Sea of Dreams A4 5.9

Currently 4.0/5

El Capitan

Yosemite Valley, California USA

Trip Report

Sea of Dreams

Wednesday July 1, 2015 4:42pm

Short (non too technical) trip report on Sea of Dreams solo ascent http://andy-kirkpatrick.com/blog/view/the_edge_of_myself

Trip Report Views: 8,795

Andy KP

About the Author
Andy KP is a climber from the UK

Comments

johntp

Trad climber

Punter, Little Rock

Jul 1, 2015 - 05:12pm PT

Stoopid climbing content.

JEleazarian

Trad climber

Fresno CA

Jul 1, 2015 - 05:40pm PT

Wow! Almost forty years later, that climb is still serious in my book - and your description did nothing to change my mind. Congratulations on doing it solo - and on conveying the fear of hard aid so well.

John

Russ Walling

Social climber

from Poofters Froth, Wyoming

Jul 1, 2015 - 05:55pm PT

Super!

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Jul 1, 2015 - 06:13pm PT

Great stuff - thanks for sharing.

Mike Bolte

Trad climber

Planet Earth

Jul 1, 2015 - 06:18pm PT

wow - that is an excellent TR and trip you took

Levy

Big Wall climber

Calabasas

Jul 1, 2015 - 08:04pm PT

Nice one! I did this beast of a route in 2003? and thought it was damn exciting. Junky fixed heads, lots of loose features, it was pretty full on hardcore. We'll done Andy.

I led Hook or Book and encountered the same manky nest of heads near the end, uuggh!! I also led the pitch up to and off the Peregrine Pillar and the Ace in Space which were rather memorable. The Blue room pitch really scared me though, I was sure we were gonna peel it off and ride it down Dr Strangelove style. One of the best routes on El Cap in my opinion.

elcap-pics

Big Wall climber

Crestline CA

Jul 1, 2015 - 08:03pm PT

Yeah Andy, great job on a difficult solo climb. always a pleasure to have you here in the valley!!

Gagner

climber

Boulder

Jul 1, 2015 - 08:20pm PT

Way to go - was hooting the day you were on Hook or Book, and the next day!! Proud!!

Paul

guido

Trad climber

Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific

Jul 1, 2015 - 08:21pm PT

Wow, a 14 day solo passage on the Sea of Dreams. Beautiful write up.

BrassNuts

Trad climber

Save your a_s, reach for the brass...

Jul 1, 2015 - 08:41pm PT

Great job! Watched you a little bit one day after we got down, looks like a handful!! Cheers.

mikeyschaefer

climber

Sport-o-land

Jul 1, 2015 - 09:49pm PT

Nice job up there. Cool that you are sporting the russian aider system. I used it long ago and liked it a lot.

Also to nice to meet you again.

wayne w

Trad climber

the nw

Jul 1, 2015 - 09:50pm PT

Wonderful TR, Andy! Great job on your solo of a classic!

10b4me

Social climber

Lida Junction

Jul 1, 2015 - 09:55pm PT

Really nice to read.
Thanks.

looks easy from here

climber

Santa Cruzish

Jul 1, 2015 - 10:08pm PT

Ho-lee hell.

Thanks for making my hands sweat so much.

ClimbingOn

Trad climber

Jul 1, 2015 - 10:13pm PT

Proper.

BLUEBLOCR

Social climber

joshua tree

Jul 1, 2015 - 10:32pm PT

Proud Send!
Beauty Pics
Nice Write

d8^D

overwatch

climber

Arizona

Jul 2, 2015 - 12:41am PT

Sounds friggin insane, madman. Nice write up

NA_Kid

Big Wall climber

The Bear State

Jul 2, 2015 - 01:30am PT

Andy, it was really cool watching someone solo this route, let alone the mighty AKP!!! You looked like a champ up there, and had things dialed. I admire your trickery and how you climb these hard routes solo. Such a commitment. The thoughts that come up whilst soloing have got to be some of the wackeyest, kookeyest things that have ever gone through a humans head.

How did it compare to your solo of The Reticent Wall a few years back?

thank you for the documentation!!!

It is interesting hearing from Levy and others about their ascents years back and hearing yours, this climb sure has some excitement left and is a real masterpiece. Bridwell sure knows how to pick 'em.

Again, job well done, cant wait till our paths cross again.

-Jordan
P.S. you may remember me from our speed ascent of Zodiac together...

anita514

Gym climber

Great White North

Jul 2, 2015 - 03:29am PT

Read this on your blog. Loved the pictures too (especially the before/after shots)
Great stuff. Impressive, scary. Honest writing too.

Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber

Old and Broken Down in Appalachia

Jul 2, 2015 - 04:09am PT

RESPECT

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Jul 2, 2015 - 05:03am PT

Yer' Darn tootin' there!
What every one has already said ,
wOW! !!

Branscomb

Trad climber

Lander, WY

Jul 2, 2015 - 06:11am PT

Awesome accomplishment and such a good write! Superb work...

Watermann2

Mountain climber

Saluzzo Italia

Jul 2, 2015 - 07:07am PT

Very Great Mr. KIRKPATRICK!
Very Great CLIMBING!!!!!!!!

CHAPEAU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this just in

climber

Justin Ross from North Fork

Jul 2, 2015 - 07:11am PT

Bad ass!

micronut

Trad climber

Fresno/Clovis, ca

Jul 2, 2015 - 08:35am PT

Andy you and I chatted at the bridge once a couple years back and you struck me as genuinely stoked, truly authentic and downright mad. Three indistinguishable hallmarks of any real wall rat. Congrats on a fantastic adventure. You're a modern day warrior. That's a proud route on the proudest formation in the land. Well done lad.

Scott

sac

Trad climber

Sun Coast B.C.

Jul 2, 2015 - 08:56am PT

Wow. Thanks for posting your TR.
Some TR's inspire me to go climb walls.
Some make me not want to.
Not sure on this one.
I admire your solo efforts.
Cheers.

kunlun_shan

Mountain climber

SF, CA

Jul 2, 2015 - 08:58am PT

Wow!! What a wild report! Great writing, too.

Andy, who makes this crazy looking hook from your photos?

bbbeans

Trad climber

Jul 2, 2015 - 10:22am PT

Yowza!

*Adding "Soloing Sea of Dreams" to my list of "Things I Will Never Do Because They Are Terrifying".

Really impressive work with a great write-up. That first paragraph really grabs you attention!

Matt's

climber

Jul 2, 2015 - 11:20am PT

kunlun_shan-- that "hook" appears to be a repurposed speed-climbing ice tool...

Raafie

Big Wall climber

Portland, OR

Jul 2, 2015 - 12:19pm PT

It looks as though Andy is using quite a range of equipment from Krukonogi.com which is a Russian supplier of Ice and Big Wall gear. His bat-hole hook photos are of a hook with the Krukonogi.com label.

The Russian Aider system he's using is another example. Look on their website and you'll see a large selection of Russian Aiders.

http://krukonogi.com/en/ice-drytooling/ice-fifi-for-speed-climbing.html

mucci

Trad climber

The pitch of Bagalaar above you

Jul 2, 2015 - 12:05pm PT

Thanks Andy, sounds like you had an adventure not often found on El Cap.

Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber

San Francisco

Jul 2, 2015 - 12:30pm PT

Nice TR! Will there be a book about it? ;)

John Mac

Trad climber

Breckenridge, CO

Jul 2, 2015 - 02:33pm PT

Way to go Andy. Great effort. Love your honest writing...

SC seagoat

Trad climber

Santa Cruz, Moab, Bozeman, the ocean, or ?

Jul 2, 2015 - 02:41pm PT

Now that is a really outstanding adventure.

Thanks so much!

Susan

StahlBro

Trad climber

San Diego, CA

Jul 2, 2015 - 03:36pm PT

Really great read and photos. Proud solo for sure.

pyro

Big Wall climber

Calabasas

Jul 2, 2015 - 06:20pm PT

Outstanding
Outstanding

Love the beta pics...

Trad climber

Jul 2, 2015 - 08:35pm PT

Been looking forward to this and didn't disappoint! Thank you a great read!
Steve

Rhodo-Router

Gym climber

sawatch choss

Jul 2, 2015 - 08:39pm PT

Holy f'ng sh#t. I used to kinda sorta think I wanted to climb this route.

Mark- don't look at this!!!

Watermann2

Mountain climber

Saluzzo Italia

Jul 4, 2015 - 12:34am PT

Hello everyone, I wanted to ask a question: these two great routes on El Capitan, (Sea of Dreams and Reticent Wall, two masterpieces of the climb) (and here I hope to make me understand what I want to know) So, we can say that these two great routes are the same as technical difficulties, dangers ect ect, or Reticent Wall is harder Sea of Dreams? (Even if only slightly, but it's even harder to Sea of Dreams) Excuse me, but did not understand your language (and I am very sorry), (only automatic translator that translates not quite right) he seemed to have understood (but not I am absolutely sure) that the great Mr. Kirkpatrick, the put on the same level (I repeat, surely I translated wrong) then, I wanted to know, if still Reticent Wall, is slightly more difficult (even if only slightly, is a step harder. )
Then yet another question, on this great route (Sea of Dreams)
From what I know myself, the first solo climb was made by the great Xavier Bongard, I want to please know if any of you know of other solitary climb this great route.
Thank you for all the information you give me
I apologize for the translation (machine translation)
Greetings to all from Italy.

Todd Gordon

Trad climber

Joshua Tree, Cal

Jul 4, 2015 - 05:15am PT

shred the gnar, Andy...way to go;....a grand adventure on a grand scale on a grand stage.......mega-awesome...thanks for sharing that.

youri

climber

Jul 15, 2015 - 06:08pm PT

Nice TR! Tfpu. :-)

Lambone

Big Wall climber

Ashland, Or

Jul 16, 2015 - 09:57pm PT

Congrats Andy! Met you at the base when you were fixing. Glad you had a safe full-value climb!

It's funny...the first day you shouldered full loads at the bridge and headed up to the base, I saw Tom walk over and ask you what you were getting on.

I was like, "Hey Tom what are they up to?" To which he replied "Sea of Dreams."

I dunno why, kinda by instinct I guess...I just shrugged and giggled..."ha, yeah right! BAIL!!!!" Dunno why, perhaps because so few people actually get on the hard routes anymore that it seemed unlikely.

Tom immediately schooled me, "You obviously don't know who that guy is do ya Lambone?" Followed by, "You shouldn't be so quick to judge climbers you don't know."

Damn straight. He was right, I didn't recognize you as the guy who I've learned so much from and been inspired by over the years.

Glad you proved me wrong! Served me up a nice dose of STFU ;)

Spanky

Social climber

boulder co

Jul 18, 2016 - 07:48pm PT

Bump because I missed this TR the first time around.

Awesome work up there! This route has always held a mystique about it. Its definitely above my pay grade but so rad to see what it really looks like.

Sick!!

Kalimon

Social climber

Ridgway, CO

Jul 18, 2016 - 08:25pm PT

Thanks for sharing your incredible journey! Nice images of the creative placements and beautiful terrain.

Lurkingtard

climber

Jul 18, 2016 - 09:46pm PT

I was broken down by the wall, skin and bone and fat and brain and thought rendered by the toil of it all.

Great quote and great TR!

BLUEBLOCR

Social climber

joshua tree

Jul 18, 2016 - 10:13pm PT

yo got a good eye Lurkingtard! i liked that part too. Awesome draft, i wonder how long it took him to write it. it would take me longer to write it than climb it.lol

madbolter1

Big Wall climber

Denver, CO

Jul 18, 2016 - 10:30pm PT

I feel honored to have read your well-written post. SoD is certainly the real deal, and my hands were sweating to read your turn of phrase. Congrats on a proud ascent!

Double D

climber

Jul 21, 2016 - 02:40pm PT

Nice job... well written.

Gagner

climber

Boulder

Jul 23, 2016 - 02:46pm PT

Having done both Reticent and the Sea, I'd say The Natural pitch on Reticent is the real deal DFU, but other than that (I didn't lead the Master's Corner pitch) the rest was relatively casual. Whereas on the Sea there are several "real deal" pitches, loose rock, and hard free climbing. Of course I didn't solo either route, which is bad ass in my opinion. Reticent with E, and the Sea with Shipoopi. WOO HOO!!!