Aid climbing practice Day 2 - September 28, 2010

Anja was ready really excited to lead so we headed back up the base of El Cap to climb La Escuela.  It is supposed to be a 165 ft pitch but we broke it into to pitches using the bolt anchors about half way up.  Anja took about 2.5 hours to lead the first 70 ft and placed gear about every 3 ft.  Considering it was her first aid climb that's not too bad.  At the mid bolt anchors she was very dehydrated.

The first half of the pitch.

Anja at the first bolt anchors.  Anja had fun leading but it was really hot, somewhere in the 90s, and before Ken even got on lead we had drank 3 liters of water.

Great views across the valley of Lower and Middle Cathedral.

While Ken was cleaning the pitch a deer came to check out our gear.

Although it was 6 pm Ken headed up the second pitch.

Ken finished the second pitch at 7 pm and cleaned it on rappel.  Unfortunately one of the nuts clean placed was jammed in too good to clean quickly on rappel so Ken left it.  We got to the ground just at darkness.  The sunset from the belay ledge was great.  Before we packed up to head down we had drank all 5 liters of water we had brought with us.