was a good climb. After my second lap, I hated it so very, very much. You can tell, because I did not photograph it.
We made friends with a Canadian named Omin (Oman? Omen?) at Gorilla. He took a lap in between ours, and stuck around for our final route. He was terrific company, and I hope we meet again someday.
No Name Crack
No Name, like Supercrack, was a repeat for me. It was wider than I remembered. At this point, my body - and shoes - were just about done.
The sun was sending out beautiful orange light by the time I, so very relieved, finished my twentieth hundred foot lap of the day.
Jared rests on top of the fists pillar before committing to another lap on No Name Crack
Jared shakes out
Jared disappearing into the pain cave
Dig deep Jared, dig deep
We were the first people up to Supercrack, and we may have been the last ones down.
Your body hurts in strange ways after a day like that. And you forget that climbing 2000' means belaying 2000' feet as well..
Oman digging the sunset