Yves Briere and I enjoyed some multipitch Valley action last weekend.

Saturday -- The Free Blast (first 10 pitches of Salathe' Wall on El 
Cap).  Started at 7:30am.  2 other guys (also from Palo Alto) arrived at 
the base while we were getting our harnesses on.  I offered to let them 
go first, but they were a little unsure about the route, so they let us 
go first.  My third time on the route, although the second time only
was good for 3 pitches (first was in May '85).
p1: 5.10c double cracks (C led).  A good warmup and nice intro to El Cap 
granite.
p2: 5.8 hand/lieback (Y).  Slightly awkward; glad we brought the big 
Friends (2 #3, single 3.5, 4).
p3: 5.11b traverse (C).  We both got it free with no falls.  I had to 
belay short when a loose belay coil got hung up under a roof below Yves, 
but fortunately it freed itself after some delay.
p4: 5.10b thin/tips corner (Y).  Very sustained and classic pitch.
p5: 5.10d groove and slab (C).  Proud that I freed the groove, but then 
I fell on the slab traverse and later had to yard past a glassy section.  
The end of our free ambitions.
p6: 5.10b glassy slab (Y).  Hard for the grade, or maybe we have 
forgotten how to climb slabs?  More aid was employed.
p7: 5.9 corner (C).  No problems here.
p8: Half Dollar - 5.10b (Y).  The undercling was easy enough, but the 
entrance move to the flared chimney stopped Yves.  It was slow to aid 
without aiders, and the occasional wet streaks and maybe gear clipped to 
the back of his harness (and lack of kneepads?) prevented him from 
freeing much of it.  I managed to free the entrance moves by liebacking 
some holds on the arete.  But then I had to grab some gear briefly to 
free a stuck TCU.  Near epic, as the sack and 9mm dangling below me 
sapped my energy, but I only left fly one loud string of curses 
(including the word sack)!
p9, p10:  easy up to Mammoth.  One booty nut, and we listened to strange 
far-away loud arguments of some party high on El Cap.  Rapped the double 
fixed lines and recovered the sweaters we'd tossed from the start of p3.  
Good fun, and we even got to eat dinner w/ Greg Murphy before it got 
dark.

Sunday - The Moratorium (below the East Buttress of El Cap).  My 4th 
time on this classic corner route.  I was pleased to discover that I'd 
written the exact rack needed in my guidebook.  On my previous trip, w/ 
Bruce Fortnam last October, I flailed (hung twice) on the third pitch.  
This was due partly to oversize shoes, as my good ones were on resole 
delay.  I was bent on justice (i.e. free without an epic).  We were 
passed early on the approach by some Colorado guys who planned to link 
The Moratorium with the East Buttress of El Cap.  I wonder if they got 
wet from Horsetail Falls?
p1: 5.10d lieback (C).  Sustained, but the stem rests up high always 
save me (probably it's only 5.10c for somebody of my height).  There 
used to be one or two semi-loose rest flakes, but they are gone now.  
p2: 5.10d lieback and stem (Y).  Trouble in paradise.  Perhaps he was 
spooked by the grass, but Yves had to hang at the middle crux (small 
roof).  I always have a lot of trouble here, too.  Yves also aided the 
final crux -- perhaps the beta for the bizarre way I do this move just 
didn't seem feasible.  But I swore the first time I did it (on lead) 
that it was 5.11 (but then again, my stemming skills are not good).
p3. 5.11b lieback and "tube/chimney" (C).  I barely managed to crank off 
the lower lieback section which had stopped me last time (desperately 
slamming in a TCU while holding a tenuous sidecling, before powering 
more lieback moves to the jugs).  On the crux ("chimneying" the blank 
corner, where you can completely let go of the crack), I was not as 
confident as usual, keeping the fingerlocks for as long as I could.  
Yves yarded on a piece at the crux - perhaps he a bit de-psyched after 
the problems on p2.
On the rappel down, I removed the large loose flake below the crux (200+ 
pounds).  This will make the crux about 2 feet longer, with a slightly 
harder move to get established in the corner, but hopefully the 
increased peace of mind for the belayer will be worth it.  I also 
cleaned the crack in this area.  Then I spent a lot of time cleaning the 
second pitch, in the area of the small roof, to remove the huge grass 
clod, as well as other grassy sections lower down.  Major dirt storm -- 
hand jams were unearthed, etc.  Hopefully it will stay clean at least 
until my next trip up it (maybe next year?).  Uh-oh, another partner
has discovered my tendency for compulsive cleaning sessions....
On the drive back, I devised the "ultimate" cleaning tool - a hacksaw
blade with an offset handle (to avoid more skinned knuckles).
I hope to employ it this year on a certain high corner!

Clint