Northwest Buttress 5.5

Day 1

Casual 10 am start time. Pic pretty much captures the tone for the day.

Great view of the route pretty much the entire approach.

Equally great view of the valley as soon as the treeline is cleared.

Common view for the next few hours.

Redundant photo, but the only one of us (sorta) simuling, and since it's in the title I guess I should include it.
(The safety-conscious need not worry-my partner knew I was taking this pic, and we were both stopped at good stances, hence the "sorta").

View from the phenomenal ledge about 3/4s of the way up.

That wonderful feeling when your partner agrees to stay on lead and lug the rack the rest of the route.

Last step across before the summit plateau.

Hero shot.

Smokey Valley from the Soberanes Fire near Big Sur.

I saw my first wild porcupine on the descent.

Final stats, 6 hours car to car (including lounging on the beach at Tenaya Lake on the way down), 3 hours on a rope, three belays for a total of <200' (a thin seam down low and a couple traverses up high). We were both blown away by how quickly and smoothly it went, considering it was both our first times simul-climbing, but this was the perfect route to learn it on-long, mellow, and scenic.

Day 2

Yesterday's objective.

Today's objective (is that way; Bachar-Yerian's gonna need a couple more weeks of training).

Heading up Errett by Bit.

Heading down Errett by Bit.

Distant buttshot of the leader of the group after us nearing the p2 anchors of Errett by Bit.
(If this is you, and you're interested, I can send you the full-rez version of this pic and a couple more with different zooms.)

Afternoon exploration the north aspect of Pywiack Dome.

Sick, brah!

And a little porn for the pad people.
On the summit of the ridge running north from Pywiack, 20' high, 20 minute approach, I estimate V10±2, great landing, and, based off the intact flakes on the right face, never climbed.

Still delicious, even warm.