East Buttress of El Capitan & Kor-Beck on Middle Cathedral
September 18-19, 2010
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The East Buttress of El Cap had been on our list for a while. It's tough to find the perfect time to do it since a) the route is very popular, b) the waterfall soaks it in the spring and c) summer is usually way too hot. So that pretty much only leaves the fall... and there are plenty of other climbs and destinations that are also perfect in the fall :) Karen even hiked up there with Pavel last year, only to see 4 parties ahead of them - and wisely went somewhere else. This time, we were the third party, but the first guys had started in the dark and were already halfway up the route when we showed up around 8:30 (we started at the car @ 7:30am, somehow it's hard to get alpine starts when you drive up late the night before...). Unfortunately, the 2nd party was pretty slow, and even though we hung out at the base for at least an extra 40 minutes to give them a head start (the leader finished pitch 2), we caught up to them after the 3rd pitch - and we weren't fast. By that point there were two other parties behind us too, but thankfully we didn't see them at all (the first two pitches tend to space people out, as they are not quick). After the leader took 3 consecutive falls off the 5th/6th pitch they let us pass, which was great, as by that time I was getting worried about having enough time to do the descent before it gets dark. The upper half of the route had very non-memorable climbing and water-polished rock... not exactly my idea of a fun time - but the position and location of this climb is what makes it "classic". We did it in 10 pitches, and none of them were easy, despite the 5.7/5.8 ratings. Overall, we were glad we did it, but there are so many climbs in the valley that are so much better... and not as crowded.

We nailed the East Ledges descent perfectly, even though it was our first time... thanks to supertopo for the great description! It got dark as we hit the lower part of the hiking trail, but the full moon meant we didn't bother breaking out the headlamps for the last walk along the road back to the car (7:30pm). 12 hours car-to-car... not fast, but ok considering we spent at least an hour and a half in waiting/passing, and neither of us knew the descent.

The plan was to do South-by-Southwest on Sunday (on Lower Cathedral), but the weather was questionable, and we felt like sleeping in, eating a big breakfast and not having an approach. :) So with a noon start, we did the Kor-Beck on Middle Cathedral, a great 5-6 pitch 5.9. I ended up doing the first pitch 5.10 variation by accident, which turned out to be great! Much better than anything on the East Buttress, that's for sure. The rest of the climb was awesome too. The last pitch was really fun, not as hard as we expected.. if anything, the traverse & pitch below felt harder. We had a stuck rope on the way down which wasted a long time, but eventually we got down and embarked on the long drive home, making it to Taqueria El Agave 1 minute before closing! There may have been some speeding involved... We got the food to go so they could close up, and it tasted amazing :)

  Karen coming out of the 5.9 groove on the 2nd pitch  
  Karen coming out of the 5.9 groove on the 2nd pitch

  The classic shot of the East Buttress - and the easiest pitch (5.6)...  
  The classic shot of the East Buttress - and the easiest pitch (5.6)...

  We got to watch a rescue on El Cap: truly amazing skills to pull this off The bottom of El Cap: note the scale of the helicopter! One of the non-memorable pitches.  
  We got to watch a rescue on El Cap: truly amazing skills to pull this off The bottom of El Cap: note the scale of the helicopter! One of the non-memorable pitches.

  A few tricky moves with polished feet We passed a party here, after the leader took 3 decent sized falls from just below where Karen is Karen on the next pitch (chose the face, not OW) - perhaps the second crux (after the 5.10b)?  
  A few tricky moves with polished feet We passed a party here, after the leader took 3 decent sized falls from just below where Karen is Karen on the next pitch (chose the face, not OW) - perhaps the second crux (after the 5.10b)?

  Broken up, polished rock pretty much classifies the second half of the route Starting up the 2nd to last pitch (“mental crux” in supertopo)  
  Broken up, polished rock pretty much classifies the second half of the route Starting up the 2nd to last pitch (“mental crux” in supertopo)

  Looking down, from ~400 ft from the top: there are 3 parties, but 2-4 pitches behind now Me on the last pitch (full 60 meters). A 5.7 move higher stymied me for a while... Sunset on Half dome from halfway down the East Ledges descent  
  Looking down, from ~400 ft from the top: there are 3 parties, but 2-4 pitches behind now Me on the last pitch (full 60 meters). A 5.7 move higher stymied me for a while... Sunset on Half dome from halfway down the East Ledges descent

  Me starting up the Kor Beck, 5.10 variation is straight above me  
  Me starting up the Kor Beck, 5.10 variation is straight above me

  Nearing the crux 2nd pitch of Kor Beck Higher up the 2nd pitch: a very friendly 5.7 chimney  
  Nearing the crux 2nd pitch of Kor Beck Higher up the 2nd pitch: a very friendly 5.7 chimney

  Top of the 3rd pitch, which was actually a blast lower down The 4th pitch of Kor-Beck  
  Top of the 3rd pitch, which was actually a blast lower down The 4th pitch of Kor-Beck

  El Cap, with the tiny East Buttress we climbed the day before Close-up of East Buttress  
  El Cap, with the tiny East Buttress we climbed the day before Close-up of East Buttress

  After the polished 5.9 lieback. The  
  After the polished 5.9 lieback. The "5.9 traverse" is high up, one can belay right after it

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