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Dan emerges from the Pie Slice, and Tom on the slab

After a bite to eat, we moved into the shade, and I lead that nice 11-ish lieback crack to the right of 41 Candles (name anyone?). For some reason I didn't really have my lead head on, so I kinda sewed it up. For some reason that's been happening a lot to me this year, with trad routes at least. Or maybe it was 'cause I had trouble focussing on my feet. Tom rejoined us at this point, and did a lap on it as well, before setting up 41 Candles (easy 5.13?), which Dan then worked on for a while. There's a really low percentage move about 25 feet up, which Tom has some weird beta involving holding a crystal in the crook of your index finger. When I tried it, I couldn't figure it out, and eventually aided up past it, before running out of steam a bit higher up. Dan had another go, and found a much better sequence that didn't involve Tom's beta - I'll have to try that next time if I can remember what it is. We then gave Tom a belay on his newest project, as he tried to figure out where the route went, and if it was a route at all, which took quite a while. After that, we did a lap on the crack again to warm back up, then did the arete next to Peaceful Warrior, and finished off on Green Monster. Well, almost finished - as I was about to clean it, Tom called for us to help him. Apparently he had gotten a cam stuck, and needed to be put on belay to clean it or risk taking a monstrous swing, or somesuch. By then it was getting dark, so I cleaned Green Monster by headlamp, which was fun. The hike out was spectacular - the full moon had risen, and was illuminating the domes with a magical glow. Really amazing.

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Dan on 41 Candles, and Tom on his new route

There were no chupacabra sightings that night. We got up a bit earlier on Sunday, and Dan and I went down to the Pop Bottle ledge to warm up, as we had left the packs there the night before so that we wouldn't have to carry them as far. There was still a lot of water there - surprising for so late in the year. We did the arete, then I wanted to try the infamous "step across" route, but got on the wrong slab. I finally figured out where it is, and that gap looks friggin huge! It was nice being able to see my feet again though. We then tried out some of the routes on the wall you hike past. There's a really nice 12b with a 10a/11c approach pitch. First we tried the 11c, and we both took falls on the move through the roof. It took us a few goes before it got sent. Yikes! After a quick lunch, we headed up the 10a and attacked the 12b. Dan went first, but got pumped out about half way up. There are some very sequence intensive moves, with poor feet. After he finished it, we pulled the rope and I had a go. I didn't get any higher than Dan before blowing it, but wow - amazingly good route, with some awesome moves. Feet placement on marginal holds is key. And the sequence through the last few bolts is fantastic. I'm coming back to redpoint this sucker soon! Tom begged another belay from us at this point. We seriously considered declining, as we didn't want to have to hike all the way back down the tallus field, but hey, he did put up all those route, and just for us.... Dan also had a go on Tom's project, and did really well on it. The finishing sequence looks horrific. For some reason, we both wanted to get back on The Dream, so I warmed up on Green Monster again (and almost blew it), before Dan had a go at The Dream. We were rather fried by this point, and our eyes were considerably bigger than our arms - Dan came down after the 3rd bolt. But we had left a rope up over Green Monster, so he went back up that, and set up a TR on the Dream. I went up, and had forgotten most of the beta from last year, so it was a true thrutch fest. Dan's experiences were much the same as mine. What the hell were we thinking? Once again, it was getting dark, so we packed up and did the long hike out. Ug. However, there were fresh raspberries waiting for us at the car, which a friend of Tom's had left for us. Yum! We barely made it to the Taqueria in time. As a final note, let me add that the Sterling ropes from last year's North Face blowout sale, suck beyond belief. Dan had brought a new one this weekend, and after some very minor abuse, the sheath was very frayed, and the core was even showing through in one spot. Others have reported similar things. I am very surprised because Sterling usually makes really good ropes, but these ones are fragile to the point of being dangerous.