Yosemite:  West Face of El Cap  9/14-15/91

This weekend Lin Murphy and I made it up the West Face; we'd both been up 8-9
pitches this summer with Brian and Joel, respectively.  Since we're not known
for great speed, we employed the "fire or grab gear" method, and no 5.11
pitches were freed as a result.  We hauled 5 liters of water, minimal food +
bivvy gear (sweaters, hats, long underwear), so the bag was moderately heavy
and we wimps used Jumars and a pulley to ward off arm cramps.  We even poured
out .5 liter when the bag seemed too brutal, and the bivvy at Thanksgiving
was still reasonable with 1.5 liters remaining (but the walk off was parching
since the Horsetail Falls spring was down to a trickle -- OK for dunking head
but not drinking, we thought).  I enjoyed the featured rock, and it was a lot
of work, but worth it to avoid having to do the approach again!  More details
by pitch below, but ratings are mostly from last time since we aided this time:
1 L 5.11c/d? move at second bolt, or 5.10c A0.
2 C 5.11b move 25' up; good pro from fixed #1 Rock and #2 TCU, or 5.10b A0.
3 L
4 C
5 L tricky 5.10b move around roof, face L and pinch w/ L hand (thought it was
  5.10d last time...).
6 L 5.10a, sling belay at pin left of horn 20' below fixed slings.
7 C 5.11c.  Trying to use Brian's beta, I clipped the fixed copperhead just
  below the belay slings, and looked up for the hold on the arete, but it was
  2' of 5.11 stem moves above me, so I yarded.  5.10c fingerlocks to this
  point.  Above the slings the pro is in shallow cracks, so I aided more.
8 C 5.11c (new rating in latest guide); I aided.
9 L 5.7
10 C 5.10b dike traverse.  It was runout near the end of the traverse and I
  was pretty gripped!  Step up to 2nd level in middle of traverse.
  Not runout above in crack.
11 L 5.10b wide stem left of fixed pins, then back to right crack at shaky
  horn.  Wild looking quartz band above.  Lin was getting tired at this
  point (she had the worst of the hauling on pitches 1,3,5,6).
12-13 C 5.7 belay at end of crack before knobs (#2.5, 3 Friend).
13-14 C 5.9 fist move, which I aided!  Booty #1.5 Friend above!
15 C 5.11a? more grainy than "gritty", climactic crack which thins and you
  clip a rusty wired and try to crank the hand traverse if freeing (I wasn't).
  Hidden fingersize pin scars are in the sloping traverse crack.  Good luck.
  Used #3.5, #4 Friends at belay (or #2).  Tension traverse for 5.11a move.
  Lin followed pretty quickly in the dark.
16 C 5.7 stems + liebacks using headlamp.
The bivvy cave at Thanksgiving was nice, with wood for fire at dawn, sandy
floor, 2 fixed Mylar "space blankets", ring-tailed cat who took my M+Ms, etc.
On Sunday, Lin led the next 2 pitches while I followed with the sack
(4th class after start of 18).  The descent was faster and more pleasant than
usual (except for lack of water) with our fairly light gear.