El Capitan

A recce, and a disappointment.


I had wanted to climb El Capitan in Texas when I saw it from the highway.
We hiked to it on the 3rd of Decmber, all the way up to its base, and once there,
I found the rock very friable, and steep. I didn't have a prayer of climbing it, with my
lack of ability at the time. I was at my limit on 5.8-rock, but this was totally beyond my
ability because it was not solid. It came apart in my hands. I retreated to Jones'
position on the ridgeline below, and admitted he was correct in his assumption.
And here I thought he was just bein' a fun-killer...

Tom hiking the trail to El Capitan from Pine Creek

Tom on the trail
to El Capitan
3 December 1986

The big South face from the El Capitan trail

Ben & El Capitan,
the big South face
3 December 1986

Not sure when the airplane hit the mountain. The Park Service knew all about it.

Debris from an
airplane crash
3 December 1986

I tried bouldering a bit on the rock. It was beyond the bounds of possibility for me at the time,
but today, I'm certain I could find a route on it. Tom was not the right partner for such a venture.
After a look around, we headed back to Pine Creek campground. Tom packed out the instrument
panel of the long-ago plane crash. I can't remember if he was just collecting it, or taking it back
to Park headquarters to help them out. It's a funny thing how all that twisted metal just lays there.

Shameless self-portrait before the South face.

Ignominious Me at the
base of El Capitan
3 December 1986

'What's our altitude, Gene? Hey, is that a moun---'

Tom packing out the
Instrument panel...
3 December 1986

Crumbling cliffs guard El Capitan's base.

Try climbing on this
junk. Pretty but crazy!
3 December 1986

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