The Prow (A Retro Report)

The Prow (A Retro Report)

Story by Brian

November view of The Valley. El Cap is (obviously) the formation on the left.

November view of The Valley
Photo by C. Foster

"I'm never gonna do another fu*ken wall with you again!"

"Fine, I didn't want to climb with you again either!"

Me and Yates were getting along great. I'm talking about Jim Yates - not John (the nice one who now runs Yates Gear on his own.) Though they're identical twins, Jim has always had more "attitude" than John. He also climbs more because John keeps wrecking his knees, elbows, and anything else with a joint. We were 2/3's of the way up the Prow on Tapir Terrace. Jim was mad because I was balking at some easy move. I was mad because I hadn't slept worth a shit, while he had lounged in a single porta-ledge for the last two nights.

A few nights before we had had a fun drunken argument about cheater sticks. Yates had made one from a tent pole and thought it was the greatest. I was still dreaming we lived in a perfect world where style mattered. To quote Bob Segar, "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then".

The author preparing to lead Pitch 2.
The chest harness is an unpadded prototype of the Yates "Big Wall" harness.

I don't know who won the argument, but Yates brought the stick and dropped it before we even used it. Karma? Yates lead first and free climbed quite a bit before aiding up to the belay. I found the second pitch to have one tricky section in it about halfway up. I think the Topo at the time said A-2. Jim's next pitch said A-3 but didn't seem to slow him down at all. He went way out left and then up and right to the belay/bivy ledge.

Now Jim is fast and I'm slow and we always drink too much the night before and get a late start so we knew we'd never make Tapir Terrace the first day. We slept in, climbed our pitches, and settled in for the bivy - Jim in comfort, and me on a sloper. I really don't remember the ledge but it couldn't have been very good because I slept like hell and was irritated with sleeping beauty. The morning started and nearly ended with me creeping my way up the crux pitch of the route.

The guide said A-3, but I guess that was maybe the old days ('84). I was fresh off four years in Humboldt County and alot more rain and substance abuse than climbing. I was slow. It was hard. I remember one section where I pounded a 1" angle about halfway in and was very happy. That was right before a traverse to the left where I followed two bad body weight placements with two hook moves and finally something good. I had never done a hook move, but knew that one of them was great and the other sucked. We had only one hook and the one that sucked would have been fine with the right type. I was surprised that the aid was a good step harder than the Nose.

There was one pitch I lead that really blew my mind. It was fixed shit after shit after bashed shit. I think it was the third off the ledge but it's kind of foggy. I had never heard of bounce testing and I had never really seen much in the way of bashies, so I didn't really know what to think. I didn't clip a whole lot of the stuff because it didn't seem like there was much point. I remember looking back down and seeing the rope snake on down behind me and drop into the void completely unattached to any gear that I could see. I finally reached a single 1/4" bolt right below a belay ledge and then decided to be shook. I couldn't reach the belay and for some reason was scared to stretch for it or to risk falling onto the bolt. I'm sure I fuc*ed with it for half and hour before I finally called off belay.

Yates was pissed at the delay and quickly led the next pitch. On the next lead, I took a short fall on some early TCU or something. It was really small, and I guess didn't have any margin for error as it looked like a fine placement. It didn't bother me and I made pretty good speed up to the belay right before dark. John put on his head lamp and took off to Tapir Terrace and left me in the dark.

I know everyone talks about climbing in the dark like its no BFD, but I was not at all impressed with the prospect. I also didn't have a headlamp. Thinking about jugging a traversing half moon type pitch in the dark gave me the creeps thinking about it. Jim went up and did his thing. He was sputtering and crying about rope drag as he made mostly blind free moves to some ledge he had never seen. It was a very strong effort that got us out of a jam. Now for my light, the idea was to have Jim slide his lamp down the haul rope to me - great idea huh? I didn't think it would work either. But the Big Wall Gods were with me and the light came thru unharmed. As I made the belay I was relieved to be there, but not very pleased with the "ledge". Yates again got his lounger out and went fast asleep after our usual bickering over food and water.

It had been over 90 degrees and we were very, very dry. The amount we drank wasn't that important, what was important was that we each drank the same amount. We would eye each other with great suspicion on each sip. "You took a gulp!" "No I didn't, that was a sip!"........and so on.

My ledge consisted of a sloping corner with a manzanita stick at the perfect spot to go right up my butt. You may laugh, but it wasn't funny at all. I wanted to sleep soo bad. I was crazy thirsty, and I knew sleep was the only possible relief. What I got was a nightlong battle with the stick from hell! Everytime I would start to doze I'd start sliding. Everytime I'd move the stick would poke me bad. Everytime I cried about my spot I'd think of that bastard sleeping soundly on his ledge. Someday.............

After our argument, Jim took the lead and kept it for those last few uneventful pitches to the top. A "Belly Crawl" sounded like a bad idea to us, and we just stayed to the right and had no problems exiting before noon. Yea, our pig got stuck in some chimney and I had to down jug a bunch and then ride it - but other than that - the real climbing was over.

What real thirst looks like.
Jim Yates (left) and the author atop El Cap.

Gaining the top gave us no elation at the time. The view of Halfdome was beautiful and some guy happened to be on top to take our picture. After all these years, it's still one of my favorites. I don't remember anything of the romp down the infamous gully, but I'm sure there was no energy wasted on smalltalk or getting off track. We were grim and determined to get water, and too thirsty to get lost. We hit Tenaya Creek on the run and layed out and started drinking. Screw the giardia! Sometimes you just don't care.

As you can tell, The Prow wasn't an easy route for me. I don't know if it's really changed that much, or if the gear has just gotten that much better, or if I was just a wuss and everyone nowadays is a stud. When I hear people giving beta about how easy it is; I wonder why they don't climb something hard then. I got alot out of The Prow. I can't tell you exactly what, but you can't get it from an easy climb.

Go climb a wall. Go climb a hard wall - for you.

ps I'm sure I pounded at least 3 pins.

A few years later I got off the couch again to do another wall with Jim - Liberty Crack - but that's another story.

Brian (avajane@aol.com)