Salathe Wall 5.13b or 5.9 C2

KC and I climbed the Salathe Wall in three days from June 22 to 24, after pre-hauling our bag to Heart ledges on the 21st. This was his first route up the captain and my second route. The Salathe Wall is an incredible natural line with lots of fun free climbing. After my first time climbing El Cap via The Nose over six days, climbing the Salathe in three felt was a tangible improvement in my big wall skills for me. Mostly everything went smoothly and we had an absolute blast. This was my big goal for the summer and was my last route before I left the valley, which made the top out pretty sweet. Enjoy the photos!

Day Zero

We woke up at four and hauled our one bag to Heart Ledges. We were very efficient and were down by 9am for work. Feeling nervous and excited!
Day One

I took the first block of the freeblast, and was a bit anxious having never climbed it before and it only being my second route on El Cap. The first pitch was really lovely despite my jitters and after linking to the top of pitch two I was warmed up. I aided the undercling traverse but the climbing afterwards was very enjoyable and quite mellow. The "10d tricky pro" pitch was a bit exciting, and the bolted slabs were a ton of fun. Free climbing on El Cap is so awesome!

KC led the half dollar with some grunting and took us up to Mammoth. We made it to Heart Ledges at 2pm! The lack of wind and the very hot sun turned the heart into a microwave. We considered continuing on to lung ledge but wanted to sleep comfortably on heart. KC managed to rig the sleeping bags into a kind of shade and we waited until the sun passed. KC fixed pitch 12 and we ate dinner. After staring at the heart so much from the ground it was pretty sweet to be sleeping in it.
Day Two

We got up at four and started moving after a quick breakfast. KC showed the hollow flake who was boss with one cam! I led the next chimney with one cam as well. I found it very exciting but fun in its own way. I almost slipped out pulling the finishing bulge but made it to the anchor safely. The next couple 5.10 pitches were very fun, though I still felt like a fish out of water free climbing on El Cap. It was a liberating experience to be doing so much free climbing on a big wall for me.
Cleaning the ear was probably the worst part of the whole route, incredibly awkward with a LOT of swearing. KC could hear everything through the crack at the top and was laughing away. Aiding the long pitch right of the monster to the alcove was easy but time consuming after so much free climbing. I french freed the crack behind the spire and stemmed over onto the top of it. SUCH a wildly awesome position on top of the Spire! Another one of those ledges I had drooled over photographs of as a restless kid. I was here, me, standing on top of El Cap spire in the sunshine. KC fixed the next two pitches in one lead and we celebrated big time on the spire, both of our spirits soaring.
Day Three

KC led us through the boulder problem which I eyed up as I jugged past. As a boulderer, it looked like a ton of fun. I'll have to rap in and try it out sometime! The Block was also a really cool ledge, which we made it to quickly thanks to having fixed a couple pitches. The Sous Le Toit was the only hiccup of the route. KC got suckered in too far right by some tat and we ended up having to lower out on some slings around a massive chockstone wedged behind a flake. I remember this terrifying me.
I took over here and led the stunning enduro corner. It is some truly beautiful rock in a gorgeous location. The roof was also one of the most fun pitches, immediately putting me out in space over the route. And then... the headwall. Hands down the wildest position I have ever been in as a climber. I cannot fathom what the Shield must feel like. I enjoyed every minute being in this position, and felt like a true climber not being bothered by the exposure but actually embracing it, cherishing it, laughing into it. I felt pure joy and led the pitch with a stupid grin on my face the whole time.
Long ledge was where we had anticipated spending the night but we still had some daylight and plenty of energy so we decided to gun it to the top. The pitch off of long ledge was pretty serious, KC pulled a nut and almost took a pendulum fall but was saved by a .5 attached to his daisy. Pretty shaken and with a bleeding shin, he got back on the horse and finished what looked to be a gripping lead when I followed it. I think KC was starting to feel pretty done with the wall after this pitch.
Luckily, a bunch of our friends were partying down in the meadow and started monkey calling up to us and cheering us on, giving us the much needed final burst to take us to the top. I distinctly remember the final sting in the tail of the Salathe: a burly and awkward little squeeze chimney before the very last pitch. It isn't over till its over! I climbed up the juggy crack to the finishing slabs gleefully in the dark. We celebrated on the summit and slept in the rock ring.
My second route on El Cap in three days. Awesome!!! We literally ran down the east ledges descent to jump into the river and crack beers in the meadow. Life tasted sweeter after this route.