Astroman, Powell-Reed, Bircheff-Williams    9/15-16/90
Subject:      Astrogoat

     Lin Murphy and I made what could only be called an attempt on the East
Face of Washington Column (the "free" name does not really apply here).  The
plan was to haul a bag with pulley + Jumars so as to save my arms from cramping
which would give me a decent chance at freeing the 3 pitches I didn't get last
time.  By the time we got to the base with the bag, there was another party
of Brits who had already cleared the Harding Slot (which Lin kept calling the
Kor Slot, perhaps due to previous trials on the South Face).  We soon found out
that hauling and free climbing is slow.  Lin cruised the 2nd pitch, but then
goating was on in earnest.  "Billy" led the 3rd free, although he found it
slightly harder than last time.  "Nanny" yarded on a biner after bleating about
reach problems and lack of time to free it.  Billy charged upwards on the 4th
and made it to the rest without too much of a pump.  Got a great rest by just
bracing my shoulder and back on the right wall (using left foot only on the
big foothold).  Liebacked casually past the wide bit, finding many foot flakes,
and got a couple of #2s in, but it looked so long that I started to grab gear
and hang.  Piece to piece up to the belay, trying to save my arms.  I thought
Nanny might get it on TR like I did last time, but the first 2.5 was stuck and
she couldn't get it out even when hanging.  She liebacked(!) to the rest,
confirming that jamming is rather foreign, and had many hangs above.  Billy
rapped down to recover the 2.5 and got a booty "fixed" 2.5 also.  Noticed bicep
cramps when jumaring back up and started cursing.  Billy then led
the easy chimney and noticed the Brits coming down North Dome gully as he
donned tights and shirt to ward off the shady breeze.  Nanny led to the bolt
stance in the flare after much bleating and hanging on the short overhanging
jam.  Billy led the hand and fist crack, noticing more bicep cramps, so I
basically gave up and started bleating and hanging.  Should have taped, but
we were short on time and I had already kinda given up after the jumar cramps.
Nanny followed with curses and not too many hangs; her tape job was the amateur
"single knuckle wrap", so I promised to give her lessons sometime.  We rapped
and hoofed back to the car with headlamps.  Verdict:  need to relax and not get
so gripped on the 4th -- it's really a good size for me; tape for 5/6th; do it
in a day (with matches).
     On Sunday we nursed our gobis/bruises/stiffness and tried the Powell-Reed
on Middle, with detours onto Stoners' at start and end of 3rd to avoid hard
parts.  4th on Stoners' (I led all except initial 5.7; Lin felt tired).  Lin
TRed Stoners' 1+2 from the rap anchor.  Finally I led Bircheff-Williams.
Cruised the lower bit and middle, but had a lot of trouble on the initial crux.
My suspicions from last time were confirmed, as I could not layback it without
the supposedly inadvertent help from the rope I got last time on TR.  Had to
abandon that beta after several grabs and a fall, and go for the full-on, palms
down, at my limit stemming.  Fortunately I cruised the final crux by liebacking
the arete again (much easier, for me, than just below).  Lin cruised to
the final crux with nice stems but blew from the rest at the pins.  Much
grabbing and hanging ensued, but after coaxing, she finally got the final crux
with a stemming lieback of the pin scars, declaring it harder than the
Moratorium (now that's something we can all agree on!).